Prop 415

Frieda was suddenly nowhere to be found and the police were soon ushering everyone away to create a crime scene. Proctor found himself walking home alone, wondering what was left to be done for the Globo-Warriors. Hobart had brought in a whole new kind of environmentalist to change things at the office and now that change had become malignant. Cuckler was a monster, of that Proctor had no doubt. He slept poorly because of the growing fear that he would have to quit his job. Whatever else could be said, Proctor did not want to risk being involved with an even worse scheme Cuckler might create. He came into work and immediately noticed that Frieda was nowhere to be seen. A few interns were manning the phones but even they looked frightened. “Dude, were you at the rally last night?” a disturbingly frank Alan the Intern asked. Proctor nodded and walked straight to Cuckler’s office door, which he pounded on until he heard movement. When Cuckler’s head appeared he looked irritable and smelled of whiskey. “I want to talk about how things are run,” Proctor said. The interns had all stood up and gathered behind Proctor, so that everyone at the office was looking at a beleaguered Cuckler. “The rest of you too, huh? Well, what happened last night was a tragedy and I’m sorry that members of our society cannot appreciate the merits of a peaceful protest. Bordex approved every last suggestion I made, in writing, so you can take it up with what’s left of the G.W.C.M. about how they run things,” Cuckler said. “If you had bothered to ask any of us we could’ve told you that you were going to instigate a gang war! That guy Bordex doesn’t know his head from his asshole, but surely you knew better!” Proctor said. A few of the interns chimed in their support and Cuckler finally came out from behind the door. He looked like he was squaring up for a fight. “Oh fine, so we can make every little decision based on whether or not my IT guy agrees. That won’t take forever!” Cuckler countered. “It’ll take longer, yes, but it’ll also keep you from screwing up like this!” Proctor yelled back. Cuckler looked at each face in the office and finally relented. “Fine, I’ll take that into consideration for the next big rally we have,” Cuckler said. “Good, now you can tell me something else. What is Prop 415 and why are car companies so interested in it?” Proctor asked. Cuckler looked genuinely shocked for a few brief moments as his mouth hung open. Before he could answer Frieda burst into the office crying. She looked as if she had been up all night. “Bordex was hit last night. He’s in the hospital, I, I stayed up with him. They still don’t know if he’s going to be okay,” Frieda said. Cuckler’s mouth snapped shot and he whirled back into his office. Before the door closed he yelled, “Prop 415 is none of you damn business, Proctor!”