When the Applause Begins

You and a friend have spent the last ten years building careers in the same industry.

For most of that time, he was the one watching from the audience while you accepted awards.

This year, everything changed.

His latest project became an overnight success. You, meanwhile, are coming off the worst year of your career.

The original idea for his project was yours.

You tried to make it work once, then abandoned it. When he asked if he could take the idea further, you said yes. Over the next three years, he turned it into the work being honored tonight.

Onstage, he thanks his team, his family, even the person who once lent him a studio.

Your name never comes up.

You're about to applaud when the host suddenly turns to you and holds out the microphone.

“I heard the original idea for this project came from you. Do you feel like part of that trophy belongs to you too?”

Your friend looks at you.

You don't know whether he forgot to mention you — or simply decided he didn't need to.

The cameras turn your way.