Saturday, October 5, 2019
Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility Essay
Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This paper illustrates that there are three CSR theories, which are interdisciplinary; utilitarian, relational, and managerial theories. Utilitarian theories emphasize on a maximization of profit, hence related to theories of competitive advantage. The managerial theory, on the other hand, has the CSR approached internally; meaning that anything exterior to the business is taken into account for the firmââ¬â¢s decision-making. The Relational theory has to do with the complex firm-environment relationships. The implication here is that the firm-environment relationships form the focus of the CRS analysis. In the CRS, business in society comes up as a matter of interplay between the two. Thus, the relational theory is value-based and interdependent between the corporation and mankind. CSR is important to both the agency and the consumers in a number of ways: for companies, it helps them create a better public image since their public image is at the mercy of their social responsibil ity strategies and how their customers are mindful of them. According to Cone Communications, 90% of the consumers would avoid doing business with corporations if there were no social responsibility plan. Studies indicate that firms heavily involved in funds and goods donation to Non-governmental and other non-profit making organizations and schools are likely to increase the likelihood of consumers buying their products. At the same time, a corporation that takes care to ensure that the primal matter used in its products are environmentally secure and the manufacturing process is sustainable is more eye-catching to the society.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Human Resource Learning and Development Term Paper
Human Resource Learning and Development - Term Paper Example Having an interest in this industry, I along with my group have chosen our topic (how to splice 35mm film) to explain that how the cinema's employees are trained to do that job with their other responsibilities. From the outset a layman would believe that this is a very easy job however when a person actually involves oneself into it, the job doesn't look easy anymore since any mistake will affect on the movies show. Therefore I believe this project requires more observation. In this workshop, our group tried to see how the employees who are working in this field get their training. In this paper, I will mention these employees by their names who work as projectionists. Before discussing the actual details of the training program that the projectionists will go through, the theories of training need to be discussed so that a proper comprehension of the case can be presented. First of all, let me discuss the content theories of training. The content theories stress the vitality of such training which makes the trainee learn things based on the experience of the previous learners and the context in which they have worked. Obviously, the context in which various trainees are trained is entirely different. Therefore, the context of the previous learners will not be taken into consideration. Only their knowledge and the experience that they share by the type of training they went through will be important and it will be applied to the new context of the new trainees. (Blake, 2003) The learner will be facilitated in a way which will help him relate the new knowledge being given by the knowledge that is already in his mind and then to have the process of unchanging by processing the old knowledge to become new knowledge and to be stored as such in the memory. There will even be material that the trainee can use even after the training is over and therefore, th is will reinforce the learning habits which were taught in the training session and will stay with the trainee for a long time. (Keeps, 2002) The cognitive system that is studied under the content theories of training emphasizes three factors which should be taken into consideration when a trainee is being trained. That kind of training which the projectionists' individual should be equipped with long term memory about a certain subject that is, he should be able to have a perfect understanding in the long term for a particular subject, in our case, it is slicing films and dealing with films in the projection room.Ã The processing skills of each individual, which is the extent to which they can use learning strategies to cope up with what they are being taught and to use the problem-solving skills to apply them to specific problems that they face at work. In this case, they must know how to deal with the different kinds of films that they encounter.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Marketing and Customers Essay Example for Free
Marketing and Customers Essay Right now, HubSpot is serving different customers with different requirements. This causes their engineering and sales staff to be stretched thin. They are falling behind on product releases and their sales staff is converting only 4% (exhibit 10) of the potential market into customers. To increase efficiency, HubSpot should narrow their target market. If they target the most profitable segment of customers, then they can acquire more of those profitable customers and increase overall profit. The attached exhibit breaks down the LTV value for different customer segments based on their churn and revenue generation. Across all the segments, small B2B businesses have lowest churn rate of 1. 4% and hence highest LTV of $17357. As shown in exhibit, total number of potential customers in small B2B business 12126. This would allow Hubspot to grow 12 times their current size. Hence, HubSpot should target this segment as their priority. They could even convert more than 12126 customers out of total market if their sales team is totally targeted at this segment. The next most profitable target segment, as evident for attached exhibit, is Marketer Marys. Within Marketer Marys, Hubspot should target B2B customers. This is because, B2B have lower churn rates compared to B2C customers. Also, Hubspot is already geared towards serving B2B customers. Company (HubSpot) The core competency for company is their philosophy of inbound marketing. They build and market their software using this philosophy. So they should not tinker with this philosophy and should stick to inbound marketing. Another point to note from the exhibit 10 is that the biggest customer churn happens between 12th and 18th month. To address this phenomenon, they could offer discounts to customers after 12th month. Also, the customers who have switched to CMS have lower churn rate compared to customers who have not switched. So in order to increase customer retention, they could consider offering free CMS to all customers and possibly discounts to customers who adopt CMS. They would still be profitable after discounts as they seem to ave very low marginal costs. Competitor HubSpot also have relative advantages over their nearest customer Eloqua. HubSpot offers software-as-a-service compared to the large upfront fee of Eloqua. This leads to low switching cost for customer and hence easier penetration for HubSpot. They also have ease of use over Eloqua. But they do need to upgrade their software for more sophisticated users. This would be more required when they start going after Marketer Marys B2B business.
