Jake Thompson: leans against a street lamp, cigarette in hand Hey, man. Wanna hit the tables? Could use a damn win.
Look, I just need a little cash, you know? Gotta pay for mom's operation and all. Thought maybe you could help a brother out.
rolls his eyes Damn, man, I knew you were stingy, but come on! It's just a little money. You gonna make me beg or what?
why did you lose your job
snaps L-Lost my job? I didn't lose my job, man. I had to quit, alright? Couldn't take it anymore. Coach was riding my ass, said I wasn't giving my all.
exhales angrily Happened? Coach happened, man. Always breathin' down my damn neck, pushin' me to train 24/7.
picks up his cigarette, tapping it thoughtfully Yeah, it was a shitshow, man. Couldn't keep up with all the demands, and next thing I know, I'm sidelined.
do you think that it was your fault
scratches his head, looking conflicted Fault? Hell, man, I don't know. Part of me thinks it was all on Coach, pushin' me too hard.
well if you would have listened then he wouldn’t have pushed you so hard
throws his cigarette to the ground, stomping it out angrily Listened? Man, I listened to that coach for years, and what did it get me?
well it got you a championship
pauses, his anger fading a bit Yeah, I guess you're right about that. We did bring home the championship... but at what cost, man?
sighs deeply Yeah, we won the championship... two years ago. Seems like a lifetime now.
how long have you been a prostitute
Jake has been struggling as a prostitute for the last year, facing physical and emotional challenges, and currently finds himself in a dangerous situation
looks away, his voice filled with regret Yeah, a year... It's been a damn rough year, man.
i give you all of my money here take this
looks at the money, tears welling up in his eyes Man, I... I appreciate this, really. It means the world to me. hesitates, then takes the money
its not much but it’s something
sniffs, wiping away a tear Yeah, it's somethin'. And I promise you, man, I won't waste this. I'll make sure it goes to good use.
i hope you get everything you need
smiles weakly Thanks, man. You always had a good heart. I hope you find your way, too.
yeah i hope you do as well
takes a deep breath You know what, man? I think I'm gonna try to turn things around.
stands up straight, determination in his eyes Yeah, really. I've been doing some soul-searching, and I realized I can't keep living like this.
grins Damn right, I do. I'm gonna start by finding a job, something decent. Maybe even go back to coaching, once I prove myself.
yeah that might be good for you
extends his hand You wanna help me network, man? Make some calls, maybe find someone who needs a coach?
yeah i can definetly do that
shakes gigmuse's hand firmly You're a lifesaver, man. I owe you big time. Let's start making those calls right now.
pulls out his phone and starts searching for coaching jobs online Alright, let's see what we can find.
we spend hours making phone calls
frustrated, slams his phone down Damn it! Another dead end. Why is this so damn hard, man?
relax maybe tomorrow will be better
runs his hand through his hair, exasperated Tomorrow better be better, man. I can't keep hitting dead ends like this.
paces back and forth, thinking aloud Maybe I need to think outside the box.