A Futile Purpose

This was an assignment for year 10 at school, use one of the quotes they gave us, and construct a story with relevance to it. I like some aspects of this looking back (many levels), but others are poor (too many detective cliches I apologise but I *was* 15!)

A droll thing life is:
A mysterious arrangement of merciless logic
For a futile purpose. Joseph Conrad

I was driving along Southport Street when my radio buzzed into life. The electronic signal it gave out was annoying, so I answered it swiftly.
"What is it Maggie?" I asked down the radio. There was the hum of static followed by:
"Sergeant, it seems we have a `jumper' at the Micorn Trading Center."
I winced when I heard the news. In the last few weeks there had been scores of suicide attempts. It seemed as though I was the policeman sent to all of them. My success rate was ninety percent, one of the highest in the force.
"Okay Maggie, I'll get to it." I replied.
"Alright Sergeant, but be careful, this guy looks serious!" I snorted, most of them were.
I was on the other side of town, though it only took me five minutes to cross the four miles.
When I arrived at the scene, there was an ambulance waiting, parked on the opposite side of the street to the building, and a crowd of people held back by police tape.
My unmarked car pulled up five meters behind the ambulance. I opened the door, and looked around for the highest ranking officer at the site.
Standing by the door of the Micorn Trading Center was a Lieutenant, talking to a Sergeant like myself.
I slipped under the police tape holding up my badge to stop anyone from pushing me back.
The Lieutenant noticed me and began to walk over. He smiled to
me, as one colleague to another would. His eyes flicked over my badge.
"Hi Sergeant, I'm Brith - Lieutenant. I wanted to go up there myself, but Control wouldn't let me, they said that a professional was needed. Well, you turned up." I wasn't sure if it was a compliment, or a snipe, so I ignored the statement.
"What floor is he on?" I inquired.
"Seventh. My lads have cordoned off the room. His name's Jerry
Pilm, I doubt you'll get him down. You see he's just lost his boyfriend." I raised my eyebrows,
"Well, it's a modern world, look I'd better hurry before he does jump," I excused myself.
In the lobby, I stalked over to the elevator, and pressed the button for the seventh floor. Whilst staring at the blank metallic walls, I planned what I was going to say.
The seven digit on the panel lit up, and the door opened.
A green sign assured me that I was on level seven. There were a few uniformed policemen wandering around, seeing my badge they left me alone, patiently awaiting the outcome of my meeting with him no doubt.
I opened the pine door to the office. I could see the man's silhouette against the beige blinds. The sun was shining straight into his face.
Slowly I edged towards the window, not wanting to startle him, and make him fall. When I got to the window, I stuck my head out. Jerry turned, and looked me up and down.
"I'm surprised they didn't send up a copper earlier," was all he said. I smiled. I quickly had to evaluate him, so I could work out what to say next.
"Well now I'm here, how about both of us going down?" It was his turn to smile.
"I'm only going down one way!" He stated determinedly. "So what's your name Sergeant?"
"Most people call me J.C. Mind if I sit down?"
"Sure, it's a free country," I lifted myself out onto the ledge.
"So, any particular reason why you're going to kill yourself, or is it a hobby? I mean it can't be because you were short changed down the supermarket."
I turned to face him, he shrugged.
"My boyfriend left me, for a woman. Do you know how much that hurts?"
"No." I replied truthfully.
He carried on, "It's not as though this is going to matter a damn, I get the headline in the local paper, and then my life is over. For God's sake, what's the point in it all. You work, you get ill, you feel pain, and then you die. Like the saying life's a crock and then you die!"
"Jesus Christ man, don't you realize, there is a point in it. You have children, you get married, it’s not all bad."
"Oh yeah right. The government wont let me get married, my style of living prevents me from having children, and my boyfriend has left me. Sure there's a lot to live for!" I raised my eyebrows.

The sun was glaring right into my face. I grimaced, hundreds of people would be watching me down there, not to mention the amount watching by television.
"Look, you and I both know that you don't believe in that statement. If you did, you would have thrown yourself off of here by now." It was a reasonable guess; I hoped it was a true one. He turned his head away from mine.
"You don't know me. I could throw myself from here anytime I liked." Jerry said it unsurely, so I pressed him harder.
"Could you, then why haven't you. I think that you wanted everyone to feel sorry for you, and get famous.
Well I don't give a damn. Those people down there are judging me, to see if I can get you down safely, if I don't then it will be me whose famous, not you." It was harsh, and also untrue. Once he was unsure, I could get him down.
I carried on the ploy by turning my head away in disgust. From behind me I could here him start to blubber. Now this was the difficult bit, you either convinced him you were on his side, or pushed him over the edge - literally.
"Tomorrow I won't matter a damn to you. You'll have forgotten all about me. I'll be locked up, and you won't care." It was the wrong way just way of looking at it. Now you had to be careful.
"No. It's not like that. Tomorrow, they will have forgotten about you," my left hand gestured at the press, "not me. You'll be famous for five minutes, and then it's over."
Jerry stood up, I thought he was going to jump. I was just about to yell out `NO', when he turned and said, "Okay JC, take me down."

I was stunned by the sentence, but gripped his left forearm
tightly, and took him inside. When we got onto the ground floor, I walked him across the lobby. There were all the reporters shouting out questions at me and
Jerry, the flashes from the cameras was blinding. I shouted out, "No comment." all the time, but the questions were still bombarded onto us. Jerry kept quiet under the dark grey blanket that had been placed over his head.

After an hour, all that was left was an unusually large amount of litter in the street. Jerry had been taken away, and the press had got their statement.
Brith smiled at me and walked over.
"Well, I never thought you'd get him down." He confessed "Nor did I." I admitted. Brith flicked a glance at his watch,
"It's getting late, haven't you got a home to go to?" I looked down at my own watch to find out the exact time.
"Yeah, s'pose. My wife's been complaining that I'm getting home too late these days." I looked embarrassed.
"Well, I might see you around?" The Lieutenant offered.
"Mmm. I'd best be off." I smiled one last time and walked over to my car.
The engine started with a nice purr. I leant forwards and turned off the police radio. I was off duty, and I didn't really want to hear about other mishaps.
The drive home was short and uneventful, though when I got a few roads away I could see the reflected blue glare from an ambulance emergency lights.

I thought nothing of it until I turned the last corner, and saw the ambulance parked outside my driveway. I pulled to a stop. Seeing a paramedic, I rushed over.
"What's happened?" I shouted anxiously at him.
"Do you live here?" He asked. I looked him up and down, as if he were crazy.
"Yes, yes. Of course I do. It's my house for God's sake!"
The paramedic looked at me nervously.
"I'm sorry Sir. It appears that a woman of around forty has committed suicide. A girl of fourteen found her, your daughter I presume. Um, she's in shock, um we've got her in the ambulance..."
I walked off, not hearing the rest of what he said. The world became hazy, and I flopped onto the verge. The paramedic stepped over quickly. I felt blackness begin to cloud my vision.
"What's your name Sir?" I looked at him, confused.
"Er...Conrad. Um Joe Conrad," I passed out.