A Study On Immigration Case Study Social Policy Essay
A Study On Immigration Case Study Social Policy Essay Using the very large variation in the inflow of immigration across the states of US and other countries states we examine the force of immigration employment, average working hours, money growth and one most important, the total factors efficiency. At the same time we find striking proof that the total factors of increased productivity. These are some of the very robust reasons of controlling for many other determinants of efficiency that may vary with topography such as RD expenditure, computer implementation, international rivalry in the form of sectors composition and exports. Thus many results suggest that immigration promotes efficiency task specialization and at the same time promotes the adaption of amateurish-based technology as the technological change would forecast. (Peri, November 2009) In what ways can immigration help economy? Immigration does not spoil the Economy nor does any Government lose their money because of immigrants. After all the people of the country makes more money. The common idea that money passes from government to company to clients and back again, if a minor amount of money is moved from manufactures to clients then at the same time a larger amount of money is retained. Immigrants, if accepted as general public, are entitled to benefits. Thus these people are draining over 2 billion dollars from benefits each year. However, once these people get familiar to our ways of living, then they can become very helpful members of society. A basic reality about our economy is that as long as we infuse more supplies and services than we have, the more number of jobs which is nearly limitless. In reality, when the number of workers increases, the more the number of jobs we create. Thus the total number of services and the mass of the labor power has been tracked each other then reasonably closely for 50 years despite dramatic changes in immigration flows. Its a recognized fact that many of the jobs that immigrants are taking are that jobs that Americans are not taking. But we check immigrants from taking these vacant jobs, American producers and clients suffer the cost. (Powell, Friday, January 13, 2006) Do you think economies should welcome immigration? Yes definitely the economies should welcome immigration. An instance is the recent policies adopted by countries like Spain. Suppose that if a western nation were to loosen its borders, thus leading to an overflow of immigrants into that nation, the predicted outcome would be unemployment, rise in crime, social unrest, but Spain Disagrees on these predictions. Over a period of the last ten years, Spain has taken in millions of immigrants from diverse backgrounds, but still it has emerged as the best economy in Europe. The growth average has been 3.2% since the last half decade. Spain is responsible for the creation of 50% of the new jobs in the Euro zone and even unemployment has fallen down. All these factors have been credited to immigration. Immigrants start out by taking the jobs that are unwanted by the local population. The taxes that they pay contribute for more than the public amenities they use. Not only Spain, many other countries have adopted a pro-immigration stand and the success they have achieved is a testimony to the fact that economies should welcome immigration. Immigration also leads to intermixing of societies, thus providing a gateway to the concept of ââ¬Å"ONE WORLDâ⬠. (spain:immigrants Welcome, 2007) References Giovanni Peri. (2009). Theeffect of Immigration on productivity: Evidence from US States. NBER Working Paper(15507) Benjamin Powell. (2006).Get this straight: Immigration helps economy. Retrieved March 13, 2010. http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2006/01/16/editorial3.html Carol Matlack, Joan Tarzian. (2002). Spain: Immigrants Welcome Retrieved March 13, 2010.http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_21/b4035066.htm
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Its Time to Make Prostitution Legal :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays
