Rage Page #7

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You see, I knew that the youth market

was the niche to explore.

It is just where the numbers are...

Except for the ageing population,

of course.

Wow!

That just came to me.

Geriatrics!

They sure need fragrance, right?

See, Michelangelo, you have to think

ahead in the world of the new.

That's a pity it's not called N.

"N is for new."

But then that wouldn't work

for the old.

Michelangelo, can I?

Can I ask you something?

Do you think that something

is, like, there,

whether you look at it or not?

And... and do you think everything

or every, every, every, every,

everybody

exists that ever was or ever will be?

Because, then, logically

you don't have to do anything at all.

You can just sit and wait

and wait for it all to happen but...

But I don't want to wait, you know?

Cos what if that's not true?

I mean, free will

must have something to do with it,

otherwise what's the point

of being alive?

Have you got?

Have you got? Have you got,

like, some place I could stay?

I mean... I mean, would your mum?

Would your mum mind, if I?

I...

I just really want to get away

from... from all this.

You know, like doing,

like... like doing the show.

Doing the show again and...

And I thought... And I...

But Rho... I mean, Rho...

Rhoda said...

But I... I thought... I thought maybe...

W-w-what do you think?

Michelangelo...

...I would like you to record

something for posterity.

And you keep it safe. You understand?

You see, before you know it,

they will point a finger at me.

And why will they point a finger at me?

Think about it.

This collection was reflecting,

quite deliberately, the culture

of violence in which we live.

So of course the models

were carrying guns.

They were pointing the guns

at each other.

It was a statement!

And, you know, I explained

to you what a statement is.

But maybe they will interpret this

statement as part of a larger plot

to destroy the whole of society

and then I will be finished.

Maybe they will take me away

and I will disappear

and that will be that.

Now you have a record of this

thought in your little camera, OK?

Just in case.

Good morning, Michelangelo.

Yes...

Now...

Now we have to get serious.

What have you been doing?

Are you crazy?

This is not what we agreed.

All those kids outside, hundreds

of them, among the protestors,

some of them calling my name

when I came in just now.

"'O' is for Otto, that's my motto!"

They were calling that and laughing!

Now I don't mind people

calling my name, not at all.

I do feel it's my turn to have

a little piece of the limelight,

but, er...

...this information, it was private,

between you and me.

You know?

You have... you have betrayed

all the confidence I put in you.

My God, Michelangelo.

Will you switch that thing off?

Enough is enough!

Michelangelo...

I think you were the last person

to speak with Lettuce Leaf yesterday.

She told me

that she wanted to talk to you,

and today she's nowhere to be seen.

Did she say anything to you?

No?

Well, I can't really blame her

for not wanting to turn up here.

Merlin will just have to manage

as best he can...

...and Minx can fill in

for the absentees.

I won't be helping out,

as it happens, no.

I thought it might

interest you to know

that I, myself, will be joining the

demonstration myself this afternoon

when the show begins.

Yes.

I'll be protesting against the policies

of the company I manage.

We have an escalation situation,

Michelangelo.

An escalation situation.

We have demonstrators chanting

and waving things in the air.

We have a mob of young people,

very young,

crying in unison,

"To be or not to be," when I pass by.

Now, I like to see

young people interested

in Mr William Shakespeare's verse,

Michelangelo,

but something doesn't smell right

and it just might be you!

Come here, Michelangelo!

You have to take sides, brother,

and I don't know what side you're on.

See, when I was a kid, if we saw

a cop, we started running, right?

We knew, in the eyes of the law,

we were guilty of something.

Even if that something was just

the sin of having a darker complexion.

Then, one day, I made a decision.

I'd rather be the chaser

than the chased.

I made a career choice, brother.

That's how I got the cuffs in my hands

and not on my wrists,

and in my hands

is where they're gonna stay!

It is absolute mayhem out there,

Michelangelo.

I have never seen such crowds.

Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

And so young, the demographic.

He was right. The boy was right.

So down to business.

How much do you want for it?

The website, Mikey, the website.

He told me all about it.

What do you mean, it's not for sale?

Everything has a price, Michelangelo.

Everybody has a price.

In the end,

everything and everybody is for sale.

All right, all right,

you think about it.

You think about it and you give me

a call when you're ready.

You will be.

You will be.

I have decided to sit the show out,

Michelangelo.

This time with you.

After all,

what's the point in watching it,

when my opinions can subsequently

be cut to suit the needs of...

...of the sales graph of a perfume?

The fact is, Michelangelo,

until now I've had reservations

about Merlin's work,

serious reservations.

He's always had big ideas, but,

in my view, they were the wrong ones.

But now,

I feel Merlin is having his moment.

You could say he was a prophet

in this age of AIDS

and... century of terror.

His clothes are shrouds.

Are you crying, sweetheart?

There, there.

It's better to face up to things

as they really are.

But the truth hurts, my love,

doesn't it?

It was chaos out there.

I think I may have...

I was... I was trying

to save the white sister.

And... and there was a lot of people.

Even some kids,

who were here cos a certain brother

invited them here

on his website-cell-phone-blog thing!

You know what Macbeth said,

Michelangelo?

He said...

..."My life has become a tale

told by an idiot,

..."all full of sound and fury

signifying nothing."

I think you better start running,

Michelangelo.

There's blood on your hands.

Listen my words, Michelangelo.

There is one life only.

Hmm?

We got precious gift from Lord God.

No matter if nobody speak your name

on television or nothing...

...the Lord God,

he know you are there.

Hmm?

That's why to him you never invisible.

OK?

It's not your fault, Michelangelo.

It's not your fault.

Even if you invite them

to come here...

...the childrens choose to come.

Everybody choose what they do.

Mm-hm.

It's OK, it's OK.

Michelangelo.

Give me that. It's, like, my turn.

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