PUNKS Ch. 33: Preemptive Strike

Four chapters remain.

August 1996

-- The Last Word --

"Hey," Joe said on an afternoon call. "Josh Levine finally made the pages of Rolling Stone."

"Yes, and he's getting a lot of unwanted attention," Mila said. "Maybe more than we want."

"Well. If someone digs up the truth and reports it, we can claim the high ground by saying we never wanted to out Levine, so we didn't."

"Do you always have the angles covered?"

"I learned it from a friend."

"Doc has a message for you," Mila paused and made her voice deep and gravelly. "I'm sure you won't be hearing from your boyfriend again."

Joe laughed.

Doc Jorgensen's opinion piece appeared in the August issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Levine himself had gone quiet since the paparazzi photos disarmed his poison pen. Jorgensen made sure Rolling Stone got in the last word.

I've been in this game for over forty years, reporting on culture, music, sports, politics, and the crime beat. I've seen a lot of people come and go, good reporters. I recently witnessed colleagues I refer to as kids come together to defend our publication, our predecessors, and our colleague Mila Carrera. We were shocked by the ugly, unwarranted attacks on our Rolling Stone family. Our team huddled in the bunker.

None of us knew who Josh Levine was. So, as journalists, we started investigating. These kids are good. It didn't take long for them to discover that Mr. Levine had applied for a position with Rolling Stone more than a decade ago. He was never given an interview. In addition to that, he had submitted five freelance articles. None were published. He's written at least eleven letters to our magazine, under various iterations of his name and initials, all negative.

Rolling Stone rejected Josh Levine and now he has an ax to grind. He is a vindictive man attacking current staffers who had no role in his failure to access our pages. While looking into Mr Levine's writing career, we focused on the other victim of his needless, and poorly executed character assassination.

Looking back at the string of one-star reviews Levine has given Joe Theroux's two bands over the past thirteen years, one has to wonder what Joe did to Levine to earn his scorn. Having read those reviews, they appear to be personal as Levine's words were unnecessarily harsh for a music critique.

Joe managed to ignore Levine through the years, staying out of the gutter the hack critic wallows in. His attack on Mila changed that. Joe said he would visit Levine at his office and, 'Bitchslap that pie-faced twat in front of his coworkers.' Mila talked Joe down. Levine isn't worth it.

If these attacks on Theroux are personal, as I suspect, Mr. Levine used the pages of the New York Post to wage a campaign of retribution on a man's career. He is unprofessional and ill-suited for the job of music critic. He is certainly not a journalist.

I'm still digging. I would like to know why Josh Levine aims his pen at City of Angels and their lead man. I will get to the bottom of this bullshit. I don't like my friends being hurt.

At my age and level of cynicism, I am not easily impressed. My young colleagues at Rolling Stone give me feel hope for the future of my trade. They took this attack personally, even though it wasn't directed at them. They defended their friend and the magazine we're proud to work for.

"I was so fucking happy when he used bitch-slap that pie-faced twat," Joe laughed.

"The way Doc laughed when you said it," Mila paused. "It was going in. He said he would post your bail and buy dinner and drinks if you did the bitchslap and Doc was there to witness it."

"If it happens, he's my wingman, and we'll call the paparazzi."

-- Meanwhile, In Brooklyn --

Jenna walked into Prospect Park in Brooklyn looking left and right and off to the distance. She was meeting a friend who gave her vague directions. Prospect is too big for poor instructions. She entered the correct side of the park, but after that, she was lost. She just kept walking, avoiding cyclists, joggers, dog walkers, and baby strollers... so many strollers.

She reached a large field. Across the way, baseball diamonds told her she was on the right path. In the distance, off-leash dogs ran in all directions, in packs, performing a canine ballet of chaos. Jen heard her name called. A blonde girl waved from the edge of the dog area.

When Jen reached Casey she hugged her. "Your directions weren't great."

"You're here. How bad could they be? Isn't this cool?" Casey gestured to the packs of circling dogs. "I come here all the time to watch them run."

"Yeah. It's cool." Jen liked dogs okay, but not like Casey. She was less impressed.

They stood close enough to see the dogs but not in the danger zone where a pooch running at full speed, chased by his pack, might take you down. It happens. Legs have broken, dogs' and people's legs.

