Well I liked it....

Okay, after talking it over with a few people I decided to go ahead and post this now instead of waiting until after April 30th.

This was my entry in the latest Three Minute Fiction contest from NPR. The prompt this month was voice mail message. That's it. It had to be a short piece (able to be read aloud in three minutes) that sounded like a voice mail message. I didn't hear the prompt until the end of the cycle this time around. Saturday evening and the deadline was Sunday at midnight to be precise. So I figured I wouldn't even bother. But then this story popped in my head and I thought...well...why not try. So I did. Which was a big step for me. See, I've actually written a few pieces from previous contest prompts they've had. It's all short story format, which as you know is my preference, some of them have been really good prompts. But that's as far as I get. Writing, not actually submitting. 

I have to say entering things like this, sending things off to publishers, putting my stuff out there to you all, is very challenging. Especially when you hear nothing, like the publishers and the contests. You know logically that they receive a ton of submissions (this contest got 4,000) so the odds aren't really in your favor but you still hope. Which is why you are my favorite audience. I know I will get at least a few people who read and enjoy the piece. To quote Beyonce, "I'm an artist, I'm sensitive about my shit." 

So basically I'm proud of myself just for sending it in. And I actually liked the story as well. For something I wrote in less than an hour after hearing the prompt 12 hours earlier I am pleased with how it turned out.

I'm also including the link to the winning story here.  And from there you can read some of the honorable mentions. There are a few in there that I really enjoyed. And a few that I thought...harumph....

So here you go....Friday Fiction!

Just checking in....

“Hey, it’s me. I’m waiting for Amy to get out of dance practice so I thought I’d check in real quick.

You know the new position I was telling you about? I got it! Starting Monday I’m the new Regional Director of Sales and Operations, pretty fancy right? Can you believe it? I get a new office, my own admin and a nice raise to go with the fancy title as well. And my travel schedule should lighten up, which will be great.

The same day I got the news I was being promoted the boys came home with sign up packages for basketball camp this summer. The money comes in, the money goes right back out, right? Nothing ever changes. It will be really good for them, though. I talked to their coach last week at practice and he thinks they have a really good shot at going straight from the freshman team to Varsity. I wish you could have seen a game this year. They are both so good. Definitely didn't get their athletic talents from me that is for sure.  I told them next time we were at Grandma’s we should see if she still has the tapes from your old high school and college games and they could laugh at how short your shorts were in high school and how long you wore them in college.

We got the notice that Amy made honor roll again this term. Remember the deal we made with her about buying an iPhone if she kept her grades up this year?  I stopped by the store last night to look at phones and talk about our current contract. They said it wouldn't be a problem to add her to what we have. Which is great because that way we won’t lose the unlimited data and the boys are constantly texting so that’s important.  Anyway, we can add her number. Except I’m already at the maximum numbers for our plan, to add one I would have to drop one…so anyway…when Amy gets out of practice we are going to go buy her a phone and add her to the plan.

So I guess what I’m saying is this is the last time I’m going to call. I know it’s silly I’ve held on to the number this long and even sillier that I keep calling and talking to you. But I’m not sure how to stop. I miss you so much, honey. I miss you when I see the boys playing basketball and I am cheering by myself. I miss you when Amy gets straight As and I have no one to brag with. I miss you when I get a promotion and no one is there to tell me they've always believed in me. And I miss you when I wake up and when I go to sleep and when I call your phone and you don’t answer.  And you never answer…

I know it wasn't your choice to leave and you made me promise to be brave when you did. And I mostly am, except when I’m not.

So I guess this is it, one last time.

Okay…deep breath time right?

Good bye, Honey.”