Lifetime Achievement

Harvey was not ready to take the stage. His tie was too tight, his hands were sweating, and he could already feel the lump forming at the back of his throat.

     A crackle came through the walkie-talkie held by the production assistant standing next to Harvey in the hall just beyond the stage exit.

     “He can go now.”

     She lifted the walkie-talkie to her face to respond. “Got it,” she replied without an ounce of interest in her tone. She turned to Harvey. “You’re on.”

     “O-okay. Okay, thanks,” he stammered out.

     “Just go,” she responded with a sharp glare.

     Harvey made his way down the hall and up the stairs to where another assistant was waiting. As Harvey locked eyes with them, they quickly turned away while holding up their hand, both to ensure he didn’t take the stage too soon and as a sign of their disgust. It was only a moment more that passed before they waved him on, but to Harvey it felt like an eternity.

     “And now, for the final award of the night…” the host said from center stage with yet another disinterested tone. “This year’s Lifetime Achievement award goes to, as we have all already been informed… Harvey MacMillan, everyone.”

     No one clapped when Harvey approached the podium. The host didn’t even turn to hand him the award he had won, instead opting to leave it on the middle of the podium and exit the opposite side of the stage. Harvey wondered if that wasn’t just so the host wouldn’t risk brushing past him.

     Harvey stared out at the room full of people. Peers. Reporters. The friends and family of people who still had friends and family.

     “I, uh… Wow. Lifetime Achievement, huh? That’s, wow,” Harvey stammered. “You know, I, uh… Wow. I have spent a lot of years thinking about this moment. Or a moment like this. And, I, uh…”

     Harvey looked out at the crowd once more. Faces of shame, disappointment, and apathy looked back. From what he could see, there wasn’t a single smiling face in the building. And, for some reason, that made Harvey smile.

     “You know… This isn’t how I ever imagined this would go,” Harvey said with a wide grin. “I spent thirty-two working for this company. I met my wife here. I met my best friend here. I helped repaint the walls when we moved offices over twenty years ago.”

The boom in his voice picked up as the words flowed. Harvey couldn’t stop them. “I picked up the slack when we lost contracts. Lost workers. I did everything I could to make this company into a place I could be proud…”

Harvey scanned the crowd. No one cared.

Harvey slammed his hands down on the podium. “There is nothing to be proud of here. Not when I’m treated like this for doing the right God damn thing.”

Harvey left the stage, his trophy still standing in the middle of the podium. No one cared.