Writer Blog: entry 001

At the recommendation of a writer friend I will begin using this blog to begin a ‘daily 500’ words. As a way to keep (begin) writing every day. My purpose will be to expand and improve my limited writing skills (note to self: learning to touch type would ultimately be very helpful).



Story


The room was lit by one- 40 watt light bulb and shadows filled the corners. Like sentinel soldiers they stood silent and tall- guarding the room. The cool night breeze filtered in through the open windows. Daytime it had been sizzling hot and any breeze was welcome. But tonight it caused Jake to pull the blankets up around him as he stared at the ceiling.

Planning a murder was never easy. Here he lay, Jake Smith planning a murder. He had thought the idea through on many nights. Nights just like this. Yes, he thought again, he had to go through with it. Why? Because his boss, Sam Fredricks was an ungrateful lout who had passed Jake’s ideas off as his own one too many times.

At first Jake was too elated to notice that his boss had taken the credit, As a recently hired accountant, he was just happy to see that his ideas were liked. He waited for his boss to pass on the credit to him- but he never did. Then another idea was presented by Jake and again it was used to further that bastard Fredricks' career and not his own. It began to infuriate Jake. Jake waited for the credit to come and it never did. He waited three other times before he confronted the boss man.

"Mr. Fredricks, do you have a minute?" asked Jake as he entered his bosses office.

"I’m a pretty busy man, Smith," said Fredricks, "What’s on your mind?"

Jake drew up a chair and sat down. This wasn’t going to be easy. Fredicks wasn’t going to ‘let’ this be easy. "It’s about the Hospital idea I gave you last week…" His voice trailed off not knowing how to proceed.

"Oh you mean my idea about how to improve the hospital’s bottom line don’t you?" Boss man moved closer as he hissed the words through nicotine stained lips.

"No, I mean my idea," said Jake suddenly rising to meet Fredricks stance. "I presented that idea at our departmental think tank meeting."

"You did say something that sparked the idea in my head," said the boss. "But you don't think you can take credit for it, do you? You’re just a junior employee around here and frankly, if I hadn’t totally revised and improved it, the CEO never would have seen the value and accepted it."

Fredricks walked closer and studied Jake’s face. Almost daring him to respond. Looking into Jake’s eyes and satisfied that he had made his point, he returned to his desk and sat down.

"Well is that all Smith? Have we got that little misunderstanding cleared up?"

"Yes sir," was all Jake could think to respond. His mind had joined his knees in turning to jello. He left the room like a whipped puppy.

So here he lay, alone with his thoughts. Although the incident had occurred nearly three months ago, Jake replayed it in his mind as if it had happened only this afternoon. At first he had tried to put it out of his mind. Turn the other cheek or something like that. But it hadn’t worked. His mind kept coming back to the humiliation and helplessness he had felt when Fredricks' hot, stale coffee-breath assaulted him that day. But what could he do?

At first he thought- there’s nothing I can do- it's hopeless- he’s the boss. But then he watched the movie, ‘The Godfather’. Michael Corleone, Vito's son and heir apparent to the Corleone family, takes over the 'family' for his aging father. Michael let’s the little things build up until his father dies and then at the end of the movie he ‘settles all the family business’ in his own words. It rang true to Jake. It was now time for him to settle the business between him and Fredricks. Either that or find another job. But doing that was tantamount to running away. The ‘Godfather’ had energized him and turned him into a man of action.

The next logical step was to decide how to do the deed. Idea number one- get a hit man. Could he really hire a hit man to ‘whack’ old Fredricks? Who do you call? Certainly not 'Ghostbusters'. He checked the yellow pages but couldn’t find anyone listed under murderer or hit men, or mafia. How does one go about finding a cold-blooded killer for hire? And do you interview them? Do you screen them on the phone like you would a gardener or nanny? Ask them questions and talk about fees? Then what? Do you interview the top three prospects in person? How will the guys who don’t get the job react? If angered enough at not being selected, perhaps they might do a 'whack job' on him... for free. Hmmmmm, thought Jake, that doesn’t sound like it would work out too well at all.

Perhaps maybe an accident then…