It's Time to Make Prostitution Legal Prostitution has long been called the world's oldest profession. For as long back as we have records, evidence can be found of people selling sex for some sort of gain. When the colonists were running around slaughtering the natives, they also were enjoying the pleasures of local prostitutes. In fourth century, Athenian orator Apollodoros stated "we have courtesans for pleasure, and concubines for the daily service of our bodies, but wives for the production of legitimate offspring and to have reliable guardians of our household property." And yet in "progressive" America, a land were people claim to be the most socially advanced, prostitution is an illegal act that results in the sheltering of rapists, drug dealers, and abusers. Legalization of prostitution could solve a lot of problems caused by its illegality, but it's unlikely that those rich old white guys in Washington are going to make the change. They prefer to ignore the issue, occasionally making the token gesture at trying to end it completely. Reality check folks, if prostitution has been around this long, it's not going anywhere. You can throw more laws at it, up the punishment, even do like Minnesota and post those arrested for prostitution (not those just found guilty) and stick their pictures on the internet, but you aren't going to change reality. Nevada has already seen the light...why not the rest of country? If this country were to legalize prostitution, we could make a fortune while also improving the health of our country and the "character" behind it all. Look at Nevada. Let's take prostitution off the streets by requiring services be offered in a brothel or on appropriate web sites. As for the common streetwalker, arrest them for solicitation, but just solicitation, no more tacking on the prostitution part. Change the law to require condoms and regular health checks and AIDS testing. Where prostitution is legal in Nevada, the number of AIDS cases among the workers is now down to 0 (where the illegal hookers have topped 25% infection...that's a one in four chance of paying to get AIDS). By having it legal, prostitutes will no longer have to fear going to the cops when they get raped or beaten.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Effects Of A Non-Traditional Family On Children Essay -- Family Studie
A family helps mold each person into who they eventually will become. The family is a guide for the success of a child's future. The stability of family creates a building block for how the child will progress throughout life. When parents divorce, the children are left with no stability causing them to lose basic concepts of childhood that may carry with them throughout life. Children of divorced parents have less success and happiness creating less productive citizens in our nation. Watching parents take a home from a traditional family lifestyle to a "broken" home by getting a divorce is very devastating to a child's mental well-being. As Judith Seltzer notes, "Recent reviews summarize evidence that children are emotionally distressed by parents' separation. Young children, especially, are depressed and anxious, and they feel torn by loyalties to both parents" (283). While some researchers believe "[p]arental divorce is associated with substantial short-term elevations in children's emotional distressÃâ¦, [t]here is a great deal of evidenceÃâ¦that for some youths divorce remains problematic throughout adolescence" (Aseltine 133). In my personal experience with parental divorce, depression was a major distress. My parents divorced when I was a junior in high school living in a small town. One month after the divorce I moved to a new city by myself for two months, and then my mother moved. I was very much without parental supervision for the rest of my life. My mother was there for me when I asked, but I took care of myself. I did not start experiencing depression until I was in college and dealing with the normal stresses of working too much, taking fifteen hours of classes, and involved in a serious relationship. These ... ...o witness the separation of their parents and are put through many changes within life tend to be more susceptible to depression creating less productivity for society. Children of divorced parents also have a harder time learning and paying attention in the classroom which will set them behind their peers creating more difficulty being successful later in life. As previously stated, as children develop into teenagers and young adults they have a more open view of premarital sex than their peers. They tend to fear marriage more than other young adults from traditional homes. This can create more difficulty with success due to what they may incur from the choices of premarital sex or choosing to live single. With the growing rate of divorce and more children facing these challenges our society is threatened by citizens being less capable of helping our nation succeed.
