Member-only story
Standing, Red-Faced, Publicly Humiliated… What to do?
The story below was previously published in “Chicken Soup for the Soul — Laughter is the Best Medicine.” Writing for magazines, anthologies and journals can be a good source of income. I thought by sharing this simple short story it might inspire you to submit your stories outside of Medium. I know many of you already submit to outside stories and I would love to hear your favorite publishers to work for. In the meantime, have a good laugh at my expense.
“Visions of Gumdrops”
In the early 1990s, Central Washington University bounced with fresh skin, high hopes, gel-spiked hair, and me. At least that’s how it felt. A single mom, pushing forty, striving for a degree promising to pay bills. There were others sporting crow’s feet, suited for the staff lounge, awkward in the student hub, but we were few.
The desire to fit in with the puffy banged girls and boys who reeked of beer and Clearasil, faded the first week after overhearing a conversation between two gals in class. I shall respectfully refer to them by the shoes they were wearing.
Doc Marten: I’m so pissed.
Birkenstock: What happened?
Doc Marten: My mother forgot to pack my lunch.
