By Kim Gray in Baltimore
Well, it’s happened. My first short story, Boardwalk Bound, will appear in the anthology The Boardwalk by Cat and Mouse Press. I will be enjoying myself at Crime Bake the day it comes out. My dad would be impressed (but not too much) that I’d actually completed a project I’d started. He always told me I made things harder than they had to be. I deciphered this to mean if I would only do what he told me to do, it would be much better for me.
When I graduated from high school, my dad helped me out by getting me a job in his building. I was very excited to be going to work with him at police headquarters. I pictured myself helping to solve cases, answering phones, or filing reports…until he dropped me off at the morgue. The Morgue!!!! He couldn’t understand what my problem was, after all, I had the entire place to myself, well, not counting the dead people. I could read books all day and drink coffee. (He knew how much I loved to read.) My only job was to fingerprint the deceased. Easy peasy — according to my dad. More like easy-queasy! I lasted three days (someday I’ll tell you what happened on that third day). Years later he never failed to remind me of the pension I could have had if only I’d done as he said. And how I always made things harder than they needed to be.
By the next year he’d lined up another job for me. This time as a court stenographer. When I informed him I couldn’t type, he rolled his eyes and loudly proclaimed my tuition had been a waste of money. If only I had taken these jobs seriously, think of the material I’d have for my stories. He may not have found me the perfect job, but he certainly put me on the path to a career I love. Thanks Dad.
Congrats on your story pub, Kim! And do tell the rest of the morgue story one of these days.
Thanks, Edith. I will definitely do a morgue post. It might even be worthy of two!
I am amazed you lasted three whole days! And congrats on the story!
Thanks, Jessie! Dad was not an easy man to say no to. If I’d had my way, I would not have lasted three minutes.
The rest of the story is a doozy! I can’t wait to buy The Boardwalk and read Boardwalk Bound!
Thank you, Sherry, for all of your help.
Reblogged this on F4l ~ FLECK and commented:
D2 ~ Girl 4 Hire 😉
Thanks, Kim!
Another great story. God, your dad wasn’t fazed by anything.
Only my inability to type left him speechless.
Kim… omg… wow. I would’ve run away from home!
Congratulations on getting your short story published in The Boardwalk anthology! I love reading your stories here so have no doubt you written a terrific short story! xo
Thanks, Kate! I could never have run away. It seemed every police officer in the state of Maryland knew of my every move.
Hah… I wonder why!