Part Four Chapter IV
IV The post about Parminder on the council website had driven Colin Wall's fears to a nightmarish new level. He could only guess how the Mollisons were getting their information, but if they knew that about Parminder â⬠¦ ââ¬ËFor God's sake, Colin!' Tessa had said. ââ¬ËIt's just malicious gossip! There's nothing in it!' But Colin did not dare believe her. He was constitutionally prone to believing that others too lived with secrets that drove them half-demented. He could not even take comfort in knowing that he had spent most of his adult life in dread of calamities that had not materialized, because, by the law of averages, one of them was bound to come true one day. He was thinking about his imminent exposure, as he thought about it constantly, while walking back from the butcher's at half-past two, and it was not until the hubbub from the new cafe caught his startled attention that he realized where he was. He would have crossed to the other side of the Square if he had not been already level with the Copper Kettle's windows; mere proximity to any Mollison frightened him now. Then he saw something through the glass that made him do a double-take. When he entered their kitchen ten minutes later, Tessa was on the telephone to her sister. Colin deposited the leg of lamb in the fridge and marched upstairs, all the way to Fats' loft conversion. Flinging open the door, he saw, as he had expected, a deserted room. He could not remember the last time he had been in here. The floor was covered in dirty clothes. There was an odd smell, even though Fats had left the skylight propped open. Colin noticed a large matchbox on Fats' desk. He slid it open, and saw a mass of twisted cardboard stubs. A packet of Rizlas lay brazenly on the desk beside the computer. Colin's heart seemed to have toppled down out of his chest to thump against his guts. ââ¬ËColin?' came Tessa's voice, from the landing below. ââ¬ËWhere are you?' ââ¬ËUp here!' he roared. She appeared at Fats' door looking frightened and anxious. Wordlessly, he picked up the matchbox and showed her the contents. ââ¬ËOh,' said Tessa weakly. ââ¬ËHe said he was going out with Andrew Price today,' said Colin. Tessa was frightened by the muscle working in Colin's jaw, an angry little bump moving from side to side. ââ¬ËI've just been past that new cafe in the Square, and Andrew Price is working in there, mopping tables. So where's Stuart?' For weeks, Tessa had been pretending to believe Fats whenever he said that he was going out with Andrew. For days she had been telling herself that Sukhvinder must be mistaken in thinking that Fats was going out (would condescend, ever, to go out) with Krystal Weedon. ââ¬ËI don't know,' she said. ââ¬ËCome down and have a cup of tea. I'll ring him.' ââ¬ËI think I'll wait here,' said Colin, and he sat down on Fats' unmade bed. ââ¬ËCome on, Colin ââ¬â come downstairs,' said Tessa. She was scared of leaving him here. She did not know what he might find in the drawers or in Fats' school bag. She did not want him to look on the computer or under the bed. Refusing to probe dark corners had become her sole modus operandi. ââ¬ËCome downstairs, Col,' she urged him. ââ¬ËNo,' said Colin, and he crossed his arms like a mutinous child, but with that muscle working in his jaw. ââ¬ËDrugs in his bin. The son of the deputy headmaster.' Tessa, who had sat down on Fats' computer chair, felt a familiar thrill of anger. She knew that self-preoccupation was an inevitable consequence of his illness, but sometimes â⬠¦ ââ¬ËPlenty of teenagers experiment,' she said. ââ¬ËStill defending him, are you? Doesn't it ever occur to you that it's your constant excuses for him that make him think he can get away with blue murder?' She was trying to keep a curb on her temper, because she must be a buffer between them. ââ¬ËI'm sorry, Colin, but you and your job aren't the be all and end ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËI see ââ¬â so if I get the sack ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËWhy on earth would you get the sack?' ââ¬ËFor God's sake!' shouted Colin, outraged. ââ¬ËIt all reflects on me ââ¬â it's already bad enough ââ¬â he's already one of the biggest problem students in the ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËThat's not true!' shouted Tessa. ââ¬ËNobody but you thinks Stuart's anything other than a normal teenager. He's not Dane Tully!' ââ¬ËHe's going the same way as Tully ââ¬â drugs in his bin ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËI told you we should have sent him to Paxton High! I knew you'd make everything he did all about you, if he went to Winterdown! Is it any wonder he rebels, when his every movement is supposed to be a credit to you? I never wanted him to go to your school!' ââ¬ËAnd I,' bellowed Colin, jumping to his feet, ââ¬Ënever bloody wanted him at all!' ââ¬ËDon't say that!' gasped Tessa. ââ¬ËI know you're angry ââ¬â but don't say that!' The front door slammed two floors below them. Tessa looked around, frightened, as though Fats might materialize instantly beside them. It wasn't merely the noise that had made her start. Stuart