ChrisWDP's Stories

Ladmo Bag

2008-06-05T19:01:13Z

Growing up in Arizona, it was the prize everyone wanted. A simple brown paper bag, with the words Ladmo Bag on it. A bag that elevated a kid’s status on the playground.

From the outside, it did not seem like much. On the inside it was a child’s dream. Mounds of candy, a pass to Legend City or the State Fair, and one piece of fruit. The piece of fruit was probably a peace offering to parents.

One way to win a Ladmo Bag was to appear on the Wallace & Ladmo show. If you were in the audience, you had two chances to win. At the beginning and the end of the show.

I had missed the first chance when I was an audience member. As the show was ending, it was time to hand a Ladmo Bag. The excitement grew in the audience. Wallace shouted, “Row 2”. This was the start of directions for Ladmo to give out a bag. That was my row, my heart raced. “Seat 7”, he finished. My heart sank.

Even though I didn’t win that day, as an adult it was a bond, a memory, that those raised in Arizona shared, not winning a Ladmo Bag.

Post-It Note

2008-05-28T18:39:52Z

The day shift had left, and I was coming in for the night shift. Usually the sharing of desks is no problem, they are generally left clean. Tonight there was a small post-it note left behind.

Nothing else. I picked up the post-it, and read it.

What was the story behind it?

Why did someone write on it?

Why did someone leave it?

A simple yellow post-it, with an untold story. The only thing it said was biodevelopers.com.

Possibilities of stories formed in my mind.

Then I stuck it into my pocket and began to work, while the possibilities slipped away.

Soundtrack of Me (Maybe a Soundtrack Challenge!!!)

2008-05-28T14:04:59Z

1. Blaze of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi: Wake up in the morning and I raise my weary head.

2. Believe it or Not by Stephen Geyer: Look at what’s happened to me, I can’t believe it myself.

3. Under Pressure Queen & David Bowie: Chippin; around – kick my brains around the floor

4. Superman by Lazlo Bane: You’ve won the race, but lost your mind. Was it worth it all.

5.There She Goes The La’s: Racing through my brain, and I just can’t contain this feeling that remains

6. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers: When I’m work, yes I know I’m gonna be the man who’s working hard for you.

7. These are the Days of our Lives by Queen: The bad things in life were so few. Those days are all gone now but one thing still true when I look and I find I still love you.

Change of Plan

2008-05-27T14:02:54Z

I stood up in front of everyone, who were waiting for the ceremony to begin. Even though Nick and I were not of the same religion, he had asked me to perform his wedding.

We had known each other since grade school. In college we had followed different paths, but still kept in touch. A few minutes ago Nick presented a challenge.

“Sorry for the delay. ” I announced. “If I could have the best man, groomsmen, maid of honor, bridesmaids, and the couple’s parents join me inside the hotel. We have a slight change of plan.”

The whispers started. So far so good. They all started to walk towards the hotel. Now the tricky part.

“Oh, and if Amber McMillian could join us as well. Thank you.”

Silence

The maid of honor stared icy daggers at me. I could sense Nick’s parents realized what my last request meant. The tricky part was to get certain people out and let them know that Nick had changed his mind.

A few minutes ago, he decided not to marry Jane, but Amber instead. She was the one he truly loved.

Decision

2008-04-17T19:21:20Z

“I said, down on the ground now!” Anders shouted, pointing his pistol straight at the Torturer.

“Bill, Bill. There is no need to shout.” the Torturer replied, while shaking his head. Still showing no signs of fear.

“No matter what I do, I’ll be dead.” he still had his hands in front of him, clasped together. “Bill, we have had so much fun these past years. Do you really want this to end?” he slowly took a step towards the door.

“Don’t move!” Anders continued to keep his pistol trained on him. Continuing to focus on him, ignoring what he was saying. The Torturer was trying to manipulate him. After three long years he was not going to let him.

“Either you’re going to kill me, or the courts will. But if you let me go, oh, the fun that can still be had.” a grin started to spread across his face. “There are still so many women and girls to have fun with.” His voice still the same calm, smooth tone.

“I still have not had the chance to have fun with your wife and daughter yet,”

Anders fired off three shots.

