The car pulled up to the front of the big box store, and the young man jumped from the cold pavement into the warm passenger seat.
He looked over at his mother, who smiled genuinely as only somebody who loved and protected this fiercely could.
“How’d it go, Stevie?” she finally managed through a tight mouth, under sad eyes, carrying his heavy weight of hope and even heavier load of frustrations and the now-near-strangling pile of futility.
Her 22-year-old son actually managed some cheer this day, the gray clouds parting for once during this usually joyless routine of a job search for a kid you really needed to get to know to appreciate.
(Getty Images)
“There was this really nice girl Margaret who took me to the computer and helped me figure out exactly how to apply, Mom,” Stevie said in a rush, instead of the usual negative grunts and groans and I-don’t-knows in reply to her questions.
“Wow! That’s pretty cool. What did you apply for, hon?” she said, catching up with his enthusiasm.
“What do you mean? A job at the store!” her son answered. “I told Margaret I wanted to work with her, and she showed me how to sign on and then …”
“Is it in the warehouse, maybe? Maintenance? We talked about this, Stevie. These are the things I told you that you’re qualified to accomplish at the store.”
“Sorry, mom. I forgot about that. But Margaret helped me sign on. Let’s just go back tomorrow and see if I got it, OK?”
She sighed, and smiled that smile again, and drove them home, ready to repeat the instructions carefully again and drive to another store the next day.
This quick, short tale of flash fiction was inspired by my time working at the store, where there’s an employment kiosk and plenty of folks with dreams of landing that needed job.
Feel free to use the premise of a job search, the kid, mom, the store, or all of the above for a flash fiction story of your own. If you do, please link it back to the comment section here so we can see what you’ve done.
Mark Bialczak 
Good job. I can’t play since I don’t write fiction and I don’t write “flash” – especially the latter 🙂 But, reading your story, I can see the appeal. You get a lot done in only a few words – only now I want more – lol.
That would be a fun blog tour, actually (like the decorating blogs do at Christmas) – follow the same kid and his mum around the web as the search continues. It would certainly bring a few points home rather dramatically, huh?
xx,
mgh
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I like your idea, Madelyn. The kid and his mum from different writers at each stop. I’ll credit you if somebody else takes a turn, of course. xx
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Reading between the lines, given my background, my mind flashed to the Aspergers dx’d son of one of my former students – slightly awkward, seemingly less intelligent than he is until he is comfortable with you — a bit what the neurotypical world would call “shy.”
Sadly, these individuals typically make great employees – but lack the social skills to GET the job. My heart hurt for the mom.
If you can get your writer friends to bite on the blog tour concept, I’ll write an article from that point of view and link every “episode” to it.
xx,
mgh
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Thanks, Madelyn. I think you are exactly right about the before and after of getting the job and doing the job, by the way. ❤
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It’s hard for anyone to get a job these days. The college students in my ‘nabe tell me it’s getting easier – but none of them are Stevies.
xx,
mgh
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Yes, tough world for Stevies, Madelyn. I’m glad to hear your nabe grads are finding it a bit easier, though.
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More than a few are going right from graduation into jobs – not the case just a few years back. Hip-hip!
xx,
mgh
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Hooray!
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I enjoyed this, Mark – could feel their feelings . . . you definitely should write more fiction 🙂
I’ve been sick for the last week or so, so trying to catch up on housework – but had to take a break & see what you’ve been up to 🙂
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Get well, my dear. Thanks for your boost on the fiction. I’m just now taking a crack at it. Not like your big dive. 🙂
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Ok, Mark, you hooked me on this one. Here’s my rendition: https://scottnagele.com/2016/06/06/an-invitation-to-flash-fiction-i-couldnt-refuse/
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Way to go, Scott. I’m glad you were moved to take part, my friend. Thanks for sharing the link here, too. You are very talented. 🙂
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Thanks, Mark. It’s all in the company I keep.
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Pingback: An invitation to flash fiction I couldn’t refuse | Scott Nagele
This was nice, Mark. You should treat us to fiction more often.
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I am going to try to get to it more frequently, Scott. Thanks for the motivation, good sir.
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Nicely written, Mark. I could feel the kid’s hopeful innocence and the mom’s patient frustration. We have a young man on our street who is like that kid, and he goes every day to his job at the local grocery store, where he returns the shopping carts to the store. And I mean, he goes every, single day no matter the weather – I don’t think he has ever missed a day of work. Much better than some of my other neighbors, who simply choose not to do anything productive.
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Work ethic is spectacular when noted as such, CM. Bravo to your special, devoted neighbor. Too bad about the others, but we’ve gone on about them, unfortunately. 😦
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I have been wondering what was flash fiction. Now I have a clue. Thanks.
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Yes, Martha, it’s a story you can read in no time at all. I hope you got through it quickly, time well spent. You’re welcome.
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It is really hard these day, as you and everyone has said. And for folks facing challenges — who need the jobs so desperately, it must be especially tough.
Well written, too, natch!
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Yes, Elyse, jobs are much needed for all, but especially for this special group. And thank you for your kind words.
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I watch real life struggles with employment, and wish it were fiction. Nice piece, Mark. ❤️
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Yes, I had my struggles in the past few years as well, Van. It’s a hardscrabble world out there. Thank you, my friend.
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aw, sweet one, mark. sometimes it takes baby steps to get where we’re going, but at least we’re moving forward )
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Yes, I hope my imagined kid kept going full tilt, Beth. There’s something out there for him, I know. 🙂
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Oh, Oh, I did one – just follow the arrows to David’s Offer. Ha!
Your story is very emotional Mark – very well written – it makes me feel what the Mom was feeling. It is so sad that so many can’t find jobs. It is especially hard for those with limited skills or, like us,those who are more mature. Very touching and a commentary on the lives of many families these days,
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Thank you so much, Paul. I drew from the well, as they say, my friend.
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