IN DREAM-WORLD

I get the email from McNeese. Congrats! I'm in. It comes through on my work email. I have meetings in half an hour, three hours. Do I care? No. I can't stop grinning as I shut down the computer and walk out without a word to anyone. In the stairs, I cry for a few seconds (12 tears, tops) but purely from joy, and wipe them away before I walk out the lobby. One must be proud.

As I get into my car in the parking garage I pull out my phone, open my work email app. Because this is DREAM-WORLD, not real life, I don't email my supervisors telling them I'm sick. I don't do anything at all. FUKKKKUM. Fuck that job, fuck that place, fuck those expectations, fuck everything they think I'm good at that I'm pulling out of my ass or doing on auto-pilot. Instead, I re-read the email from McNeese.

By god! What does it say here that I didn't read before?

"DEAR E. H. BROGAN,

WE ARE ECSTATIC TO WELCOME YOU INTO THIS PROGRAM WITH OPEN ARMS.

IN FACT, YOU ARE OUR ONLY POETRY STUDENT ACCEPTED THIS YEAR.

IN LIEU OF OTHER STUDENTS, WE HAVE OPTED TO PUT THE NOW-AVAILABLE FUNDING AT YOUR DISPOSAL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THE NEWLY FREED MONIES (APPROX 100K)TO HIRE YOUR DREAM FACULTY. WE'RE JUST THAT HONORED TO HAVE YOU.

THANKS AGAIN FOR EVEN APPLYING! WE'RE ONLY THE TOP 40TH SCHOOL SO WE'RE THRILLED.

LOVE,

WHOEVER YOU WANT US TO BE."

I start coming up with lists.

I wonder if they will let me hire Kendrick?