FF0000 (Red)

2008-04-16T22:00:33Z

You can do this.

I pulled my car into a parking space near her apartment.

“Thanks for the lift Will.” she said.

“No problem.” I started to feel sweat down the back of my neck. “Let me get your bag out of the trunk.”

We both got out of the car and walked to back of it.

“Can I help you carry it up?” Did my voice just squeaked?

“No thanks. I can carry it.” We stood there.

Hello? Say “Do you want to go out.”

Yes, I heard you Beta. For some reason my mouth started to feel dry. Wait, she hasn’t said anything else. There was silence from both of us.

Who was suppose to talk next? Was it my turn, or was it her turn. So many different words started to flow through my head.

“I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow at work.” I said.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Okay, now what?

She continued to talked, “I was wondering would you…”

Before she had a chance to finish I said, “DoyouwanttogooutwithmeonWednesday?”

“Oh. Sorry no.”

Nooooooo.

“I can’t. But I can go out on Friday. Will that work?”

“Yes, that will be fine.”

000000 (Black)

2008-04-16T19:01:33Z

Don’t blow it. Beta reminded me.

“Here, let me take your bag for you.” I said as I put my hand out to take her bag.

“Thanks.” She handed me her bag and I slung it over my shoulder.

“I was thinking of holding up one of those signs with your name on it. Make it look like you were a VIP .”

She laughed, “That would have been funny.”

So far so good.

While walking to the parking garage, we talked about her trip. She had been visiting one of her brothers, who was attending college in Oregon.

While I drove us back to her apartment, I talked about the history of the area. My heart continued to pound, but I still felt at ease. The night air felt cool coming through the open windows of the car.

“Thanks again for picking me up. A roommate had offered to pick me up as well, but I told her that I already had a ride.”

Wait, if she turned down a roommate, that means..

She really likes me! I don’t have to worry about scaring her away! My heart started pounding even faster as we pulled into her apartment complex

Curse of Immortality

2008-04-16T14:14:26Z

The bleakness of the funeral was increased by the light rain that started to fall. The graveside service was over and people were heading back to their carriages. One figure stood nearby while everyone left.

He was alone in his thoughts. Watching the funeral of another friend. A friend who became a number to him. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, but in reality was a lot older. Time moved around him, yet never aged him.

When he first found out his was immortal, he tried to avoid becoming close to people. He could not stand watching those he cared about grow old and die. Then he realized he could not live forever being alone.

He became selective in the friends he made. He would be with them for a while, before moving on. Not out boredom, or indifference, but because he cared.

He wanted to remember them being young. Being ageless like him. Sometimes it was easy, other times it was not. He had lost another friend. He turned, and walked away.

In the end he was left alone. In the end they all die.

ChrisWDP's Orphanage of Ficlet Series

2008-04-15T21:53:08Z

21214 – One Second Thoughts – This could be the start of a new series. You could go down different paths with it, romance, mystery, action, etc. I’ve thought of different paths, but have never come up with one that I feel good about.

D2B48C (Tan)

2008-04-11T19:28:38Z

It felt like forever, but Sunday arrived. I showed up at the airport thirty minutes early. I arrive early at places, because I hate feeling rushed.

I had been re-reading The Room with No Doors in a chair near the passenger exit. Her flight had landed and shortly the passengers would be exiting. I started to feel nervous.

I understand we live in a desert, but why must they insist on using southwest colors here? We see enough variations of brown. Beta was acting nervous as well.

To try and settle our nerves, I started look around.

_Look, they sell flowers over. You should pick some up for her.”

“I don’t want to scare her off right away.”

You still are going to ask her out right? Talking about what was going to happen started to help put us at ease.

“I will, after I drop her off. If I’m going to scare her off, might as be when she doesn’t have far to run to.”

The passengers started to exit from her flight, I stood up. I started to look for her, then I saw her. My heart started to race even more.

Aftermath

2008-04-10T18:59:26Z

The echo of the gunshots were fading. All three had met their target. The body of The Torturer was on the ground, not moving.

Detective Bill Anders leaned started to sit down, still holding his pistol. After 3 years of tracking The Torturer, it was over. The nightmare that had gripped the city, was over.

