"Rejected!" said the editor.
"Rejected? But how? You wanted more facts, I got you them. You wanted more depth, I gave you depth...now you're saying the article on Malcolm Landgraab is rejected again?" said an incredulous Suzy Kent to her editor at 'Hey, Wow!' Magazine.
"Look...this is a fine piece of writing" said the editor, holding up a copy of Suzy's expose on the Landgraab heir. "But this is a fashion and style magazine, not an investigative journalism one"
"But Malcolm Landgraab is well known in teen circles; he's a youth icon, a style leader...shouldn't our readers know a bit more about what he gets up to?"
Her editor sighed. "You make a good point, but this rejection comes from a source higher up than me, Suzy"
"Who pulled this?" she demanded to know.
"The owners" came the reply.
Suzy was fuming all the way home...near her house she met her opposite number over at Smogue, Davis Goode and decided to see if the grass was greener on the other side at that magazine.
"Hello Davis...how's life at Smogue?" she said.
"How do you know my name and where I work?" he replied.
"Don't be silly; we've met a couple of times and chatted about our respective magazines...I'm over at 'Hey, Wow!'"
"I am never silly...'Hey Wow!' is a derivative sub-standard copy of Smogue. There can be no practical purpose in talking with you any further" and with that he walked on.
"Grrr, I need a break!" seethed Suzy.
She realised that she was a very junior writer/reporter at the magazine and that she'd never done any form of investigative journalism in her life before. Plus, the Landgraabs, Fengs and Goths were all aware that she was probing them for information about their less than wholesome personal and business lives and they had shut her down at every turn. No, she should put her pride to one side and focus on the upcoming fashion festival happening in Sim City next month.
Suzy had booked herself into a yoga session at the spa and went to change out of her bathrobe and into an exercise leotard instead. Heading up to the session, she bumped into her next door neighbour; Julia Epstein.
"Julia...I didn't know you're a member here" said Suzy.
"Are you going to the yoga class as well?" said Suzy, indicating her almost identical black exercise leotard and tights to Suzy's.
"Yes...it's something I've just got into. I tell you, they have us junior doctors rushing around at the hospital and I have to stay lithe and agile!"
The two neighbours plus a couple of middle aged women who wore tennis skirts joined in the class and proceeded to bend, stretch and meditate for the next half an hour.
Suzy felt all the stress leave her body... and whilst lying down letting her chakra's balance, she had a moment of clarity: She would put the scandal story to one side and concentrate on what she'd been hired to do for the magazine. Once that decision had been taken, she felt relieved.
After the session, Suzy and Julia changed back into their regular clothes and decided to head off to get a coffee. But as Suzy was checking her handbag, she was accosted by Geoffrey Landgraab.
"Ah, Miss Kent...sorry to hear that your latest 'extravaganza' had to be cancelled by your magazine" he said.
"Sorry? I would have thought you would have been relieved" said a sarcastic Suzy.
"I was never really that bothered. You see, to get to where I am you have to have..."
"The legacy of your ancestors?" she replied, cutting him off.
"Connections, Miss Kent. I am connected to every one of notice in Sim City. One of those connections happens to be the owner of your magazine"
"And you used your pull on them? All because little Malcolm's been a disappointment lately"
"Malcolm needs time and space to realise where his priorities should lay" said an ice cold Geoffrey. "You won't get in the way of that"
"I would have thought running a drug ring at his expensive private school was a matter for the law, not one of priorities"
"You've got no proof, no backing and no idea...Miss Kent. Now I have a massage booked in 5 minutes and I believe you're leaving" he said, walking off upstairs.
Suzy watched him leave. She now had a new resolve...keep going! If 'Hey, Wow!' didn't want her article, she'd find someone who would!
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