(Untitled)

[favoritebean]

Rob Chuck had just returned from lunch when the secretary greeted him.

“Your one o’clock appointment is here, Sir. I showed the reporter and photographer into your office so that the photographer could set up his lighting equipment.”

Rob nodded, opened the door to his office, and put on his best smile.

Comments

[roina_arwen]

I’m intrigued! Poor O’Brien, she has a lot to learn.

[favoritebean]

Yeah, like tolerance.

Your icons are always the best. That is just lovely.

[roina_arwen]

Aww, thanks! And yes, tolerance is definitely one of her shortcomings.

[adoptedwriter]

The dialogue in this is spot on.

[favoritebean]

Thank you! I was wondering if I needed to put any sort of warning for language, but then I remembered that this is what some of my Nebraska relatives sounded like when I was a kid in 1985.

[sunouttomorrow]

I was a little shocked when you pointed out that it was 1985. I'm pretty sure that this still goes on across the US still today, unfortunately.

Well done though. A very believable story.

[favoritebean]

Sadly, you're right. I hope someday, people will be more tolerable.

Also, thank you. I had a cousin who lived in Gurley, and I remember as a kid that Scottsbluff was like three hours away by car. I remember very little about the town itself, it was a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of place in my mind. But it was neat to try to remember what I could.

[halfshellvenus]

Melissa is an awfully intolerant sort-- even for 1985! But sadly, not rare-- even now.

The part of this that really surprises me is the thought of a tornado warning in Arizona. I mean, we get the occasional tiny tornado touching down here in Sacramento once in a while, but only for a few seconds. Not enough for a tornado warning!

Whereas in Illinois... gads, I still remember the amount of time I spent in my stupid basement while I lived there. And the smell of it, too. Yick!

[favoritebean]

While I do think that tornadoes occasionally go through Arizona, this was set in Nebraska, which is definitely part of tornado alley.

[halfshellvenus]

:D Ouch-- I see I conflated Scottsbluff with Scottsdale, and just never stopped.

Thinking of this as Nebraska, it makes more sense. This kind of intolerance was pretty par for the course in the Midwest then, so the Chucks were the outliers rather than Melissa.

The desire to retire to Mexico makes a lot more sense, too. Escaping Nebraska winters is an understandable goal! Going from Arizona heat to more heat? Not so much.

Boy, my brain must be thoroughly knotted today...

[favoritebean]

I think we're all suffering from being cooped up. Oddly, it seems that Mexico is a popular retirement destination for many in the LGBTQ community here in LA. I have one friend who is moving there with his husband this June.

That said, Arizona has their own issues, according to friends and family that live there. I imagine that every town has their secrets.

[rayaso]

I loved the characters here, and the way you wrote it.