Casey pointed, "That golden retriever is Sammy. He's one of my favorites. And that boxer is Greta. She's lovable. Joe liked the boxers. There are like five that come here."

"You took Joe here?"

"Yeah, a few times. We'd get a coffee and a pastry and walk over here. It was nice. Then we'd go back to my place." Casey glanced over with a smile.

"Mornings with him were fun," Jenna nodded. "He needed to get out and walk or run, so we did the park in the morning. Now that I think of it, he liked the dogs there too."

"Let's grab a coffee." Casey walked in the direction Jenna had come from. "I miss him. I sometimes wish I was the one who made him happy."

"You did, in the time you had with him."

"Joe told you that?"

"In his own way. He did not regret being with you. He loved it. The fact you were hurt is his only regret."

"I wasn't hurt too bad."

Jenna stared at Casey as they walked, waiting for her to notice. Casey looked over.

"You should still be with Tina and me. You paid a price for her insecurities after she put you and Joe together. You may not feel hurt, but it set your career back."

"I'm fine where I am."

"You haven't advanced since the move. You're stuck in the same position you were with us. You would have been promoted by now had you stayed."

"Promoted to what?"

"Maybe my assistant running the studio. I need one and Tina and I talked about you. Now I don't have an obvious candidate."

"What about Brit?"

"Brit isn't the artist I need down there, she's more management material. I need a creative person."

"I like my job, Jen, and I like the people. I get what you're saying, but it's not a problem. I'll get my chance at Motion."

"I even hate the name of that place," Jen said. "What does The Motion Collective even mean?"

"The world is always in motion," Casey said sternly. "and that includes art and creativity. It's constantly changing, moving forward, and they want to be at the front of those movements. At Amethyst, we were less dynamic."

"Dynamic? Is that what Motion is?" Jenna looked into Casey's eyes. "You just referred to your motion team as they... then you used we for Amethyst. That should tell you something about where your heart is."

Casey shrugged.

"I'm not trying to shit on your friends, but you need to know some things. That studio was set up for a small clique of artists. If you didn't work there I never would have heard of them. They don't network. They're not part of the larger community. They don't participate in any events outside that little operation. You're working in a vacuum and you won't move forward. In his business, you need to be out there seeing what other people are doing. Motion isn't at the front of any movement, except for creating bullshit corporate catchphrases."

"It's a mission statement."

"It's shallow and pretentious corporate rubbish."

"God," Casey said loudly. "You sound like Joe."

Jen and Casey grabbed coffees and sat at an outdoor cafe table on the edge of Prospect Circle.

"I'm going to tell you something confidential," Jen said. "Can I trust you to not speak of it to anyone?"

"Yes."

"Tina is selling the gallery. She's starting a fashion company."

"Wow," Casey's eyes widened. "That's the last thing I'd expect. The gallery is her baby. She built it."

"And she's been doing this long enough to know when it's time to get out. Tina is sick of this business and needs a new challenge."

"What are you going to do? Don't you do the fashion with her?"

"For me, it's a hobby. I like creating clothes, but I don't see myself following Tina. I may work with her as a freelance designer, but I'm staying at the gallery. The investors who are buying want me to stay. It's part of the deal. Tina got me a fat raise and some nice perks."

"When is this happening?"

"It's in the early stages. She hopes to close by the end of this year, but we don't know. I want you to come back to run the studio."

"Me, run your studio? I don't think that would go over well with the artists."

"They like you fine, and none of them are interested in administrative work. You get to do your art, free reign in that studio, and all you have to do is wrangle the cats, schedule, coordinate, and help me set up the seasonal exhibits."

"You do a lot more than that."

"Yes, and I'll still be there doing some of those things as well as being the face of Amethyst."

Jenna pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and slid it across the table.

"What's this?"

"That's the offer we're making."

Casey picked up the paper and unfolded it. She looked up at Jen. "This is Tina's handwriting."

"Yes, it is. She's making the offer I asked her to make. I'm here to speak for both of us."

"This is almost double what I make now."

"Yes, and that's just your starting salary. Look at the benefits. It's a sweet deal."

Casey leaned back in her chair. "It's gonna be too weird working with T."

"She won't be around much. Tina is already splitting her time between her old career and her new venture. She'll be at the gallery a lot less, starting real soon. She has a lot on her plate with this fashion thing. Her focus is shifting. That will accelerate very soon and I will need your help."

