Chapter 131 - Caffeine Study of Film Making

The next day, 7 am – Southdown Coffee, Long Island

Tayaw is currently sitting inside the coffee shop that his neighbor, Peter Duhill recommended. It is quite an odd sight for a young man like him who is wearing a hoody to be proudly reading a tabloid newspaper while sipping on a warm cup of black coffee. 

While Tayaw usually opts for reliable newspapers for his dose of current affairs, the tabloid's front page attracted him, so he bought it. 

""""""

Best-selling Author Launches Attacks on Social Media

Yesterday morning, the author T.L.D Grimmauld known for his best-selling books 'Grimm's Fairy Tales' and 'The Halfling', shocked the online community after he started bombarding various figures in the entertainment industry on the Facebook and Twitter. 

The author began his armada by criticizing his fellow author, Jasmine Brown's latest romance novel. 

"A senseless romantic story suited for the romantic fantasies of teenage girls…" 

Grimmauld commented on various aspects of Brown's novel like its unrealistic romance and character flaws.

After a few exchanges with Brown and her fans in social media, Grimmauld moved on to the actor and singer Nathan Barnes…

""""""

While the story of his previous day's online activities are not headline news in the tabloid, Tayaw still felt a strange feeling of satisfaction from it as one of the things he hoped for happened exactly like he wanted. 

The novelty and outright violation of decorum by his behavior online gathered enough attention for it to spill outside just the social media platforms and became an interesting story for uninvolved people. This will be an additional help to make his personas famous. 

*Flip* He closed the newspaper and switched on his laptop. He went online to look if there are more articles on the internet and online portals about him. He was surprised to find more than he expected. 

Just like the tabloid, many entertainment journalists online also jumped on him. Some are objective and just stated what happened, many are criticizing him for his rudeness, and a considerable few are expounding on the criticisms that Tayaw posted. Overall, Tayaw figured he achieved his objective. 

There was however an article that caught his eyes.

"""""

Social Media Drama. A Marketing Ploy?

… … While the author's criticisms towards his peers have been valid, we at the ***** Sun could not help but theorize that T.L.D Grimmauld is purposely ruffling feathers. 

The author has been blatantly promoting a certain international singer/director in some of his tweets. The singer/director in question recently won a prestigious award as a director and his film that won the grand prize, is opening in American theaters soon. 

In July 1, a similar situation happened when various singers posted on their social media promoting the same film that T.L.D Grimmauld has been posting about.

While we judged that the director/singer is indeed talented, we wonder what T.L.D Grimmauld's relationship is with the singer/director that of all the talented artists, it had to be that one man… 

"""""

"Heh. They got me." Tayaw chuckled and said sarcastically. It did not take long for many of the netizens to figure out that his smack posting the day before is for marketing.

While he could have thrown other artists to recommend other than himself, Tayaw wanted to establish an impression to people that T.L.D Grimmauld and Isaac Yawat are closely acquainted. This way, his two personas will share each other's following.

After browsing some more articles about him, Tayaw's third cup of coffee of the morning ran out and ordered another cup. Tayaw then put away his laptop and pulled out his sketch book. Because of his storyboarding for 'September Ninth' his ill.u.s.tration skills have improved a lot. 

Since he came to New York and finished his business at both Pink Apron and Cognito, he found nothing to do. What he found however is that his interest in film making slowly grew. With this interest, Tayaw studied the movies he received from the Giant Roulette more closely and noticed a lot of things that he did not notice before.

To make learning those movies easier, Tayaw started storyboarding and ill.u.s.trating the movie starting with the 'Sunken State'. He also wrote some side notes regarding the stuff he realized or learned from the scene he storyboarded. In the film 'Sunken State', he noticed that every scene has a secret in it. For example, he noticed zoom-ins and zoom-outs of the frame and how it built up tension. He also noticed the play on colors and lighting based in each character's perspective. 

In the bottom of the page he ill.u.s.trated, he also placed annotations about the screenplay and plot. For 'Sunken State', he noted many scenes that foreshadow important plot points and revelations. He also noted the parallels it has on the racial issues in the real world. 

While Tayaw is lost in storyboarding the scenes of 'Sunken State', he was interrupted when someone joined him at his table.

"Hey, Tayaw. Busy?" Tayaw looked up and saw Peter Duhill, his next-door neighbor.

