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	<title>Wild Violet online literary magazine &#187; Robert Woolridge</title>
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		<title>The Debt Breakers</title>
		<link>http://www.wildviolet.net/2012/10/07/the-debt-breakers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wildviolet.net/2012/10/07/the-debt-breakers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:10:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Robert Woolridge]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dystopia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wildviolet.net/?p=2399</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Time: 1745 Date: June 8, 2053 Client: Natalia Suzanna Karlovskaya; (common: Charlie) Age: 31.3 Occupation: construction support; player Status: 000&#160; Client responds to terminal bell promptly, shuts off machine, removes gloves, walks toward meeting area, produces cigarette, stops to light.&#160; Client sits on stack of cement sacks, smokes.&#160; Behavior consistent with history: client will appear [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><img src="http://www.wildviolet.net/aimages/2012/debtbreakers.jpg" alt="Futuristic city with superimposed money" /></p>
<p>Time: 1745<br />
Date: June 8, 2053<br />
Client: Natalia Suzanna Karlovskaya; (common: Charlie)<br />
Age: 31.3<br />
Occupation: construction support; player<br />
Status: 000&nbsp;</p>
<p>Client responds to terminal bell promptly, shuts off machine, removes gloves, walks toward meeting area, produces cigarette, stops to light.&nbsp; Client sits on stack of cement sacks, smokes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Behavior consistent with history: client will appear at meeting approximately 1.4 minutes late; no penalty; Team Player Rating (TPR) remains low: 36.3.</p>
<p>Client stands, crushes cigarette, proceeds toward “locker room” environment, arrives at perimeter17:51, maintains distance, takes no seat.&nbsp; Coach-level manager, Bradford Arnes Pittman, details business trajectory on holographic charts.&nbsp; Client Karlovskaya cheers where appropriate; enthusiasm: ~10%.&nbsp; No verbal interaction with other players.</p>
<p>Coach Pittman begins promotional segment: “One more point of business before you go.&nbsp; I’d like to personally congratulate our own Andy Bergman.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>Six players punch player Bergman lightly on non-tender body parts, exhibiting healthy TPR.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“Andy is the proud new owner of a Ford F-550 S.”&nbsp;&nbsp; Coach Pittman initiates projection of truck, camera-angle low, emphasis on grille and right, front wheel.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Six players call out wordlessly; enthusiasm: 75%, contagious levels achieved.&nbsp; Five more players voice support for Bergman.</p>
<p>“The F-550 S reflects state of the art engineering with its ‘full-tilt’ suspension that amplifies Ford’s legendary sure-footing on rugged terrain so that even as Andy roars up some of our steep mountainsides around here, towing a load up to two tons over rough terrain, his little boy will sleep like a baby in the air-conditioned comfort of the king-cab.&nbsp;&nbsp; Andy has opted for full-report 3D screens and the Ford group’s patent geo-glee-nav, so while he cruises to….” Etc.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Client Karlovskaya smiles throughout the presentation; enthusiasm: ~10%</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The coach keeps going well past six, riding the adrenaline of Andy’s new truck, but he finally calls it good, congratulating everyone on their enthusiasm, promising some bonus TPR’s.&nbsp; Charlie stuffs the team cap in her pocket, shaking a little air into her greasy hair, and heads for the gate but is called back by the coach: a surprise because he rarely talks to her.&nbsp; She puts the cap back on.&nbsp; “Yep,” she answers.</p>
<p>“I heard some good news about you,” says coach, his voice still suave, trained, it occurs to her, even after years of cigarette smoking.&nbsp; He pops the cap off her head in what could be a playful way, handing it to her.&nbsp; “Forget the uniform.&nbsp; We’re off the clock.”</p>
<p>She stands awkwardly, unsure what to do with her hands.&nbsp; “What’s up?” she tries.</p>
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