“Yes. That is true. I almost forgot about that. Truly a difficult time you must be going through right now. When it seems like the world has caved in on you and the only person who is present that could dig you out …is the very one that you abhor. Those that you called friends aren’t close enough anymore to remove the piles of earth you feel like are covering you… suffocating you beneath its unyielding pressure. But the one hand that is available to move the dirt and let your rib cage expand so you can take a much-needed breath … is the very hand you would most like to cut off. How ironic is that? You’re only friend … is your enemy. Does that make us anything close to friends now, Casey? Or still enemies? Does one cancel out the other? Or is it possible to be both at the same time? That is a remarkable concept, don’t you think?”

 

Casey said nothing.

 

“Which one do you want to be?” Caesar asked him in a slightly different tone.

 

Those words were strange to Casey’s ears. Not only had his life taken such a drastic turn, but now this. He had spent so much time trying to shut this man down and now he had asked him that.

 

“Why would you ask me that?”

 

“Someone needs to, my boy. Tell me you don’t need a friend. I think that you do. So, tell me, now that you’ve tasted something different, how are your taste buds salivating these days? Are you still an emotional vegetarian? Or are you feeling a little more carnivorous? Salads leave you still hungry, but a piece of meat stays with you a lot longer.”

 

“What are you getting at?”

 

“You missed the party, bud. We had a party tonight and you were a no show. Now, how are you going to enjoy the night when you’re cowering in the shadows? You need to come out into the light.”

 

“And compromise my position?”

 

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Harwell!” Caesar said, insulting his intelligence. “You’re not stupid. Read between the lines!”

 

His words went from calm, to extremely irritated in half a second. Then quickly returned to a gentler tone of voice.

 

“You need to reevaluate your thinking process. Question. Have you ever seen me, Casey?”

 

“No,” he replied with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

 

“But I’m in the light. Everyone sees me.”

 

Casey happened to glance over at a sidewalk light illuminating the cement below. He noticed the ring of light that fell to the ground and surrounded its base in a circular radiance; subtly displayed, but intense against the power over darkness. He understood what Caesar meant. Even though no one knew his identity, he was still well known and in the public’s sight. Everyone knew his name. He lived his fame in the shadows of what he did, popular in his own demented way, but unapproachable, enabling him to maintain his privacy.

 

“Is that enough for you?” Casey asked him.

 

His question triggered an emotional response from Caesar.

 

“Now, that is the question of the century. Is that enough? You think it would be, but just as soon as you put your faith in your accomplishment, they walk in and tear down what you thought would make a difference. Is that enough? Well, it would be if you were being judged by something other than a hypocritical self-centered piece of worthless dung. No matter how hard you try to make it just so perfect, so that maybe, for once they would be impressed with it and tell you what a good job you did, but no!”

 

Caesar began raising his voice again.

 

“They have to kill it with their insecurities! Break it down, piece by fucking piece! Micro-dissect it so they can nitpick every little detail, so there was no way possible you could ever out do them! Much less to match up to! They could never let you be better than themselves! Always keep you feeling like you were less intelligent than was their superiority! It should be enough! But no! Was it ever?! Fuck that!”