The Little Black Book

The Little Black Book

I used to be a good student. I was the best. Then college came and I don't know what happened. The people I see on the train every morning remind me of who I'm aiming to be, but as well, the failure I'm becoming. I used to be a straight A student; now I'm getting C's, thinking I'm doing well. I didn't understand. Then one day, everything changed.

Barry is sitting on a crowded train with his forehead in his hands, he's at the end of the middle row. There's a pregnant lady looking around with a smug face, standing right next to him. Some people move slightly as the train is stopping.

This is 42nd Times Square.

The doors open and people walk out. A man dressed in black drops something. No one says anything, they don't even look, but Barry, still with his forehead in his hand, looks at it.

"Sir," Barry says not loud enough. He slowly gets up and picks up the book,

"Sir!"

but the door closes on him. It was as if he didn't care enough about anything, not even to hold the door open. Barry looks at the man who isn't looking back, then he looks down at what the man dropped. It's the little black book. The man stops, then turns around and looks back as if hesitantly or dramatically. Barry is looking at the book unopened, then he looks up at the man and holds it up. The man like he was freezing in place, puts his hand out. The train begins to leave and the man runs by them, but only a second. While the man and Barry were still able to see each other, the man pointed as if to say, the next stop! On the train Barry looks around. The only one looking at him is the pregnant lady who took his seat. He doesn't open the book, and when the next stop arrives he gets off. He gets off the train and onto the platform, and turns around casually. He stands neutrally, but he's lifeless. The train leaves. He's still; to break out of it he swings his arm a little, the arm that's holding the book, then he looks at it. He's holding the book from the end, and the long way. He brings it up like a cellphone, and stays like that for a moment before opening it. He is still, his face hasn't changed. He looks up just for a second, then in the direction the train is coming from. He closes the book, and in a short second he holds the book like a studious student normally would, and walks away.

Business

Barry is sitting in a chair at an office waiting, looking at the Disbey sign. He breaks his attention to see the receptionist, who was looking at him but looks away and readjusts her seat. Like nothing, he looks ahead of him. A man walks into view and towards hims in his right direction. Barry looks at him.

"Barry," his business agent is waving him to come over. he goes over and they meet in front of the entrance/exit door, which is not exactly in front of the receptionists, but to the side.

"What'd they say?," Barry asks him nonchalantly.

"The idea's too big. they said they couldn't see it happening with them."

Barry just looks to the side for a second before his business agent talks again.

"but maybe they're right, this doesn't end here though kid, there are still 3 others we have to see."

they exit.

Barry sitting and looking through his phone, to his left is a Farner Bros sign behind a receptionist. His agent walks into the room, but Barry doesn't see him, "Barry."

Barry gets up and goes to him.

"They want to meet you."

They walk into a room with a long table, there are three men on the other side, Barry and his agent take seats in front of them. The investor in the middle begins,

"Barry, I'm Bester. How are you?"

"I'm fine, and you?" Barry responds with a neutral look on his face.

"Good, thanks for asking. Listen, are you sure you can handle this? Sorry if that's a silly question. It's a tall order." The investor says smiling a little.

Barry responds like he obviously has the confidence to be in charge of this operation, "Yeah of course. I spent a lot of time thinking about this, it's the only thing I think about. I know it will be successful; I feel like in this industry, there are no rockstars, and I am the rockstar to make a name doing this."

The investor looks at Barry for a moment and grins. "I like that answer. What are you going to do next, if we say yes?"

"Drop out of school," Barry says like that's an easy answer.

The Investor laughs, it turns to a grin, "Well drop out of school Barry, welcome to the good life."

Barry smiles and nods vertically like acceptance, "Thank you."

"Your agent Ray gave me all your details, you should receive the money in 2-3 business days. When's a good day to meet to discuss office options, Tuesday or Friday?"

Barry looks off to the side for a second and makes his decision quickly, "Tuesday."

"See you Tuesday, Barry. It's a pleasure."

"The pleasure is mutual."

Barry nods his head downward and exits with his agent Ray. They exit the building. Ray is smiling, and speaks to Barry before he puts his hand out to shake, "Barry, congratulations."

"Thanks."

They shake hands, Ray brings him in for a hug. Ray looks at him as they let go, and as he walks away he says, "It was fun."

Barry smiles and stands nonchalantly, "Isn't it always?"

Ray nods like it's true that it is always fun, "It is."

Ray leaves, and Barry watches him go. Then before he's too far to speak to, he thanks him, "Ray!"

Ray turns around. Barry smiles, "Thank you."

Ray smiles and waves goodbye. Barry walks away.

6 Months Later

Barry is coming out of a building under arrest. The police officers are walking him to their car. The paparazzi and the press are there.

"Barry what happened?"

"Barry, is it true? Did you steal someone's business plans?"

He says nothing, and the officers put him in the back of a police car.

In the city hall court room is Barry sitting at the defendant table, the man from the train is at the prosecutors table, and the business agent that helped him is on the stand. The prosecutor is speaking, "Ray am I right?"

"Yeah that's my name."

"Is it true that you did not know of the little black book that was stolen."

Ray responds truthfully, "I knew of the book, I saw it plenty of times. I did not know it was stolen."

"Okay. Now Barry, when we convicted you of stealing Sir Larry's business plans, you pleaded innocent. You even said you didn't know anything about the book. You lied. Your honor, I would like to call the witness to the stand now."

The Judge (female) allows them to proceed, "Witness to the stand."

The Prosecutor continues, "Ms. Lee, tell us what you saw."

"I know it was this man, because at the time I was pregnant, and I was mad that he didn't give me his seat. I recognize his face. When he got up, I stole his seat, and saw it all happen. This man, if it was this man, dropped the little black book, and this man picked it up."

"I believe Ms. Lee, but I also have a video that proves the event did happen, just as Sir Larry explains it."

The Judge, "Let me see it."

They play the video that displays the train platform, and Larry running after the train and pointing towards the next stop. The prosecutor continues,

"People of the Jury, your honor, you have the video evidence that this event did happen to this man right here, he has all the clothes as reported in the police report on your desk. Ms. Lee provided a strong testimony, by which she herself came to us, she found us, isn't that right Ms. Lee."

"Yes."

The Prosecutor continues like he's having fun, like a movie,

"She came to us herself, and Barry's agent in fact saw the little black book. The truth is that this man right here, could have given the book back at the next stop, but he did not. Instead he used another mans plan for his own success. That is all your honor."

The Judge, "We're ready to pass."

The man left of the Jury speaks, "The jury finds Mr. Barry Winslow, for theft of the book, guilty."

The Judge concludes, "Barry, you're found guilty by the jury, and myself. But we won't send you to prison, instead you will hand over the business to Larry, and all the profit you made. All except 1 Million dollars. To pay your lawyer, and the rest for you. You should say thank you to him, you're not going to jail. You look like a good young man, stay out of trouble sir."

Barry nods his head like 'okay'. The officers go to him to escort him out of the courtroom, and they start to. Everyone is preparing to leave. He doesn't see look at anyone as he leaves, but Ray sees him, hoping he's okay. Barry exits the building and is walking down the steps alone.

People succeed and people fail. The truth is like biting into a wet fruit, there's a curve. My lawyer charged me 80 grand, that's 80 thousand dollars. In the end, I only made 20 thousand, but this game isn't over yet. As they say, "When you're on the road, it's best to drive until sunlight."