"Can I think about this?"

"Sure, but if you pass on this I guarantee you'll regret it down the road." Jenna leaned forward. "I did some homework. The last three girls in your position at Motion left that place for other jobs."

"I know that."

"Did you ask why?"

"People change jobs. Who cares?"

"What if they all left for the same reason, like no upward mobility? You should do some checking. How many administrative staff there have moved into creative roles? The answer is none. They segregate creatives from the business side. That studio is a clubhouse for that yuppy clique. No one gets in."

"Okay," Casey nodded. "I'll do some checking. I'll call Vickie Gold. She was at Motion for three years. I like her. She knows T very well."

"Who do you think gave us our information? Vickie left Motion because it was a dead end, and she had a lot of experience. She says if you're not in the inner circle, you're a second-class citizen. That's why she left."

"They loved her there? Still do."

"Not enough to keep her. And now she runs her own shop, and it's bigger than Motion."

Casey put the slip of paper in her pocket and took a sip of coffee. She and Jenna sat quietly, watching people pass by, and dogs, and strollers... so many Park Slope strollers.

"Let's walk," Jen said. They got up with their coffees and walked west on Prospect Ave.

Casey elbowed Jen. "Hey. If you knew six months ago that Tina would still be married and Joe would be alone after all this time... would you still have broken up with him?"

"First of all. I didn't break up with Joe because we weren't a couple."

"Jenna, you wrote him a Dear Joe letter. That's a breakup, regardless of what your relationship was. I guarantee he loved you."

Jenna didn't answer. They walked in silence for several steps.

"If Joe had told me Jasmine dumped him I would never have given him that letter. And I'm sure her leaving the scene would have changed my thinking. I may have seen Joe and I as a possibility. So I don't know what I would have done."

"So you regret the letter?"

Jenna rolled her eyes, "Of course I do. I regretted it before he opened it. I could be having coffee with him instead of you."

"I would take Joe over you too," Casey smiled. "just so you know."

"I know you would."

"Do you think they'll get back together?"

Jenna looked at Casey. "You know how much this means to me. Of course, they'll find a way."

"You said Joe was being a sappy fool confessing all his sins," Casey found Jenna's eyes. "How's that working for him?"

Jenna did not answer right away. She knew Joe was making progress with his sensitive charm approach, Tina was calling Joe late at night... often. He was stroking her emotions, in the wee hours. Jen saw this Mila thing as no more than a temporary setback

"He's talking to Tina," Jen said. "So that's good."

"But he's with this Mila chick now," Casey reminded Jen.

"Yes, but that's not gonna last."

"What makes you say that?"

"I just know."

They kept walking. No words while passing a few brownstones.

Casey elbowed Jen, "So if Joe showed up at your apartment tonight, you would not fuck him?"

"Jesus Casey, you've turned into a mini-T."

"Would you fuck Joe?"

"No. Probably not. If I fucked him now it would feel like I was cheating with him, and I can'yt do that to T."

"You already fucked him. What's the difference?"

"I don't know," Jen said softly. "I just feel there is."

"Well, If he shows up at my place," Casey grinned. "I'll drag him inside and fuck him silly."

"Call The Times," Jenna waved her hands. "Stop the presses. We have breaking news!"

-- Up All Night ---

Tina hadn't called Joe in more than two weeks. After her last emotional call, upset Joe would not meet her in Miami and Mila is probably his new girlfriend, she went dark. It upset Joe. He waited up nights hoping the phone would ring, falling asleep with the lights on. When she didn't call on a Monday, he figured it was bad. Her lunch calls were almost automatic.

As crappy as he felt about it, Joe wasn't going to reach out and be the facilitator. She was being unreasonable in his mind. She was married. He was single. End of story.

When Tina finally broke her silence, after midnight, waking Joe from a sound slumber. He had to gather his senses.

"I was asleep, T. You haven't called in two weeks. I wasn't expecting you."

"Sorry. It's been a little crazy around here. I've been up all night."

"Let me put some pants on and go to my kitchen."

'Do you sleep nude?"

"Sometimes, but not usually.".

"Are you now?"

"Nope. I'm pulling my put shorts up. What's going on, T? Am I out of your doghouse?

