Confidence (Inspired by Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley) Charlie Ausden, Year 11 The house was damp and had a familiar stench to it like cat’s urine and stale cigarettes. Nick hated it - he hated the bland choice of colours, the shabby, outdated decor. He hated the peeling wallpaper on the corners of the doorways… but in truth he was also embarrassed by it. He would never invite anyone back home. In fact, he was ashamed to even call it ‘home’. Surely, he was worth more than this? ‘Is that you Nick? How was your day?’ Nick’s mum greeted him in the same way each day when he returned from work. She enjoyed telling him how happy she was, how proud she was that he was so successful in real estate. In Nick’s eyes his mother was everything he despised about himself: weak, frail, lonely. She was too trusting, easily duped. But worst of all, she had sabotaged him genetically and he felt cursed by his looks. “I got Salesman of the Month again,” he said with some effort, knowing that he had been fired a few weeks back. Not that it was his fault of course, the Smiths had been difficult clients, who could blame him for trying to fudge their offer to purchase the Bequinto apartment? “I’ll make tea for you. By the way this letter came today.” “Oh thanks, I have been expecting that commission from the Smith sale. You remember the Bequinto apartment, don’t you?” Dear Nick, We no longer require your services as discussed. Since the sale is no longer bona bide therefore there will be no compensation and in fact we will be pursing legal action. Yours sincerely, John Hardy Hardy Real Estate “What was that all about? It looked important.” His mother handed him his tea as he put the letter in his pocket. “Oh nothing, it was just a notification that my commission payout will be late, nothing to worry about.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “By the way, the company is sending me to the Seattle conference at the end of the week, I was counting on that money! Could you lend it to me in advance? I’ll pay you back as soon as I get it.” “How much?” “Well it is a lot; it’s thirty grand.” “That’s my life’s savings!”