Edwin Peters called Alehandra on a Friday morning.
She told Damian about it in a text at ten forty-three.
"He agreed. He's going to stand with it. He cried on the phone, which I wasn't prepared for. He's known about Jonah for fifteen years and has been carrying it alone. Your Richard Walker calling him last night was apparently the first time anyone had given him a framework for doing something about it."
Damian read the message three times.
Then he typed back: "Your Richard Walker."
Three dots. Then: "Our Richard Walker. Apparently."
He put the phone down.
Stood behind his counter.
Thought about Edwin Peters crying on the phone.
About fifteen years of knowing something and having nowhere to put it.
About a framework for doing something.
About how much damage was done, over decades, by the absence of frameworks. By the presence of knowledge without the structure to act on it.
He helped three customers.
Rang up four sales.
