The ransom of achievement
By Randall Sparks
You can’t sit idle by
Assume promotion
Follow someone’s design
Look up to a mentor
Once you reach the top
It’s your lead
No one else can do it
Don’t look back
Ego negotiates
It mediates your reality
Qualification adapts
Normal seems arrogant
It’s not narcissism
It’s the work, the play
The song or art of it
You become the lens
The instrument of discovery
Not creation
More like realization
At times it seems
You’ve been allowed to see
To experience what Magellan felt
Sense something new
Anticipation just off
Excitement is an opiate
Sometimes you forget modesty
Feel defensive of your gain
You’re alone, isolated
From other than a select few
Your peers
Those capable of understanding
Of appreciation
Eccentricity
Is cautiously embraced
Tolerated more honestly
It goes with the territory
Often surrounding peers
Experience motivation
Influenced to a similar degree
Feed off each other's success
And draw from the fire
A 'think tank'
A large shift for the psyche
Seems like a baby’s whisper
A minor misstep at first
Behavior edges toward erratic
Red flags ascend
Notice becomes concern
And the music stops
In circles of brilliance
Controversial ideas
Are floated as dry jokes
To observe their impact
If it’s not serious, it’s safe
Tangential discussions
Continue for hours
Sometimes longer
Some vectors serious
Some not so much
Yet to all participants
Thoughts seem normal
No questions or concern
Until fear enters
Someone's comfort threatened
Colleagues run for the exits
You, become the topic
Your irrationality receives scrutiny
All past references weighed
Event focus accumulates
Until you become to all
The sum of your difference
Smiles trade place with distance
Sanity and conformity
Icy treacherous roads
Watch the curves
Observe the signs
Go slow
Achievers rise as heroes
Until venturing beyond normal
When safe zones are breached
A thin obscure line barely noticeable
A knife a gun a danger we accept
We pivot quick in fear
Easily startled
Danger becomes anger
Where did the D go?
Our trust is fiercely fragile
Such is the ransom of brilliance
Paid by the chosen few
The cream that rose to the top
I chanced to know such a man briefly
He shared his flight with me
And confessed literally that he was
In fact exactly mad
And I am the richer for his candor
Doctor Jonathan Warbel
Died yesterday
He was a good man
Some would say a great man
Some would say a mad man
This reporter would say
That he will be sorely missed
Sparks - on the record
For the record
07001
The editor’s desk - smile
Ok Sparks you see this smile?
It's a good piece
Ponderous platitudes but still
I always tell you, right?
Don’t get too close to a story
You did, I’m not judging
It makes it human, fine
Don’t make it a habit
Maintain objectivity
Reporting is a hard business
Don’t go soft on me
Keep it sharp that's all
Sorry for your friend
Take a couple days
See your girl
Write, don’t write
Whatever helps
I don’t care
Just feel better
Then get yourself back here
You're still here?
Why are you still here?
Did you not hear me?
Go!
07002
Baby, stop
You don’t have to apologize
Or make excuses to me
For doing your job
Apologies
Aren't the memories I want
This is us time, remember?
It should be about us
Me and you
And me of course
Let’s keep it there
So you’ve been gone
So what?
You want to hear about places
I’ve been to since you left?
You think it’s a job?
You think the book store
Is about money?
Think again paperboy
It’s about travel
Every day I leave
To anyplace I want to go
And I’m back every night
And the fantasies?
Oh baby!
(laughing)
Let me tell you about that
You were, you are
Great when you're away
Never better
You’re ok when you’re here
(laughing)
Silly boy
You think it’s skin on skin?
It’s not
That's part of it
But the bigger part
The way bigger part?
Is heart on heart
And missing you
Sets that part of me on fire
Men think they run everything
You think you caught me?
News flash paperboy
I caught you!
I’m the reader
And you’re my private writer
Both our lives are about words
I can make you feel great with them
Or not
Do you hear an apology
For the places I go?
