Katz Against Pavlov: A Novel About Walking Part 1: Katz Wakes Up

Part 1: Katz Wakes Up

Charles Darwin Katz is an Investment Banker, poised to become a partner of the New York City based firm Lincoln Lester Wealth Management upon marriage to the daughter and sole heiress, Charlotte Denise Lester. He has worked his way up the ranks from coffee boy to become a highly respected and sought after banker for wealthy clients. By all appearances Charles has a dream life; residing in a pent-house apartment in South Street Seaport, copious millions of his own in the bank, the respect of the minions of Wall Street, and a beautiful, talented, if aggressive, bride to be. Still, he feels trapped.

Charlotte Denise Lester has been groomed from birth to be the heiress of the company although she yearns to be a writer. Her father promises to finance her writing career once she marries Charles, since he is confident that Charles can run the business on his own. Even though they are not suited for each other, Charlotte is cool and calculating in using Charles to gain her ultimate freedom.

Charlotte’s father and owner of the company, Oliver “Old Man” Lester is a well-respected Master of Wall Street. Having married later in life and after the passing of his beloved wife, Jane, he is wholly ensconced in grooming Charlotte and Charles to take over the company as a team. He introduces Charles to his new client,

Prince Samir al Mushadi of Dubai, an uber-wealthy westernized Arab who has broken away from his traditional lifestyle to become an investor in real estate and retail. Prince Samir has purposefully broken away from his cultural traditions and struggles to engage in life apart from the dictum of his wealthy birth-right and Muslim upbringing. He also seeks a woman he can fall in love with and who can help guide his business. After meeting Charlotte, Samir realizes, as she does, that they are meant to be together.

Charles has an epiphany; realizing that he does not want to be part of the elite 1% even after all of his hard work. He abandons his first meeting with the Prince, leaving his office by sneaking out of the fire escape exit during a snow storm. He meets a homeless man name E. Willoughby Jones who has been living on New York’s mean streets for five years, after having walked to New York from Georgia.

Willoughby is suffering from PTSD after the death of his older brother Grayson, an air-force pilot shot down in battle during the war in Viet Nam. Will is an affable Buddha, who introduces Charles to life on the street by taking him for lunch at a soup-kitchen run by Johnny, a former mafioso. Johnny's kitchen is populated with a unique cast of characters, each of whom have a story to tell about why they are part of the homeless community of Manhattan.

Kristal Ann Morgan, Charles’ assistant of 5 years is sent out to find him after he deserts the meeting. She is the one person who understands Charles’ personality and need for solace amidst the intensity of Wall Street. She is in love with him yet guards her feelings, maintaining a professional relationship with him at all costs.
The characters come to personal realizations during a snowstorm that makes the city inoperable for a few days. Will realizes that he must go back home to heal from the loss of his brother, inviting Charles to walk all the way to Georgia with him. As they pass through various states along the route from NYC to Georgia, a series of events occur that show Charles how the class-system in America has diminished, and how many people are living on the edge of what used to be a thriving American society.

The story is one of transformation both personally and spiritually as the characters interact, allowing each other to grow into their authentic selves.