Categories > Theatre > Rent > The Emotions of Mark Cohen
It wasn't even anything he wanted to take. Business Communications. Why the hell that was part of the journalism program, well, Mark really didn't get it. However, he went along with it. It was a class, and it filled a spot.
The first day of class, he was paired with a senior, one Benjamin Coffin, or Benny,ere as he bid Mark to call him. "I really could care less about this class." he said idly, as they looked over the project proposal they were handed. "It's the only one I skipped, and I'm graduating at semester."
Mark really didn't care, but he nodded politiely. "Uh, I'm not even a business major. I'm doing journalism. I want to go into film, but not Hollywood film. I do my own thing. Hollywood's a bunch of crap."
Benny raised an eyebrow. "There any money in that? I didn't think independant film was very profitable."
"It's not the profit, it's making a statement. That's what matters." Mark's eyes flash for a moment. Damn. A class that he didn't want to take, and a uppity business major to boot. Lovely.
It's a moment before Benny replies. "Well, I guess." He shrugged, and then the pair went back to pouring over the assignment.
The semester went along, none too surprisingly, except for a strange friendship between Mark and Benny. Their work on the seemingly interminal projects turned into coffee over class breaks, and Mark sharing his dreams. Benny couldn't help but aquire some of Mark's enthusism about film, and about making a difference in the world.
Finally, the time came for Benny to graduate. "I'm going to New York, Mark. I have a few contacts, and, I'll figure out something to do."
Mark grinned at his friend. "Take care of yourself, Benny. You know where your head is. I have confidence in you."
So Benny left. And went to New York. It wasn't until Maureen was begging him to come share her small apartment in the City that he even thought about Benny anymore. Digging through old numbers, he phoned Benny. As it turned out, he had a loft with another man, one Collins, who taught on and off at NYU. He'd done well for himself, as Mark found out, making all sorts of connections in the city. He had a job as a low-level manager in a rather large corporation, but nightly, he went around, and made connections, bringing people together for the benefit of everyone. It was good business sense, and he'd made some interesting aquaintances.
Time passed, and one day, Benny came back to the loft with a shit-eating grin on his face. "Hey, guys. I'm engaged!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, even Roger poked his head out of the bedroom and stared. Mark looked up from the screenplay he was scribbling at, and stared. "Well, er, that's nice."
"You have no impulse control, man. Who is it today?" Collins snorted, from where he was grading papers. "Then again, I didn't realize you swung that way. Hell, I didn't think you swung any way at all."
"Shut up, Collins. Unlike some people around here, I actually know what I want. Mark, you've heard of Alison Grey, haven't you?" Benny's practically beaming.
Mark stares. "That rich bitch with the horrible dog?" He blinks. "What the hell would you be wanting her for?"
Even Roger snorted. "Come on, Benny. You can't be that desperate. There have to be some girls out there who're turned on by investments."
"Oh, come on, guys. Her father's rich, and owns this building." He paused for effect, but getting no reaction, went on. "I can buy this building, and you can live here for free."
"Well, er, congratulations, Benny. I hope you get what you've always wanted." Mark turned around, back to his screenplay, and everyone else to what they were doing.
"What the fuck, guys. You should be happy. I'm actually getting somewhere with this." Benny snaps at everyone.
"You're selling out is what you're doing." Roger leaned on the wall. "You're marrying some bitch because her father has money, and can get you connections. Look us in the eyes and tell us that you're in love with her."
"It's not about love, Roger." Benny stammered.
"And the moment you say that, Benny, you've already sold out." Collins doesn't even look up from the paper he's working on. "Don't you ever listen? Three days ago, you were out there, working for the same kinds of things as the rest of us. And now you're marrying some rich bitch. You'll see, man. You're just the same as all the rest of them."
Benny stalked out of the loft, almost knocking over Maureen in the process. She just stared. "What got into him?"
"We'd like to know that ourselves, Maureen." Mark looked up from his screenplay. "He seems to have landed on his head."
Things never did go back to the way they were. Benny left, not long after, to his own apartment, in preparation to get married. Collins not long after, then Maureen. Mark had more time than he cared to, in which to think. Benny had always been interested in helping, in pursuing the same sort of ideals as the rest of them, but really, he'd never truly fit in. He had his own agenda. He was the opposite of people in the Loft. He did things to promote himself. Or at least that's what Mark consoled himself with. If there was one thing Mark couldn't stand, it was someone changing their tune. Bastard.
