Tag Archives: Fiction

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 25 June 2017


Happy Sunday! Today’s Shi Sai reads like story. I have grown to love fiction. I was never a fan before I started blogging. Oh, I’d read a few novels here and there. There are compulsory tomes that we are assigned in school. I read them, sort of. My attention span never let me dive too deeply into the guts of a story. I got distracted and bored. When I discovered “Cliff Notes” I shifted happily to the classics light and fared quite well when tasked with writing book reports.

Now this is not to say that I wasn’t a reader. I gobbled up poetry and shorts, non-fiction and essays. Imagine my delight when I discovered the concept of flash fiction! I didn’t even know it was a thing until I started blogging. And I discovered that fiction can be a series of life snippets. Each chapter of a book is a snapshot, a zoom-in view of the panoramic whole. The good ones have cliff hangers, or at least a tease to launch you to the next.

And fiction, when we know it is fiction can transport us from the realities of our own drama. It gives us an opportunity to reflect. To find gratitude in the fact that things could be different in our own lives, better or worse. Even when the story is all too familiar it offers us the consolation that we are not alone; that someone, somewhere lived through what we are experiencing…and lived to tell it.

So I am a reformed non-fiction junkie. There is great power and inspiration to be found in the web of a well-crafted tale. And there is no one more surprised than me to duscover that I enjoy crafting a story now and again. I hope I do the genre justice. I’ve have even toyed with the idea of writing a novel, or a novelette at the very least. Who’d a thought?!

Have a great week! May your story this week leave you inspired. May there not be too many unfortunate events or unsettling plot twists. l hope to see you at the end of this chapter next week. Until then, here’s a glimpse at this week’s look back…

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 25 June 2017

blue to bitter, raining
his blind date never showed
the truth comes to light
may appear larger than life
even if the time is short
when did the rock-a-bye bough break
he just didn’t know it yet.
There, there. Don’t resist.
language is an art
cannot be trusted
ice on my lips
a thousand lies
if only’s
bright to dark
dreams that come to life
fate didn’t agree

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.


Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 June 2016

Happy Sunday! Another chapter and verse review of the past week. An interesting Shi Sai, in that it reads more like a story than poetry, but that doesn’t surprise me. I was able to carve out a bit of time to participate in a few flash fiction challenges. I’ve missed those!

So today I give you a prose poem that tells a story of its own. And as with any good story there is a simple lesson to take away. In a nutshell I think this week was telling me to say what I mean… and mean what I say. And it’s also a reminder to me that I need to say the important things while the people who mean the most to me are still here to hear me say them.

Tell those that you love that you do, speak kindly to strangers, don’t hold your tongue when it comes to the truth. Life is too short for regrets.

Love and light to you…and peace…always peace. ❤️

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 June 2016

I’ll probably regret this…oh well!
sometimes it’s best to leave things alone.
…slips of the tongue…
Who would do such a thing?!
…full of chatter, laughter and memories of those that were lost
gloaming on the cusp
We have gravitated to other means of speaking our mind…
clipping through choppy swells
as if they truly mean it…
Why couldn’t you just tell me while you were still here…

kat ~ 12 June 2016


The Interview

wantads

Photo by Kat Myrman 2016

Betty O’Donnell had been with the company for 27 years, planning to retire in three. After the merger, she and several other veteran staffers were handed pink slips. Betty walked away with six month’s severance, no health care, and no pension.  She was devastated.

It was the holidays, but Betty tried to make the best of it. She put together a resume and registered with the Employment Bureau. With a college degree and accounting experience, she never imagined it would be hard to find a job. But it was. She couldn’t sleep. She barely ate. Several months passed and Betty realized it was time to find a job…any job.

There were several entry level positions available. One in particular, at the Burger Meister Restaurant, paid better than minimum wage and offered benefits. She printed a copy of her resume, completed the application, and delivered it in person.

After waiting 45 minutes, she was greeted by a Mr. Dan Sloan. He was around 30, clean-cut, wearing khaki pants, a company emblemed polo, and black rimmed trendy eyeglasses.

“Hello…Ms. O’Donnell? Can I call you Elizabeth? I’m Dan Sloan, the Manager.”

“Hello Mr. Sloan. Betty, is good,” she smiled, shaking his hand.

“Sorry for the wait. We had a few issues in the kitchen. My office is right here.”

The office walls were cluttered with cheesy motivational posters, food service guidelines and a framed portrait of the Burger Meister. One wall was glass allowing Sloan a full view of the kitchen.

“Please have a seat while I review your application. Can I get you some coffee, a soft drink, water?”

“Nothing for me thanks.”

“I see you attached your resume…”

“Yes, I…”

“That’s fine. We have all the information we need from the company application. So tell me, Betty, what brought you to Burger Meister’s?”

Isn’t it obvious? You’re looking at my application! “Uh, well, I need a job. I saw the Hostess position in the paper…”

“Ah yes. Tell me, have you worked as a hostess before?”

“No, but I have managed several employees in my previous employment.” Certainly years of management experience should count for something.

“I see. What about restaurant experience?

“In college…I waitressed.” If you could call it that. I worked the snack bar at the bowling alley, but he’s looking for restaurant experience…

Mr. Sloan scanned her application and looked up at Betty over the rims of his glasses. “I see you were with your former employer 27 years. That’s a long time. May I ask why you left?”

Here it is. The dreaded “why did you leave” question. “Company acquisition, downsizing…I…” Why won’t he let me finish? I was laid off, not fired! 

“Hmmm…seems to be a lot of that going on these days.”

“Yes.”

“You do understand, the Hostess position requires long hours on your feet.”

“Yes.” Condescending twit! Suck it up Betty. You need this job. 

“And there may be times when we would need you to pitch in with serving patrons or bussing the tables…”

“Yes, of course.”

“I am wondering why someone with your experience would want to work in food service.”

“Well, Mr. Sloan,” Betty forced a smile, “I’ll be honest with you. I got laid off over 4 months ago and I need a job. I’m a quick learner and a team player. I am certain that I could fulfill the responsibilities of the position.” Ugh! I hate feeling so vulnerable!

Mr. Sloan sat straight in his chair, letting out a sigh. “Well, thank you so much for coming in today, Ms. O’Donnell, but I’m not sure you would fit in at Burger Meister’s…” Betty glanced at the kitchen noticing the markedly younger staff.

What? Just like that? Wow! Betty was stunned.

Mr. Sloan stood up and opened the door. “Thank you again, Ms. O’Donnell, I wish you well in your job search. Please accept this Meister Money Card. It’s good for 2 free dinners. Goodbye.”

Betty took the money card without looking up and slipped it into her coat pocket. I won’t be back. The wind outside felt harsh. Colder still because of the tears streaming down her face.

“There are other jobs. He would have been an ass to work for. After all, tomorrow is another day.” she said to herself.

kat ~ 15 February 2016

A short story in response to Ronovan Writes Friday Fiction Challenge:

▪Word Count of 500. (SUGGESTED)

▪Take your favorite quote from a movie and use it as inspiration for your entry this week. If you want more direction, make it the last sentence in your piece. (REQUIRED)

As you can see, my movie quote is from Gone With the Wind, made famous by Miss Scarlett, “After all tomorrow is another day.” If you would like to participate or read other stories, click HERE.