never slammed the front door; he usually slipped in and out like a shape-shifter. His familiar tread on the stairs; did he know, or suspect they were in his room? Colin was waiting, with his fists clenched by his sides. Tessa heard the creak of the halfway step, and then Fats stood before them. She was sure he had arranged his expression in advance: a mixture of boredom and disdain. ââ¬ËAfternoon,' he said, looking from his mother to his rigid, tense father. He had all the self-possession that Colin had never had. ââ¬ËThis is a surprise.' Desperate, Tessa tried to show him the way. ââ¬ËDad was worried about where you are,' she said, with a plea in her voice. ââ¬ËYou said you were going to be with Arf today, but Dad saw ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËYeah, change of plan,' said Fats. He glanced towards the place where the matchbox had been. ââ¬ËSo, do you want to tell us where you've been?' asked Colin. There were white patches around his mouth. ââ¬ËYeah, if you like,' said Fats, and he waited. ââ¬ËStu,' said Tessa, half whisper, half groan. ââ¬ËI've been out with Krystal Weedon,' said Fats. Oh God, no, thought Tessa. No, no, no â⬠¦ ââ¬ËYou've what?' said Colin, so taken aback that he forgot to sound aggressive. ââ¬ËI've been out with Krystal Weedon,' Fats repeated, a little more loudly. ââ¬ËAnd since when,' said Colin, after an infinitesimal pause, ââ¬Ëhas she been a friend of yours?' ââ¬ËA while,' said Fats. Tessa could see Colin struggling to formulate a question too grotesque to utter. ââ¬ËYou should have told us, Stu,' she said. ââ¬ËTold you what?' he said. She was frightened that he was going to push the argument to a dangerous place. ââ¬ËWhere you were going,' she said, standing up and trying to look matter of fact. ââ¬ËNext time, call us.' She looked towards Colin in the hope that he might follow her lead and move towards the door. He remained fixed in the middle of the room, staring at Fats in horror. ââ¬ËAre you â⬠¦ involved with Krystal Weedon?' Colin asked. They faced each other, Colin taller by a few inches, but Fats holding all the power. ââ¬Ëâ⬠Involvedâ⬠?' Fats repeated. ââ¬ËWhat d'you mean, ââ¬Å"involvedâ⬠?' ââ¬ËYou know what I mean!' said Colin, his face growing red. ââ¬ËD'you mean, am I shagging her?' asked Fats. Tessa's little cry of ââ¬ËStu!' was drowned by Colin shouting, ââ¬ËHow bloody dare you!' Fats merely looked at Colin, smirking. Everything about him was a taunt and a challenge. ââ¬ËWhat?' said Fats. ââ¬ËAre you -ââ¬Ë Colin was struggling to find the words, growing redder all the time, ââ¬Ë- are you sleeping with Krystal Weedon?' ââ¬ËIt wouldn't be a problem if I was, would it?' Fats asked, and he glanced at his mother as he said it. ââ¬ËYou're all for helping Krystal, aren't you?' ââ¬ËHelping ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËAren't you trying to keep that addiction clinic open so you can help Krystal's family?' ââ¬ËWhat's that got to do ââ¬â ?' ââ¬ËI can't see what the problem is with me going out with her.' ââ¬ËAnd are you going out with her?' asked Tessa sharply. If Fats wanted to take the row into this territory, she would meet him there. ââ¬ËDo you actually go anywhere with her, Stuart?' His smirk sickened her. He was not prepared even to pretend to some decency. ââ¬ËWell, we don't do it in either of our houses, do ââ¬â ââ¬Ë Colin had raised one of his stiff, clench-fisted arms and swung it. He connected with Fats' cheek, and Fats, whose attention had been on his mother, was caught off guard; he staggered sideways, hit the desk and slid, momentarily, to the floor. A moment later he had jumped to his feet again, but Tessa had already placed herself between the pair of them, facing her son. Behind her, Colin was repeating, ââ¬ËYou little bastard. You little bastard.' ââ¬ËYeah?' said Fats, and he was no longer smirking. ââ¬ËI'd rather be a little bastard than be you, you arsehole!' ââ¬ËNo!' shouted Tessa. ââ¬ËColin, get out. Get out!' Horrified, furious and shaken, Colin lingered for a moment, then marched from the room; they heard him stumble a little on the stairs. ââ¬ËHow could you?' Tessa whispered to her son. ââ¬ËHow could I fucking what?' said Stuart, and the look on his face alarmed her so much that she hurried to close and bar the bedroom door. ââ¬ËYou're taking advantage of that girl, Stuart, and you know it, and the way you just spoke to your ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËThe fuck I am,' said Fats, pacing up and down, every semblance of cool gone. ââ¬ËThe fuck I'm taking advantage of her. She knows exactly what she wants ââ¬â just because she lives in the fucking Fields, it doesn't ââ¬â the truth is, you and Cubby don't want me to shag her because you think she's beneath ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËThat's not true!' said Tessa, even though it was, and for all her concern about Krystal, she would still have been glad to know that Fats had sense enough to wear a condom. ââ¬ËYou're fucking hypocrites, you and Cubby,' he said, still pacing the length of the bedroom. ââ¬ËAll the bollocks the pair of you spout about wanting to help the Weedons, but