moving Brad out to another part of the building and even setting him up a space on the factory floor, but Simona said it wouldn’t be fair given that he’s not here all the time. She says it makes sense to have us all in the same room and to feel more like a team. So we’ve joined the new desk to Fredrich’s, and the two of them now sit almost side by side.
The talk soon turns to Elias Cardoza. Fredrich holds up his newspaper which shows a photo of Eli. There’s not long to go now before his fight. “It’s going to be a great night,” says Fredrich. “I was thinking we’d go bigger with the screen.”
I laugh nervously. “How much bigger do you want to go?” Fredrich rubs his hands together as if he’s got a big juicy idea.
“Like drive-in movie size. I spoke to a company specializing in that and they’re happy to come and set it all up. They’re going to give us a discount, too, on account of what we do and why we’re doing it.”
“Screen?” Brad echoes.
“Elias’ big fight,” says Simona. “Haven’t you told him about it?” she asks me.
I mumble something about it not being on my radar. I seem to be juggling everything all the time. The fight night is just something extra, and thankfully I haven’t had to do much about it, because Fredrich seems content to run with it.
Fredrich soon fills Brad in on our plans for that night.
“You’re going to throw a party for homeless people?”
We all look up at him, it’s not just the way he says it, there is shock and disbelief and, if I’m not mistaken, a hint of why-the-hell-would-you-do-something-like-that?
“We’re going to need more manpower,” I say, tapping my pencil on the table. I’m not sure exactly how many people will come, above and beyond our usual numbers. I guess that’s something we’ll find out on the night.”
“How much more?” Simona asks.
“We’ll need to know numbers for the food,” I add.
Brad folds his arms and I immediately brace myself for opposition. He catches my eye. “Say it,” I tell him. I can see that he’s itching to say something, and that he also isn’t fully on board with this.
“You’re hosting a night for homeless people to come and watch Elias fight? And you’re giving them food and …”
“It’s just food. Not food and alcohol, in case that’s what you were going to say.” It seemed to me like it was on the tip of his tongue. “It’s not a party, Brad, we’re aware of that. But whether the usual crowd turns up, or something slightly bigger, it doesn’t matter, does it? As long as we have enough food and security just in case we need it. So, what’s the problem?”
“There isn’t a problem.”
But his insistence doesn’t win me over and I push back. “Don’t be shy. Let’s hear it. I can see that you don’t think this is a good idea. Tell me what’s wrong with it.” I brace myself for his answer.
“I mean, it’s a good idea.” He slowly backtracks.
“But?”
“No buts.”
“Oh, really? Because it sounded like you didn’t agree.”
He opens his mouth but seems to think better of it. “I just… uh … I mean, … uh, are you sure they would want that?”
“Why would they not?”
He looks confounded, his glance shifting to Simona and Fredrich, as if he’s being careful of what he says, as if he’s got to watch his mouth and can’t mouth off like he would around his frat buddies. “Because … it’s not important, surely? For them to see a boxing match when they’re still fighting for basic survival.”
At first this seems like a cruel opinion. But, I see his point. To the uninitiated, it would seem like a waste of time putting on a huge TV screen for ‘these people’. But if we can have an extra food night, and tie it into an event that involves our biggest donor, why not? If this would give these people a chance to forget their woes for the night, why would we not do it?
BRANDON
“Will you come?” Simona asks me.
I blink. “Come where?”
“Aren’t you paying attention?” She laughs, but also looks at me with concern, as if I’ve suffered a concussion and have forgotten who I am and where I am.
“To the food night. On Elias’s big fight night?”
“Uh …” I can do that.
“He’s probably got better things to do,” Kyra says. They’re all looking at me oddly, sensing my hesitancy.
“It’s