The Dangerous Kind & Other Stories (15 page)
I’m worried about the slow, spreading stain in the bedroom ceiling. Will roofers even
accept
a credit card? How much will new eaves troughs cost? Will the furnace die this winter?
“How much?” Dad asked.
“Ten thousand,” I said. I braced myself but he did not say anything. The weight of the silence on the phone line stretched out. His disappointment was that heavy. My scalp burned and my body felt skinned by rusty carrot scrapers. “Five hundred a month okay?” I ventured.
“Yeah,” he said. “Promise you’ll cut up your credit cards?”
The next pause was mine, the startled kind.
“Yes,” I lied. What if I have to rent a car or get a hotel room for some ugly, unforeseen reason? I think about the roof, the furnace, the eaves troughs, the latest dinosaur robot and the look on my boys’ faces when a classmate gets a new toy. My father will not understand why I will never cut up my credit cards.
I must have that safety net for emergencies, even if it could hang me. I
could
try to explain my situation, what my real life is like. That’s definitely what I should do.
“Um…Dad?”
Go ahead, I say to myself, sweating and now out of my body.
Tell him!
Tell him that the best things in life
aren’t
free! Tell him iPods buy love and happiness. Explain how you’re asking for $10,000 because that’s all your stupid pride can bear to ask but you could ask for twice as much and still not cover your debt! Tell him there’s little hope but you wish he shared your dreams for success, anyway. Give him another reason to call you “Boy.”
“Yeah?” he says.
All he’s got waiting for you is the sucker punch of a loan, judgement and condemnation.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Yeah.”
I hang up the phone, my head hot and pounding. The kids are watching a
SpongeBob
rerun. My wife won’t be back from work for another hour. I could steal a nap.
Instead, I sit down. I dream big.
I write.
About the Author
Robert Chazz Chute has won seven writing awards and nominated for a Maggy for his columns. Trained as a journalist, he worked in book publishing for five years in various worker bee capacities before escaping the hive mind. He's also written for newspapers and magazines. He blogs at
ChazzWrites.com
. Find out about his latest books and the free podcasts at
AllThatChazz.com
.
From the Author
Thank you so much for purchasing
The Dangerous Kind & Other Stories
.
I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please give it a happy review. Cheers!
More to come!
Please drop me a line with your thoughts at:
Or follow me on Twitter at @rchazzchute.
Also by this Author
Bigger Than Jesus
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In my debut crime novel, Jesus Diaz is a hit man who wants out of New York’s Spanish mob. When he gets a chance to steal a small fortune in skimmed mafia money to get away with his girlfriend, the lovely Lily Vasquez, the twists and turns of his adventure begin.
Bigger Than Jesus
reads like a Coen brothers’ movie: Death and Danger stalk the wide and easy road out of town. You’ll never see the next betrayal coming.
Look for
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Five-star reviews for
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!
“Worthy of Elmore Leonard…with shades of Thomas Harris.”
“This can't-wait-to-discover-how-he-gets-out-of-this-situation nail biter will keep you entertained to the last page!”
“With comedy throughout and a wonderful cast of characters, Bigger Than Jesus pulled me right in and wouldn't let me go.”
Coming in summer 2012!
Crack the Indie Author Code: Aspire to Inspire
Are you an aspiring writer?
Crack the Indie Author Code: Aspire to Inspire
is the book for writers who are new to independent publishing. Coming in July 2012, this is the best of the popular website,
ChazzWrites.com
. Chazz chose the best from close to 1,000 posts to deliver articles that will challenge, educate and inspire you to be a better writer. At over 90,000 words from the blog over several years, the book of the blog is renewed, updated and re-edited so you have Chazz’s latest take on the business of self-publishing. This isn’t a hardcore marketing book. Instead, you can dip into the book anywhere to find fresh ideas that will inspire you as you begin your writing journey into ebooks and independent publishing. Check out the free sample chapters at
Amazon.com
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Self-help for Stoners
(Available in ebook and paperback)
~ Author Maxwell Cyn
“This collection of scalpel-sharp stories, vicious vignettes or bits of stoner wisdom is brilliant. It is a great read, first of all--makes you think, keeps you guessing and all that. But it's also great writing, something you don't always find in an indie book.”
“Humorous, interesting, and leaving you wanting to read the next one.”
You don’t have to be a stoner to love it. This is the book that turns a dark collection of short stories into a self-help book. Inspired by famous stoner podcasts and
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Sex, Death and Mind Control
“This collection went down smooth and easy. Lots of dark page-turners. By the time you reach the climax of The Clawed Bathtub, you are ready to believe human beings are capable of anything. Fun!”
“This collection of stories more than fills the bill from the award winning "End of the Line" (one client's turnaround on the collections agent at the other end of the telephone line) to the second award winner, "The Clawed Bathtub" (where we learn the difference between ...hero and villain).”
This fiction collection, which includes two award-winning short stories, will bend your brain. A gaggle of fortunetellers, crusaders, torturers and seers are out to control you. Read it for the entertainment of psychological horror and paranormal persuasion. Or take it as a serious warning about how dangerous seemingly ordinary people can be.
About the Podcast
Robert Chazz Chute delivers free comedy podcasts twice each week under the
Self-help for Stoners
banner. Listen in on Tuesdays and Fridays for the free funny, the latest news and readings from his fiction, sneak peeks, skits, politics and rants with Chazz’s unique slant.
Download the latest podcast at
AllThatChazz.com
. I you like it, please review it on iTunes! Thanks!
Thanks for listening!