Your little-boy smile
When you’re on a story?
I think of it
It seals the deal
That’s the memory I want
My mind, can be a salacious place
It’s a terrible thing to waste
See love, our story
Has two perspectives
Don’t try to write mine
I want a lover and a friend
Someone to joust with
Share with
Someone to watch
Someone to watch me
I want you
So don’t apologize
Now
You’ve got five minutes
To talk about your work
Then I have several wants
That don’t require talking
Clock's ticking baby
07003
Wow
Give me a minute
I’m still processing
Ok, wow
Are you sure you’re allowed
To give up those secrets?
Isn’t there some girl code
Or something?
Work, yeah then
(smiling)
That’s so unfair
Yes well
There was a scientist
Who lived in an asylum
We became friends
Bad people put him there
Actually, he put himself there
Then they killed him
And they might be after us now
That’s it
Now for your plans
07004
More on that
Somewhere toward the end
You said something about
People trying to kill us?
I think I need more on that
I thought you might
I thought it was crazy talk mostly
There's a lot to explain
To quote doctor Warbel
“If they want you dead
They won’t think twice”
It’s different now that he's gone
The call I took at the restaurant?
Could have been them
It was too soon to tell
I wasn't sure
And anyway
They said they could protect us
And you thought
I shouldn’t know this
Why?
I didn't know who they were
People say things
And you go along because
It's a story, right?
Anyone can make stuff up
You don't want to overreact
And sometimes there are threats
Maybe something maybe nothing
So there's that
And I didn’t want you to worry
I left for your safety
That's got to be
The stupidest thing
I've ever heard!
(furious)
You didn't think?
I wouldn't want?
Ahhhh!
Next time don’t think
Tell me!
I have a right to know!
Don't ever do that again
(calming down)
I am so mad at you right now
07005
Did you tell the police?
I don’t think that’s a good idea
Yes officer, an asylum patient
Said someone was out to get him
My name?
Of course
That sounds reasonable
Right?
Warbel chose asylum
To get away from them
And they got to him
He could have been
In a police station
It wouldn't matter
So protect us from what baby?
Whoever was on the phone
Said they could protect us
And they said
I was a threat to you
So I stepped away
To figure it out
They think I know something
I know what Dr. Warbel said
I took notes
And I think someone's listening
Whatever they wanted
I figured it was me not you
So without me around
You’d be safe
It sounds crazy and it is
But I believe it
I wouldn't expect anyone
To believe me
07006
Maybe it's over now
Dr. Warbel shared a lot of stories
He was their threat not me
That doesn't mean they know that
Either way
It's nothing we can change
Just be careful and pay attention
Watch out for anything strange
So then
Unless you’ve changed your mind
We’re still in ‘us’ time
And like you said
That's a terrible thing to waste
I wouldn’t want you
To have great salaciousness alone
So you’ll just have to settle
Give me a minute
I’m processing
And you’re not off the hook
I'm still mad at you
What you did was bad
You’re bad
But I forgive you
You’re right
We can't just stop living
We can’t let them win
It’s like in the movie
Where you’re supposed to run
And you don’t
Except you're the idiot Randall
For not telling me until now
And maybe we are doomed
Or maybe
I’m Thelma and you’re Louise
As for passion paperboy
You’re not that bad
Tolerable I’d say
Even when you’re here
Oh I see
Funny
You think you're funny don’t you?
I am funny and you know it!
Come here Louise
(her index finger teasing)
Hey!
(she laughs)
07007
And the girl?
Nothing happens to her
She’s the insurance we need
She secures his free will
He’ll ‘save the world’
For her sake
Everything’s going splendidly
I was speaking of the associate
Miss Carnegie?
Ah yes
She’ll be fine
The pieces are set
The game is in play
She’s scheduled to speak
Saturday at the funeral
For the late doctor
He’ll find her there
07008