"Yep." Tayaw closed his sketchbook. "But I've got time for a neighbor. I have to say, I like the coffee here, Peter." Tayaw said. 

"I told you. It completes my mornings. Anyway… Writing a comic book, huh?" Peter chuckled.

"Yep. Something like that. This however, will be made into a movie." Tayaw revealed.

"OH? Your film hasn't come out here in America yet, and you're already planning on making one?" Peter asked. 

"Hey, what would I rather do?" Tayaw shrugged his shoulders.

"That… hmm. Good point. If only Holly is as motivated as you…" Peter sighed.

"Ah. She just hasn't found her interest and what she's good at yet. I'm just lucky that I discovered what I'm good at, at a very early age." Tayaw consoled Peter.

"I hope you're right. Still, I'm concerned. Most kids your age would still be lying on their beds at this hour…" Peter said.

"What about you, Peter? Your kids might still be in bed, and here you are, already doing the daily grind." Tayaw said, changing the topic. 

"Well, the real estate business is busier than most people think." Peter said.

"I see. Well, I think I-"*chime**chime* Tayaw was about to say something when the café's door opened.

Tayaw would have continued his sentence but chose not to when he saw recognition in Peter's eyes as Peter looked towards the door. 

"Looks like my day starts now. That's my guy over there." Peter said as the man who just entered the door took a seat on the table near the door.

"It's nice to see you, Tayaw." Peter said as he stood up.

"Have a nice day, Peter." Tayaw said. 

Tayaw however got his interest piqued. Peter's 'guy' looks nothing like what Tayaw expected Peter to do business with. The guy is wearing a nice red suit but no tie, and his black shiny hair is brushed up and back and gelled. Tayaw figured the man as being an Italian descent. 

Tayaw's curiosity was yet again raised when he saw Peter reach to his jacket's inner pocket and pulled out a thick envelope and handed it casually to the 'guy'. The guy opened the envelope and pulled out folded pieces of paper and started reading. While Tayaw does not like eavesdropping, he feels that this situation is different.

A minute or two later, "By the way, why is it you today? Where's Marco?" Peter asked the guy.

"He made captain. Lucky bastard." The guy replied.

"Hah. I knew it was gonna happen soon. He deserves it." Peter smiled.

"Yeah. Well, at least I get to work with you." The guy said.

"Hmm. Thankfully we know each other. I don't like the other captains, they're too dirty for me." 

"Hey, 'Landlord'. Watch it." The guy said.

"Whoah. Okay. I will. But, you know what I mean. Hell, I should even be working under Baldini. I like Marco, but why can't Baldini handle legal business?" Peter said. 

"Good joke. I like it..." The guy sarcastically replied. "I don't know why Marco didn't tell you before, but you're not a shark, Peter. Baldini has more important things on his hands." The guy said. 

"Pff. I'm not stupid, Lucas. He didn't have to tell me and I'm good where I am.  I'm just saying, you know. Anyway, send my congratulations to Marco." Peter said.

"Yeah. See you next week." Lucas said as he put away the envelope and ordered something. Peter on the other hand, stood up and left the café. 

From what Tayaw can gather, Peter is most probably managing a mafia family's real estate business. After a quick search on the mafia's usual chain of command on his phone, Tayaw figured that Lucas is a 'made man', a soldier, the bottom level member in Italian mobs. Despite being a soldier, he is still a member and would be considered lower management. He manages some 'associates', non-member members of the mafia; and gets a cut of these associates' rackets or businesses. 

Peter, on the other hand, does not seem like a regular associate and might be an actual employee hired by the mafia family to manage their real estate business. 

Marco, who Peter used to directly work with, is a soldier who was recently promoted to a 'capo', or a captain. A captain will be managing at least ten soldiers and would be getting some cut from what the soldiers make. 

Finally, Baldini who Peter wants to work under may be the mafia family's underboss, and what could be considered higher level management. If what Tayaw read in the internet is correct, then Baldini is in charge of bribing police chiefs and politicians to do the mafia family's bidding. 

Even though Tayaw has heard that crime families in New York City is only now a fraction of their power thirty or so years ago, he is still very curious as he knows of the mystique of the American Mafia.

"If it was in my past life, I wouldn't be doing this." Tayaw mumbled to himself as he hurriedly packed his things, left the cafe, and got inside his car. 

He did not leave yet however and is now watching Lucas inside the coffee shop through his car window. He is planning on following Lucas to see what a mafia member's day is.