The first day of class, he was paired with a senior, one Benjamin Coffin, or Benny,ere as he bid Mark to call him. "I really could care less about this class." he said idly, as they looked over the project proposal they were handed. "It's the only one I skipped, and I'm graduating at semester."
Mark really didn't care, but he nodded politiely. "Uh, I'm not even a business major. I'm doing journalism. I want to go into film, but not Hollywood film. I do my own thing. Hollywood's a bunch of crap."
Benny raised an eyebrow. "There any money in that? I didn't think independant film was very profitable."
"It's not the profit, it's making a statement. That's what matters." Mark's eyes flash for a moment. Damn. A class that he didn't want to take, and a uppity business major to boot. Lovely.
It's a moment before Benny replies. "Well, I guess." He shrugged, and then the pair went back to pouring over the assignment.
The semester went along, none too surprisingly, except for a strange friendship between Mark and Benny. Their work on the seemingly interminal projects turned into coffee over class breaks, and Mark sharing his dreams. Benny couldn't help but aquire some of Mark's enthusism about film, and about making a difference in the world.
Finally, the time came for Benny to graduate. "I'm going to New York, Mark. I have a few contacts, and, I'll figure out something to do."
Mark grinned at his friend. "Take care of yourself, Benny. You know where your head is. I have confidence in you."
So Benny left. And went to New York. It wasn't until Maureen was begging him to come share her small apartment in the City that he even thought about Benny anymore. Digging through old numbers, he phoned Benny. As it turned out, he had a loft with another man, one Collins, who taught on and off at NYU. He'd done well for himself, as Mark found out, making all sorts of connections in the city. He had a job as a low-level manager in a rather large corporation, but nightly, he went around, and made connections, bringing people together for the benefit of everyone. It was good business sense, and he'd made some interesting aquaintances.
Time passed, and one day, Benny came back to the loft with a shit-eating grin on his face. "Hey, guys. I'm engaged!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, even Roger poked his head out of the bedroom and stared. Mark looked up from the screenplay he was scribbling at, and stared. "Well, er, that's nice."
"You have no impulse control, man. Who is it today?" Collins snorted, from where he was grading papers. "Then again, I didn't realize you swung that way. Hell, I didn't think you swung any way at all."
"Shut up, Collins. Unlike some people around here, I actually know what I want. Mark, you've heard of Alison Grey, haven't you?" Benny's practically beaming.
Mark stares. "That rich bitch with the horrible dog?" He blinks. "What the hell would you be wanting her for?"
Even Roger snorted. "Come on, Benny. You can't be that desperate. There have to be some girls out there who're turned on by investments."
"Oh, come on, guys. Her father's rich, and owns this building." He paused for effect, but getting no reaction, went on. "I can buy this building, and you can live here for free."
"Well, er, congratulations, Benny. I hope you get what you've always wanted." Mark turned around, back to his screenplay, and everyone else to what they were doing.
"What the fuck, guys. You should be happy. I'm actually getting somewhere with this." Benny snaps at everyone.
"You're selling out is what you're doing." Roger leaned on the wall. "You're marrying some bitch because her father has money, and can get you connections. Look us in the eyes and tell us that you're in love with her."
"It's not about love, Roger." Benny stammered.
"And the moment you say that, Benny, you've already sold out." Collins doesn't even look up from the paper he's working on. "Don't you ever listen? Three days ago, you were out there, working for the same kinds of things as the rest of us. And now you're marrying some rich bitch. You'll see, man. You're just the same as all the rest of them."
Benny stalked out of the loft, almost knocking over Maureen in the process. She just stared. "What got into him?"
"We'd like to know that ourselves, Maureen." Mark looked up from his screenplay. "He seems to have landed on his head."
Things never did go back to the way they were. Benny left, not long after, to his own apartment, in preparation to get married. Collins not long after, then Maureen. Mark had more time than he cared to, in which to think. Benny had always been interested in helping, in pursuing the same sort of ideals as the rest of them, but really, he'd never truly fit in. He had his own agenda. He was the opposite of people in the Loft. He did things to promote himself. Or at least that's what Mark consoled himself with. If there was one thing Mark couldn't stand, it was someone changing their tune. Bastard.
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