The Debt Collector

As a young junior high school student, Larry Able took careful observation of every action having an equal and opposite reaction or what some people might call ‘cause and effect’. Although he became very good at winning friends to influence people, he never really learned the value of friends over money. Why? Because Larry’s philosophy is; “If you want something done, do it yourself...but if you want someone else to do it for you, all you need to do is be nice!” Years later, Larry is a successful personal coach with wealthy and often famous clients who are willing to pay top dollar for his advice. One such client, Mr. Bob Mernik, is a wealthy property tycoon in his late 50’s who could have had half the number of coaching sessions if it weren’t for Larry digging for gold. With a plethora of ‘friends’ owing Larry favors and money from one end of town to the other, there seems to be little to stop Larry from manipulating those around him but the cost is far greater than he ever stopped to consider. When life seems to be going nowhere, Jordan Linnere, an attractive single lady in her 30’s, decides to seek advice from a life coach who, as fate would have it, happens to be Larry. Going about his usual, flattering routine, Larry seems genuinely interested in helping Jordan to find her true passions in life. She decides, perhaps against her best judgement, to press on. After all, Larry is right and she can’t let his advice go. In his office, Larry flicks through his usual pile of profile files on his desk when he makes the astounding discovery that Bob Mernik is actually Jordan’s father. Rather than seeing that he has the chance to reunite Jordan with her father, he instead sees an opportunity to string both of his clients along for all they’re worth! Larry’s lack of true friends is revealed when his work colleague George ditches him for a date, leaving Larry with box tickets to a baseball game and nobody to go with him. As usual, Larry leaves his assistant, Anne, to find someone to go with him. After years of unappreciated employment, Anne decides that Larry deserves a little stitch up and arranges for Jordan to meet him at the game. Things are rather awkward at first when Jordan and Larry meet up however he can’t believe how well they get along. Against Larry’s better judgement, he decides to see how the evening plays out. It may come as no surprise that Larry’s reign should come to an end at the hand of something he’s pushed away for so many years; love! Jordan is just as surprised as he is to fall for someone like Larry but fate again has other ideas. When Larry has an unscheduled visit from Bill Mernik, panic sets in and he forces Jordan to hide in the bathroom. With Jordan listening in on their conversation, Larry’s cover is blown wide open! He is caught out red handed by Jordan ripping Bill off, stringing him along for extra sessions just for the money. Love, it seems, made a mistake! After some deep thought and some time with his only friend, a pet bird, Larry decides to front up to Jordan, but she’s no fool. Rather than talking his way around the mess, for once, someone talks some sense into him. Jordan’s genuine heart sees Larry for who he doesn’t know he can be and for the first time, Larry realizes he is faced with the biggest decision since that fateful day in Junior High. Convinced he has changed, Larry must now convince Jordan and practically everyone he knows. But how can he prove such a radical notion to Jordan? How can Larry choose between the security of what he knows and the complete vulnerability of love? This could be the most pivotal moment of Larry’s life and it requires a selfless act from a completely selfish person. Larry’s life has revolved around his love for money, now he has to choose between love and money. We all know love always wins, but which love will he choose?