The Baker, The Butcher and The Brewer, Part Three – The Butcher 6
Serial Fiction Novel
Because of his fast mouth and his intimate connections with one of the most powerful families in the industry, the Butcher’s opinion soon became to matter. He could tell people if an artwork was bad or true art, for there was no third option in the plastic world they ruled. People took his word for the law, quoted it and published it for the education of the ignorant ocean of mortal peasants.
He was often invited to the most grotesque and hidden gatherings of aging sexually eccentrics. He was curious at first. The elaborate administration behind these events was fascinating. There was an administrative body with a budget and permanent staff that organized the festivities of the flesh.
The human flesh and mind grew hollow with age.
He was above this notion. He knew that kind of exposure would prevent him from rising.
Most of his colleagues had no financial worries and worshipped the giant strawberries. He slowly grew to despise their lifestyle and openly kept a distance. His knowledge of their affairs and his father in law’s influence were a solid foundation for his mental peace.
Every time he looked at that family picture in the master bedroom he couldn’t help himself but thinking that the score should be three to nil. He didn’t mean that in any sexual way. He had more than he could digest with the mother. His gay wife lived in her own world still thankful to him for helping her to keep appearances. The mother loved him for making her feel young. The father had respect for him or just didn’t care. He was away most of the year.
He was on business trips to establish relationships with art collectors and discover new talents. But! Everybody knew he was just pounding away his mistresses. He was tired of business, family and people. All he wanted was two lay on his back looking at a giant strawberry atop him.
He slowly gave the Butcher more power over the art world he controlled. Including a few of his chairs on the board of directors of museums and charity funds. He had an independent personal fund that would be enough for all the strawberry ice cream and pork fat in the world until the end of his time in the pink world.
The Butcher was playing the game hard for the final score to be classic and definite. He didn’t have much money for his positions were largely charitable but he had influence and power. One of the most important chairs he held was on the board of the Museum of Modern Art. He secured the position after over a year of foreplay.
This board was the sole most powerful institution in the art world period. The position of a director of the museum was the sole most powerful position. With his influence and charisma in this game of tomatoes and carrots all he wanted was the central throne. The process of becoming the director created a dark link between him and the Baker.
The first time he walked the galleries at the Modern, he felt an uplifting emotion that could be most closely associated to love. He had never loved nor would love another human being. He knew that for a fact. Not only that, but he had never been enchanted, attracted or put to peace by any place he had been to. He had been to the ten places you must see before you die. The whole list is a scam, a marketing gimmick. He only went because his lesbian wife wanted to go on a soul search and his father in law paid for it.
The high ceilings and white curving walls decorated by the greatest artist that ever lived encapsulated in a monumental carved stone building did that special trick for him. In there the world went quiet and he felt an utter peace. He took a truthful and sincere inner decision to look no further but embrace this love. For a first time in his life he thought that he could find his special place and stop fucking people over to achieve his selfish goals. However, in order to get to the center office of that building he pledged all his crude and ruthless tools to the task.
next: The Baker, The Butcher and The Brewer, Part Three – The Butcher 7
previous: The Baker, The Butcher, and the Brewer – Part Three – The Butcher 5
all chapters: The Baker, The Butcher, and The Brewer
more by PETER ODEON
photograph by Marijana Topic
