Creative Writting 101
Chapter 1
"That's pronounced now, not no."
"I, um, I'm not sure--"
"That wasn't a request for input," Mr.
Bigalow, Tammy's new boss, said snidely. "That was an instruction."
"But, you asked me if I would begin the eviction
process on unit number 7-304. We have the rent check for that unit." She
looked at the list of apartments that were past due. "It was due yesterday
by close of business and the check was in the night drop box, so, no, I wouldn't."
"It was received after the close of business and it is a
personal check," Mr. Bigalow pontificated. "A personal check is not
money until it clears the bank, so no, the rent is not paid for that
unit."
Tammy swallowed the smart ass comeback that almost
jumped off her tongue. She took a moment to find a way to phrase her reply in a
way that wouldn't get her fired before her first month of employment with Northern Property Management was over. "By law, we can't begin eviction
until the grace period written into our rental agreements has expired,"
she squeezed out after a long moment.
"You're new to this position, so I will let this
little rebellion slide. Assuming you do as you are told." He looked her
over with a good dose of derision coloring his usual creepy leer. "For
your edification, that woman in 7-304 likes to write hot checks. By the time
her bank sends our bank the denial of funds, it will be past the three day
mark."
There wasn't a polite way to say what she wanted after
that remark. She focused on keeping her mouth and temper in check as she watch
Mr. Bigalow make his way down the line of cubicles, probably to find someone else to terrorize with slightly illegal
"instructions."
She had a master's degree in business and ten years of
experience in property management, most of it with her family's business in
Dallas. She'd seen enough underhanded business practices to make her stick
straight black hair curl. The property management industry was rife with
corruption and questionable business practices. Six months ago, her uncle, who
was the CEO of the family business, had instituted a policy that virtually
guaranteed that none of their tenants would ever be able to get their damage
deposits back.
**********
"Miss Goslin, this is horrible drivel." Gloria gulped at the vulcan eyebrow thing going on with her proffessor's face.
"But you haven't even gootn past the first page," she gulped.
"I do not need to," he replied ominously. "I have been teaching this course for more than twenty years. I have read many, many manuscripts in many, many genres. Go back and re-read the guidline I gave you, and then revise this drivel."
Gloria slumped as she took her paper back. Rewrite it in what way? It's not like "this is drivel" constituted actual critique. What she really needed was a teacher, not an asshole professor. A teacher like... Lamar?
3 comments:
Start Chapter 1 with a fiveway, with one of the participants a goat. That should get his attention.
Lamar should stop by class and lay the constrictor-fu on Herr Professor. After he gives Gloria an A, though.
Lamar Puts the Constrictive Squeeze On Local Professor... now there's a headline for the Guts and Butts newspaper.
I'm certain Lamar would choose a far more 'fun' place to hold his classes in creative writing. However, if he wants, Kitty has a room in the library he can use... or maybe Louie could give him a dinner deal.
Speaking of, Rebecca... this flash scene brings back memories of a creative writing teacher at a local junior college, who my friend gave one of my manuscripts to... she said should couldn't even understand what was going on... you know, as if it wasn't actually written in English... well, that particular story won first place in one of the romance writing contests I entered back in 1999-2000... those judges really liked it! Too bad, I haven't had time/energy to rewrite and publish it.
Oooh, Lamar would be an awesome teacher...way better than Mr. Stodgy!
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