Page 122 of Cut Off
“I was going to say promotion.”
“It was a bloodbath, Zoe. They led them out by the elbow.”
“Jane informed me.”
“Of course she did.”
I sit and put the latte on the corner of his desk. I take a breath.
Time to sell.
“Jerry,” I say, “I have a proposal, and I’m going to ask you to hear me out before you say no, because I know it’s going to sound—”
“Yes.”
I stop. “What?”
“Yes. Whatever it is.”
“Jerry.”
“Zoe.”
“You don’t even know what I’m pitching.”
“You’re pitching some kind of arrangement where you do work for us out of Seattle, or come back part-time, or some hybrid creative thing that I, as a man who learned to use a smartphone two years ago, do not fully understand but have been told is the future. You’re amazing, and the station took a huge hit when you left. We need you.”
I stare at him.
“Also,” he says, “we owe you. You and I both know that too.”
I open my mouth. I close it. “I had a whole pitch.”
“I’m sure it was great. Let’s hear the short version.” He folds hishands over his stomach.
I lift my chin. “I quit Seattle and return to Dickens. W2Beaver sponsors my podcast,Zoe Knows, and we work as a team to create a segment with a more modern way to broadcast to the people. I’ll show my face as a host, because, as it turns out, I’m good behind the scenes, but better front and center. Win-win.”
“You’re right. And you got it, kid.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. You’re a hundred percent right. We need you and you need us, and this town needs to see your face attached to this station again. Even better if we can bring a trendier medium to broadcast. Donny Dickens has been a referendum on whether or not we deserve to keep our broadcast license. I’ll sponsor you with what I can, which is not what Seattle’s paying you, but I will fight corporate for the rest. Whatever you want. We’ll build it around you.”
My mouth is open.
“I have been,” Jerry says, “actively praying for this conversation, Zoe. For weeks. So when Priya said you walked in, I cannot tell you the relief.”
“Jerry.”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Cool cool cool.” I laugh. My chest cracks open, and it lets the air in.
Jerry slides a legal pad across the desk and uncaps a pen, and says, “Okay. Let’s talk numbers, schedule, and what you want your title to be, because I don’t even know how a podcast works.”
