A FORTUNATE MAN: By Joshua Massen
Saturday, December 25th, 2010The writer pounded at the keys of the typewriter with nicotine stained fingers.
A cigarette hung from his mouth and his watery eyes looked on in anticipation as his novel neared completion. As he finished typing the final sentence, a single tear rolled down his cheek. Two years in the making for which he had shed blood, sweat and tears and now it was finally done. A FORTUNATE MAN would be the title he decided. He stubbed the cigarette into an ashtray and then stood up.
He took the paper from the typewriter and added it to the pile.
He needed to tell his family the good news. He left his study and went into the living room where they all sat quietly watching the TV. He picked up the TV remote from the coffee table and switched it off. His children’s favourite programme was on but they didn’t object. “I’ve finished,” he announced to them.
“My novel is finally done. Tomorrow I will send it off to my agent to see what he thinks.”
His family said nothing, looking at him with dour eyes. “Well aren’t you all as pleased as I am?”
They nodded for they could not speak. The stitches prevented that. They were off course necessary. He could not abide any disturbance while writing. He picked up the TV remote and switched their programme back on.
He then went into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of orange juice.
He looked on at his family as they watched the TV in silence and thought on what a fortunate man he was.
——–
©2009 Joshua Massen
Joshua Massen is a young writer from Cambridgeshire, England who has been writing on and off for the last two years. His loves include films, roast dinners and retro things.
He blogs at http://theworksofjoshmassen.blogspot.com/
