Rich Jerk - At the Very Beginning - Part 2
Rich Jerk
At the very beginning.
By C.L. Hollis
The world is full of hypocrites-- high and mighty bullies who claim they’re too good for us all while riding in on white horses and wearing their self-righteousness like a badge of honor. What happens when these arrogant, egotistical jerks are brought down to earth? They appreciate the simple beauty readers find in a heartwarming human story that stands out from the rest-- for its sincerity and emotional pull that resonates within readers like distant memories, pulling them back into their lives as if nothing has changed since before. Such is the power of a heartfelt story.
The Rich Jerk, the rich jerk, the widow’s mite-- those who seek to steal our hearts but end up leaving us with only empty pockets. The jerks aren’t always what they seem. In fact, rich jerks can be an invaluable source of inspiration and accurate examples of how not to live one’s life. Their actions are often times baffling and incomprehensible to us, but once we begin to understand the societal pressures that drive their actions, we see them for who they really are: insecure men whose dreams were shattered long ago yet refuse to move on. Bitterness and a sense of entitlement define the life of the rich jerk.
It was in a small city in Northeast Florida, USA that we first met our subject, a man who would grow to become an unexpected patron saint among young authors and aspiring writers. His name was Thomas Mignon.
Thomas Mignon-- The Most Sensual Jerk in the South (or so he would claim). He was handsome and charming, with a ready smile and dashing good looks that would befit any leading man-- were it not for his undeniably inflated ego which led many to dismiss him as nothing more than an arrogant pretty boy who believed himself to be God’s gift to women. Thomas’s charm and good looks, coupled with his lack of tact, often led to disasters in the town, and more than one person had sought the advice of a local divorce lawyer at the hands of Thomas.
He was not insane or certifiable, but his quirks were many and unpredictable, and he was better off without any real friends. Not that he would admit it-- in fact he had turned down Lou’s offer to help when it came to cleaning out his office before he left for good. “I'll get it done when I get around to it,” Thomas would say every time. “I'm a busy man and if you must know, I have several appointments lined up for the coming days.”
Thomas Mignon’s book was published in 2005. The first printing of 5000 sold out within a year, and it wasn’t long before he became a minor celebrity throughout the state of Florida. In his small hometown, it was as if everyone had read his books and knew him personally-- they were even more excited when they learned that Thomas would be walking home every night from his favorite Cuban restaurant where he would eat dinner with friends after work.
For all his flaws, Thomas Mignon was one of the few truly good men that could be found in this world. He bore no malice or ill will towards anyone and wanted nothing more than to spread the joy of writing to an audience that would appreciate it. In fact, he was quite generous with his money and gave freely to widows, having an affinity for women in need-- even though this generosity was almost always exploited.
Some of the local homeless men would often see him on his way back from dinner; they would stop him on the street and ask for money for food or a night at a hotel, but Thomas would refuse them each time as he looked over them one by one. “You are not worthy of my help,” Thomas would say coldly before walking away. “You are a homeless man-- and your needs don’t matter.”
But Thomas was not the only one who saw Thomas as a friend. Young students who were nearby his office would often come in during the day to talk with him about their writing. His enthusiasm for their stories was contagious and inspirational, but it wasn’t long before they began to know little tricks and secrets of his that he would never hesitate to share. He would tell them about his writing routine, how he would write for at least two hours every day before going to work and in the afternoons as well. He told them about his difficulties with grammar, where he would often spend hours upon hours re-writing a single sentence until it was just right. Sometimes Thomas would even help them on their own writing; he had even encouraged one of these young students to continue her writing, and she had been published within the year.
“It is truly inspiring to see how Thomas Mignon still finds time to help others despite being so busy with his own writing,” the girl told her friends. “It’s just like what he says in his books-- selfishness is the true enemy and we should not let it take over our lives.”
Though he had been a published author for less than a year, Thomas Mignon had already made an impression on many young aspiring writers, inspiring them to continue writing when others would have given up. He would occasionally give advice to these young aspiring authors, even going so far as to read their work and offer critiques in the hopes that they might improve. Thomas was the heart of this small community and his writing was its soul; together they inspired each other and nurtured their creativity with mutual support.
And then, as if out of the blue, Thomas Mignon disappeared.
Over a year passed and everyone believed that he was dead-- but at this point, no one really cared. They were more than a little relieved that he had finally left their community and moved to another state; they were happy for the break from his incessant unsolicited personal advice. Many of them had stopped speaking to him entirely, but Thomas’s family was still in town and they refused to believe that he was gone. They kept up their search and visited his office every day hoping against hope that he would appear one day in the doorway with a smile on his face as if nothing awful had ever happened between them.
Conclusion of Thomas Mignon’s Legacy
After a year of searching, the student who had been heavily influenced by Thomas Mignon’s work had finally given up hope. She felt that though he was gone, he would one day come back for her and make everything all better. But she was wrong and she could never speak to him again.
In the end, despite his small flaws and his many eccentricities, Thomas Mignon was a good man. He was a good writer and his books lived on in the hearts of many fans forever. He gave their stories meaning, teaching them to live as they wrote-- not just to follow words into the world but to also live their stories with passion and heart.