Paper, Paper! Read All About It!

March 10, 2009 at 3:30 am (Search Engine Stories)
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Another inspiring prompt from Selma at Search Engine Stories got my brain working in overdrive and has brought the dark side out of me for a piece of fiction this week.

paperboy

Paper, Paper! Read All About It!

March 10, 2009                                     Bakersville Times Gazette

Man Shoots Waitress: No Roast Beef!

A waitress of over 30 years at Riser’s Café lost her life last night because the restaurant had sold out of their well known roast beef dinner.  Nathan Keiser, 22, a loyal patron of the popular diner shot Melanie Hartman, 58, after she returned to his table to inform him the kitchen had run out of roast beef, according to the restaurant’s owner, Paul Segrest.  Keiser is the great-great-grandson of the late Lloyd Baker, founding father of Bakersville. Keiser will be arraigned this afternoon on one count of murder. Full story in tomorrow’s edition.

 

Everyday newspapers across the country report the world and local news. Most days, readers glance through the latest happenings in their hometown, get a recap of the game the night before, check their horoscope, scan the obituaries, and enjoy a few laughs from the comics as they finish their morning coffee before rushing out the door to work.  Occasionally a headline story interrupts their mundane ritual of reading the morning paper at the family kitchen table. Readers are shocked by the horrendous act of violence listed in bold print across the top of paper.  They hurriedly read through the article, only to become horrified to learn the unprecedented  violence has not only been committed in their sleepy little town, but by one of their own. And not just by “any one” of  ”their own”, but by a member of the wealthiest family in town! Readers forget about the basketball stats and what the stars have in their future for the day in lieu of a re-reading of the headline event in hopes of being able to read between the lines to make sense of the senseless act. Phones ring all over town as readers share their astonishment with family and friends, and to get the latest gossip from anyone who professes to be in the know. Running later than usual, reader’s rush to their vehicles shaking their heads in disbelief; what could possibly have driven such an upstanding member of the community to commit such a frightful crime – over a roast beef dinner! Maybe tomorrow’s paper would have answers to explain how a sane citizen went insane in a matter of minutes.

But of course the newspaper will only print what is politically correct for the family. Extreme stress will be given as the cause. The Baker Family Estate will pay all funeral expenses for the deceased. Nathan Keiser will plead temporary insanity. What will not be reported are the events that  led up to pushing Nathan over the edge of sanity .

Now for the rest of the story:

Nathan’s mother defied her parents and grandparents, running off to marry a man of the Jewish faith twenty- three years before. Her family disowned her and their grandchild for 4 years, until her unfaithful husband left her for another woman. For the next 7 years, Nathan would ask his mother when his father would be coming home. She would always reply, maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow never came.

Although the family saw to it Nathan and his mother had an acceptable place to live, clothes on their backs and just enough food in their pantry, for appearance sake, they were never welcomed back into the fold with open arms. Throughout his adolescence, Nathan questioned why he could not have a bike like all the neighborhood boys, or clothes like his classmates. His mother’s answer was always, maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow never came.

Nathan began working at a local service station when he turned 16, pumping gas and washing windshields. He saved his money to buy a car as an 18th birthday present for himself. A month before his birthday, his mother “borrowed” his savings to pay off loans and catch up utility bills. When he asked where his money was, his mother explained their need and promised to pay him back tomorrow. Tomorrow never came.

At age 19, Nathan fell in love. He and his sweetheart were inseparable during that summer of love. One night, she told him she was pregnant. Nathan was ecstatic, she was not. She wanted an abortion. Nathan refused. She said they would talk about it again tomorrow. Tomorrow never came for his child.

Two years later, Nathan fell in love again. After dating for a year, Nathan asked her to marry him. She said yes. For three months, he would ask when they could set a date for their wedding. His fiancé would always reply, maybe tomorrow. Returning home to their apartment on the afternoon of March 8th, Nathan found a hastily written note lying on the kitchen counter; “I’m sorry” is all she wrote. Tomorrow never came.

Several hours later, just before closing time, Nathan walked into his favorite restaurant. He loved their roast beef dinner and he wanted to have something he loved before he drove out to Miller’s pond. Melanie had waited on Nathan many times in the past and knew what his order would be; roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes, extra heavy on the gravy, green beans and sweet iced tea. She also knew they had sold their last plate of roast beef not more than 10 minutes before he arrived.

She made his iced tea and placed it in front him. “I’m sorry hon, but we just sold the last of the roast beef. How about fried chicken tonight?”

“What?” Nathan asked.

“I’m real sorry hon, but the roast beef is all gone tonight. Maybe we’ll have some tomorrow.” She assured him.

Nathan sat staring at the glass of iced tea. It was dark and cold like most of his life had been. He took a gun from his coat pocket. It only had one bullet, which he had reserved for himself. He looked up into the startled face of the weary waitress, smiled, and said, “Tomorrow never comes.”

