“Pipe Dreams”

Alex was starting to feel like a third wheel by the time dinner was on the table at Andy’s restaurant. They’d had an interesting time, to say the least, watching Andy and Lucy get hitched earlier that morning and afterwards Alex had driven Colin and his date, Ami, to the restaurant where he mostly sat watching the two of them play kissy-face and paw all over each other until he finally had enough. Making an excuse about not feeling well, he drove the two love-birds back to Colin’s place then headed back to his room at the boarding house to relax. Truth be told, he was still feeling quite hung-over from the stag party the night before, but mostly he just wanted to be alone to have time to think.

He’d had a little chat with that bloated newspaper owner, Cal, earlier after the wedding, putting his hat in the ring for a job. Unfortunately, the man had turned him down flat. Not good, especially since his bills were coming due and the money he’d made from his last gig had just about run dry. He was tired of moving around from job to job... really liked it here in The Glen and planned to put down some roots, stick around and make a go at it. Problem was, how could he put down roots if he didn’t have the resources?

“Fuck Cal, fuck the Times,” he cursed to himself, as he paced around his room. “I’ll start up my own fuckin’ paper... will serve them right not to hire me.”

The next morning, he made some calls, found a slightly used printing press over in Coff’s, as well as a possible location here in town for an office.

As he sat sipping his coffee, Alex tallied up the amount of money he’d need to start his new business. His brow furrowed as he realized he’d never be able to raise that kind of money on his own. He’d need a loan, but who the hell in their right mind would give him one? He let out a sigh, folded the paper and shoved it in his pocket. “Pipe dreams, Ross. Pipe dreams.”