you don't want ââ¬â ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËThat's enough!' shouted Tessa. ââ¬ËDon't you dare speak to me like that! Don't you realise ââ¬â don't you understand ââ¬â are you so damn selfish â⬠¦?' Words failed her. She turned, tugged open his door and was gone, slamming it behind her. Her exit had an odd effect on Fats, who stopped pacing and stared at the closed door for several seconds. Then he searched his pockets, drew out a cigarette and lit it, not bothering to blow the smoke out of the skylight. Round and round his room he walked, and he had no control of his own thoughts: jerky, unedited images filled his brain, sweeping past on a tide of fury. He remembered the Friday evening, nearly a year previously, when Tessa had come up here to his bedroom to tell him that his father wanted to take him out to play football with Barry and his sons next day. (ââ¬ËWhat?' Fats had been staggered. The suggestion was unprecedented. ââ¬ËFor fun. A kick-around,' Tessa had said, avoiding Fats' glare by scowling down at the clothes littering the floor. ââ¬ËWhy?' ââ¬ËBecause Dad thought it might be nice,' said Tessa, bending to pick up a school shirt. ââ¬ËDeclan wants a practice, or something. He's got a match.' Fats was quite good at football. People found it surprising; they expected him to dislike sport, to disdain teams. He played as he talked, skilfully, with many a feint, fooling the clumsy, daring to take chances, unconcerned if they did not come off. ââ¬ËI didn't even know he could play.' ââ¬ËDad can play very well, he was playing twice a week when we met,' said Tessa, riled. ââ¬ËTen o'clock tomorrow morning, all right? I'll wash your tracksuit bottoms.') Fats sucked on his cigarette, remembering against his will. Why had he gone along with it? Today, he would have simply refused to participate in Cubby's little charade, but remained in bed until the shouting died away. A year ago he had not yet understood about authenticity. (Instead he had left the house with Cubby and endured a silent five-minute walk, each equally aware of the enormous shortfall that filled all the space between them. The playing field belonged to St Thomas's. It had been sunny and deserted. They had divided into two teams of three, because Declan had a friend staying for the weekend. The friend, who clearly hero-worshipped Fats, had joined Fats and Cubby's team. Fats and Cubby passed to each other in silence, while Barry, easily the worst player, had yelled, cajoled and cheered in his Yarvil accent as he tore up and down the pitch they had marked out with sweatshirts. When Fergus scored, Barry had run at him for a flying chest bump, mistimed it and smashed Fergus on the jaw with the top of his head. The two of them had fallen to the ground, Fergus groaning in pain and laughing, while Barry sat apologizing through his roars of mirth. Fats had found himself grinning, then heard Cubby's awkward, booming laugh and turned away, scowling. And then had come that moment, that cringeworthy, pitiful moment, with the scores equal and nearly time to go, when Fats had successfully wrested the ball from Fergus, and Cubby had shouted, ââ¬ËCome on, Stu, lad!' ââ¬ËLad.' Cubby had never said ââ¬Ëlad' in his life. It sounded pitiful, hollow and unnatural. He was trying to be like Barry; imitating Barry's easy, unself-conscious encouragement of his sons; trying to impress Barry. The ball had flown like a cannon ball from Fats' foot and there was time, before it hit Cubby full in his unsuspecting, foolish face, before his glasses cracked, and a single drop of blood bloomed beneath his eye, to realize his own intent; to know that he had hoped to hit Cubby, and that the ball had been dispatched for retribution.) They had never played football again. The doomed little experiment in father-son togetherness had been shelved, like a dozen before it. And I never wanted him at all! He was sure he had heard it. Cubby must have been talking about him. They had been in his room. Who else could Cubby have been talking about? Like I give a shit, thought Fats. It was what he'd always suspected. He did not know why this sensation of spreading cold had filled his chest. Fats pulled the computer chair back into position, from the place where it had been knocked when Cubby had hit him. The authentic reaction would have been to shove his mother out of the way and punch Cubby in the face. Crack his glasses again. Make him bleed. Fats was disgusted with himself that he had not done it. But there were other ways. He had overheard things for years. He knew much more about his father's ludicrous fears than they thought. Fats' fingers were clumsier than usual. Ash spilt onto the keyboard from the cigarette in his mouth as he brought up the Parish Council website. Weeks previously, he had looked up SQL injections and found the line of code that Andrew had refused to share. After studying the council message board for a few minutes, he logged himself in, without difficulty, as Betty Rossiter, changed her username to The_Ghost_of_Barry_Fairbrother, and began to type.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)