"You weren't in my doghouse. Has Laura kept you up to date on the trial?"

"Not really. I only know it started and there's already a delay."

"Troy's attorneys have a problem with the judge. They had a problem with jurors before that. There's always some objection."

"They get paid by the hour, T."

"I know. Troy is actually beginning to realize they're not helping him with these delays, after ignoring me for most of two years on that very point."

"Troy knows best."

"I'm sorry I lost touch, and yes, I'm upset about Mila, but I also have this. The trial is finally here. Finally!"

"You sound almost happy, T. Not concerned, happy. What's up with that?"

"It's been a long fucking time, Joe. Did I ever tell you about the day the FBI served a warrant and searched our apartment?"

"You mentioned it, how humiliating it was, and how angry you were, then I made some dumb, rude jokes and you dropped it."

"So, I tried to sit in the courtroom the whole first week. One of those agents approached me during recess. They can't force a spouse to testify but Agent Jenkins tried, over and over. He knew I was livid with Troy because I ripped into him in front of the FBI during the search. Jenkins figured I'd flip - as if I knew something. I made it clear that I have no knowledge of my husband's business affairs, but he kept trying."

"That's their job, divide and conquer. They get people to flip all the time."

"Guilty people," Tina said sharply. "My tirade during the search was a mistake. It exposed the cracks in our marriage. Between SEC investigators, the prosecutor's office, and the FBI, I was constantly being contacted. I always listened, just to know what they were thinking. Jenkins was the most tenacious. He never quit, right up to the trial."

"Maybe he was hitting on you."

Tina laughed. "That thought had occurred to me. He said I was a beautiful young lady and it will be a shame when I'm alone after Troy goes to jail."

"He's not wrong."

"Last week he asked me if I would like to have coffee and discuss my options. He said the odds of Troy not serving time are slim, but I could possibly salvage some assets by cooperating."

"I assume you declined."

"Yes. I've already spoken to attorneys about what the Feds can and cannot do. They can't come after my business. They've audited the hell out of me. I'm clean. We'll probably have to sell the big apartment to cover his fines. If he gets time I'll move into my old apartment."

"You still have it?"

"I told you I leased it."

"You also said Troy wanted you to sell it."

"He did, before we got married he assumed I would. He wanted to sell and invest the money. I told him the apartment was already an investment and I wasn't selling. I leased it to an older couple, fully furnished. They were great but the husband died last year and Mrs Horowitz couldn't afford to stay. I cut her a break on the rent for the remainder of her lease. It's been empty for months, and I decided to not seek a new tenant."

"Are you planning for the possibility Troy goes up the river?"

"I have been. I can't assume he's getting off and then being stuck. I'm prepared for the worst. Agent Jenkins said, 'I'd hate to see you lose your place in the East Village.' He's trying to scare me."

"Did he?"

"Not really. My apartment is paid for and the deed is in my name. That doesn't really matter because if we're married it's technically ours. Troy's place is in his name, and we have a ton of equity. That should cover his fines, at least that's what my attorney thinks."

"This is what keeps you up all night."

"It does. It'll be over soon, Joe."

"I hope so, T, and I'm glad to hear you're speaking to an attorney who's looking out for you."

"Yeah, it was hard to do. I want to trust Troy and his team, but after so many months of bullshit I began to doubt they're on my side."

"Are you going to court this week?"

"Nope, I did two full days and then two half days. Then Troy's team filed this motion that postponed everything for two days and I said, "Fuck this, I'm done" His people are upset with me. I just can't handle sitting there all day. I hate his lawyers. I've supported Troy and have stood by his side, but I'm not on trial and I don't need to be there."

"So how's life at home with that situation?"

"Not good. We're not talking a lot. All he wants to discuss is his case and I'm done with it. I just want it to be over. What is it you want to talk about? I'm just sick of this trial and all the gallery and even the fashion I'm excited about. I need a vacation."

Joe had a plan to keep it light. Whenever Tina called next, he was going to steer the conversation away from her grievances. While she spoke of FBI agents and delays, he was waiting for his opening... and this was it.

-- Glory Hole Part 3 ---

"How about you take a mental vacation right now? Stop thinking about that stressful life you've built for yourself. Close your eyes and take a relaxing trip to my world."

Tina sighed. "I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind?"