“Bill, are okay?” came over his headset. His partner was downstairs in the house of The Torturer.

It took Bill a couple of seconds before responded. Still getting around the notion of it being over. “I’m fine. He’s dead.”

“Backup is on their way. Are you in the attic?”

“Yes.”

I’m on my way, stay there.” he could hear Brian starting to speed up. He thought he heard sirens In the distance. There was no rush for them, he was tired.

Three years of being taunted. Three years of women being taken and brutalized. The stress, pressure, anxiety, all of those feelings, now gone. Replaced by a sense of exhaustion.

He still kept an eye on the body, in case it came back alive. That wouldn’t happen. It was over.

808080 (Grey)

2008-04-09T20:13:11Z

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” as I pulled up Dreamweaver to work on the company’s web site.

We both know your track record with this sort of thing. You end up never asking them out. You become just a friend.

During my life, friends would enter and leave. They moved on, I moved on. I never had, or kept, close personal friendships. People were just there and in they end they always leave.

But with her, it felt different.

You never take things as black or white. You stick to staying in the middle. Going with the flow. That is your comfort zone. How you are.

He could go on and on for hours. In the end I knew the chain of events always occurred the same way. I start to like someone, and take no action about it.

But…

This time it felt different.

For the rest of the day I could not get her out of my mind. Sunday was four days away, it felt like an eternity.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Pucker Up (The "When Life Gives You Lemons" Challenge)

2008-04-08T13:49:01Z

Ever since we were bought out, the number of meetings I’ve been involved in has gone up.

I can’t understand how a large company can get anything accomplished if they are in meetings all the time.

This time we are talking about how a new campaign to increase employee productivity. Because I’m manager, I’ve got to give my input.

“You are the face of the company.”

That’s the slogan they’re going to use? How stupid. It’s not creative. I could not say that with a straight face to the people I manage.

“I love it. It works perfectly.” Wait, who said that.You’ve got be to kidding me, the branch president loves it. Which means, this is the part I hate.

“Sounds like a winner to me.” I respond, along with the other managers.

Well, dad did warn me. “In the corporate world, when life gives you lemons, pucker up.”

Hex Conversion

2008-04-07T14:08:00Z

What did she say?, I head Beta say.

Okay, don’t get too excited yet.

Right, stay calm.

Sunday, Sunday. What am I doing Sunday?

Nothing, you’re doing nothing. You’re not watching a Doctor Who marathon, you’re not playing Runebound, you’re not clipping your toenails.

Of course not. I’m just making sure there was nothing important going on.

“Sunday, I’m free Sunday. Why?” I replied, calmly.

“I was wondering..” she started.

Yes, yes. The pause seemed so long. Well it seemed like a pause, it probably was a one second pause.

“Could you pick me up from the airport?” she asked.

What!

“Sure, no problem.” I was trying to work this out.

“Great. I’ve got to get going, but I’ll send you the flight information.” with that she headed out my office.

Airport! I thought it was going to be asking you on a date.

“Look, it will still work out.” as I turned back to my computer.

How?

“Because we will be away from the office. No interruptions. I can ask her on a date.”

Good thinking. Without my help.

FFC0CB

2008-04-04T22:17:43Z

Here’s your chance to ask her.

The voice was hers. She was standing in the doorway, wearing a pink shirt with white pants. Boy, she looks pretty.

Wait, focus. How much did she hear?

She can’t hear me.

That’s great for Beta, but sometimes I wind up talking out loud.

“Oh, I was referring when to do the next round of security patches. There’s a bunch to that need to be installed. I just have to figure out when the best time is.”

Good save.

She gave a tiny laugh. “I know, it can be embarrassing when people catch you talking to yourself. It has happened to me a few times.”

She bought it.

“I was stopping by to see if you want to get into the office lottery pool. Everyone puts in $5.00 dollars and we do a quick pick.”

“I’m in. I don’t want to be the only one left working here.” I started to reach for my wallet.

Mindi had worked her for a few months. She was back in the underwriting department. She was one of fourteen employees in underwriting.

“Oh, one more question. What are doing Sunday?”