SLACK.
STORIES OF THE UNMANAGEABLE MIKE ABU
MIKE ABU IS AN FANTASTICALLY TALENTED WRITER. HE'S BRAVE AND ADVENTUROUS WITH THE WRITTEN WORD. HE IS WITTY AND POETIC AND EFFORTLESSLY COOL.
HE IS ALSO A GIANT PAIN IN MY ASS.
HIS PUNK ROCK ETHOS MAKES TRYING TO WRANGLE HIM IN OR TAKE HIM TO ANY TYPE OF EVENT A DAVID COPPERFIELD SIZED MAGIC TRICK. I COULD HAVE MADE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY DISAPPEAR EASIER THAN I COULD HAVE GOT MIKE ABU TO TURN IN AN ARTICLE FOR MILK MADE ON TIME. CONSTANTLY INFORMING THE SECURITY AT MADE FASHION WEEK THAT 'NO, HE'S NOT TRESPASSING... ABU'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSE TO BE BACKSTAGE TALKING TO THE MODELS,' WHILE ASKING YOUR PRODUCERS TO FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF EMPTY BEER BOTTLES IF THEY NEED TO LOCATE HIM IS MUCH MORE OF A HASSLE THAN PULLING A RABBIT OUT OF A STUPID HAT. STILL, HIS FINISHED PRODUCT always JUSTIFied HIS SLACKARIOUS MEANS.
SO, WHAT WAS I TO DO WITH MIKE ABU?
THE ONLY THING I COULD DO... SET HIM LOOSE WHEREVER I WENT WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER IN TOW AND HOPE TO GOD THEY DON'T CALL ME FROM JAIL. IF THEY CAME BACK WITH A STORY, FANTASTIC. IF NOT... FINE... LET ABU BE VICE'S PROBLEM.
THE UNTAMED MIKE ABU PROVES TO BE THE BEST KIND OF ABU. THE STORIES AND ARTICLES HE COMES BACK WITH (WHEN HE FINALLY COMES BACK) ARE FUNNY AND AWFUL AND POIGNANT AND BEAUTIFUL AND WEIRD. TOGETHER WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CREATED WORK FOR CLIENTS LIKE ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE, LEXUS, ESCAPE 2 NEW YORK, THE STANDARD HOTEL, LEGS MEDIA, PROENZA SCHOULER, MULBERRY, AND MANY MORE. NONE OF WHICH HAVE YET TAKEN US TO COURT FOR DAMAGES.
... AND FOR MY NEXT TRICK.