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When it Rains it Pours!

March 2, 2009 at 9:13 pm (Cricket Chirps)
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rain1Sunday: overcast with showers. Today: monsoon in Ohio.

I was very sad to learn Paul Harvey died on Saturday. For those who did not have the pleasure of listening to Paul for over 50 years on the radio, he was the number one most listened to radio personality. He was most known for a segment called, “And now for the rest of the story.” Paul would present a news item and then finish with a surprise bit of information that was little known by most people. I loved his humor and credit him with making me see there was always more to a story than just what was reported. Paul will be missed by many.

Mid-afternoon on Sunday I also learned my older sister was in the hospital. She had fallen in the bathtub and broke her knee. Given her excess weight and diabetes, she has a very long road to recovery a head of her. I visited her today and learned she will be transported to a nursing home tomorrow where she will receive rehabilitative services for a minimum of six weeks. She is not pleased with the situation but after an hour of talking with her, she finally accepted there was no other choice.  She wanted me to let her come and live with me and our father, and for me to help her with her exercises and whatever else needed done. I had to play the tough sister and almost humiliate her into seeing things the way they were. I explained I was already taking care of our father, and have since our mother passed away 11 years ago, and that he is now having difficulty walking, stumbling and falling on a regular basis, and forgets to turn off the water in the bathroom sink after he washes his hand. I already have a lot on my plate and just can’t take on anymore. I also reminded her that at no time during the last year has she even offered to spend a day with our father so I could have a break. She finally got the point.

While at the hospital I also visited my younger sister, who I learned on Sunday evening was also in the hospital. She has been ill for several years, suffering from the effects of a stroke and the onslaught of dementia. It seems she has not taken her medication for diabetes for some time and was in very poor condition when taken to the hospital. I fear she has had another stroke, although the nurse said an MRI was done and none was detected. At this point, my younger sister does not know what year it is, or even the month. She thinks Ronald Reagan is the president and she lives in an apartment that she hasn’t lived in for more than twenty years. She had been on a temporary Medicaid program pending a review to receive a disability ruling. However, she failed to “remember” to refile some paperwork and her Medicaid ran out on February 27th. I was asked by the hospital counselor to help my sister complete the needed paperwork and run it down to the Human Services office so it could be processed and a number obtained so she could also be transported to the nursing home tomorrow.

Despite the fact that I had a job interview in two hours, I helped my sister complete the paperwork – mostly I filled it out and she scrawed her name – and headed for the Human Services office. I was told by the hospital counselor all I needed to do was drop off the paperwork. Wrong! I find it interesting how many of those employed as public servants forget the “servant” part. I walked up to the receptionist and explained I was to drop off some papers for a person named Bobbie. I was told I could not just drop off anything and she would go into the back and ask Bobbie what she wanted done with the paperwork. Given the receptionist’s arrogant attitude, I had an idea of what she could do with the paperwork, but only smiled and kept my thoughts to myself. More than 15 minutes later, the receptionist returned and said I would have to come back tomorrow as they only process applications on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Well, I will admit I had had enough. In addition to all that I have listed, plus trying to find a job after being laid off since June, and dealing with another personal issue, this was the icing on the cake . . . the straw that broke the camel’s back . . . I became enraged and lost my temper, something I rarely do and even more rarely in public. I ended my brief tirade with “its nice to see our tax dollars at work” and stormed out.

Yes, I was five minutes late to my interview. I should mention that over 90 people had applied for this position, and I was one of five receiving an in-person interview. Although I composed myself during the 40 minute drive, the fact I was late did not earn me bonus points, especially since I was interviewing for a human resource manager position. I was able to make the gentleman see the humor in the situation. I believe I said something like, “You have to be wondering just what kind of an excuse would a human resource manger of over 20 years  have for being 5 minutes late to an interview for a human resource manager position. Well, let me tell you – my wife forgot to fill the car up with gas, there was a 15 car pile up on 77, there was a storm last night and the electric went off and my alarm clock didn’t go off, and my dog ate the paper with my references and I had to type another one.” Once we quit laughing, I gave him a very brief recounting of my day and we completed the interview. I wonder if I will get one of the two call back interviews?

When I returned home, I learned my neice never showed up to sit with my dad. Fortunately, he fell asleep in his recliner and only woke up when I came in the door. I was sharing my experiences of the day with him when the phone rang. It was a nephew calling to tell us my brother had fainted at work from having a very bad migraine headache, fell off a platform, and broke his collar bone. He too is in the hospital.

When it rains, it pours!

Fortunately, I have a good umbrella in the form of broad shoulders andrain3 thick skin, and I have been blessed with the “healthy gene” as I am the only one in my family not to have diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems. Well . . .  maybe the receptionist at Human Services would question whether I have a heart at all!

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