Work. I was busy with work. It's as good of excuse as any. I had this idea and even hauled the tinder and matches out to the firepit to get this novel started. My son was excited about the book pitch, my biggest fan (my mom) was excited about the concept, and...that was 2021.
Propane! Costco or Amazon? I'm finding me some bulk propane to cook with this time, and to make sure this fire doesn't go out before my son's next birthday, I'm posting the preface of my next novel here now. If it hooks you like a treble lure, let me know! Contact me here with a comment or on X.com @hutchisonfirst. More is coming! A book more!
The Grandmaster of Reset — A Time-warping Novel
"Hit him again!"
"In the face this time."
"Well, hold down his feet tighter, Todd!"
"Ugh!"
"How does your shirt taste, Mossy?"
I was straining and twisting my shoulders under the weight of these five, fifth- and fourth-grade school boys, trying to spit out the gag of my brown stained Bison t-shirt.
"She's coming! Kick him in the pants and follow me around front."
"What if he tells?"
"He won't tell; like he didn't last time. Even then his mom had to tell for him," Todd threatened and picked up his feet in a run toward the corner of the brick schoolhouse, around front to where they could reenter the school unquestioned. All five boys hopped over the fence and were gone.
I know. Stories all seem to start with someone getting pummeled by a bully. Other than the number, mine's no different, and though a pounding punch is a pounding punch, I can take a good many more now than I could that first day. What would you say, each took fifteen swings at me, with a couple of good ones in there. So about seventy-five knocks. The cement when my elbow contacted it in their tackle was the only thing that drew blood, but still, on that thirteenth day of fifth grade, I had hate in my heart as I lay crying after my beating on the basketball court, the unmarked, asphalt basketball court that was out of view from where the recess monitors usually sat. The recess monitor that had come to investigate the commotion was no help. She didn't even help me to the nurse's corner in the principal's office. But that's because she never had the chance.
Keep Anticipating,
-JH
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