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101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

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The Job

November 8, 2020 10 Comments

By Jacky Lang

Between semesters and during summers, I worked construction to pay for my share of the rent, beer, and pizza. I imagined stories of my manual labor would spice up my lectures one day and prove to students that unlike other professors I understood the real world. The work kept me tan and ripped without going to the gym.

What a pompous ass I was.

“Hey, professor,” my boss was yelling again, “get that damn thing moving.”

“Okay. I’m going.”

Older. Flabbier. Still giving lectures in my head. A silent class.

The mini backhoe roared to life. No rest for a gravedigger.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda Casper says

    November 8, 2020 at 7:26 am

    Good one!

    Reply
  2. CONSTANÉE MALIK HEMEDI says

    November 8, 2020 at 7:35 am

    My son recently said to me “A year is nothing”. Time flies, all too often leaving us and our dreams behind.

    Reply
  3. Mary A Gorman says

    November 8, 2020 at 8:55 am

    Excellent

    Reply
  4. Derek says

    November 8, 2020 at 11:17 am

    What I like about this story is the way the tale is told with an economy of words and the twist in the tale.

    Reply
  5. Brian says

    November 8, 2020 at 11:17 am

    I loved this one.

    Reply
  6. Shoshauna says

    November 8, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    I didn’t think him pompous at all. Obviously, his boss did. This made me sad he remained stuck. I would have wanted to be in one of his classes.

    Reply
  7. Jacky says

    November 8, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    Thank you everyone for taking the time to read and comment. JL

    Reply
  8. Jeff Stone says

    November 9, 2020 at 12:51 am

    Poignant. Well done!

    Reply
  9. Christine Duncan says

    November 10, 2020 at 5:43 am

    Fantastic job creating a sympathetic character and a full story in only 101! Very strong piece

    Reply
  10. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    November 12, 2020 at 6:50 am

    Super. Every word was slotted in nicely. He may not be rich, but his daydreams are.

    Reply

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