Beverly Quarter Chapter 19
Before I get into this week’s newsletter, a request: I’m client hunting. If you or someone you know needs a first-class storyteller, please reach out. I’ve got decades of experience in writing and editing, and I’m looking for roles doing either one of those, or podcasting or consulting. I’m open to full time or fractional work. Thanks!
On Tuesdays, I’m using this newsletter to publish a book called Beverly Quarter: Invisible Frenemy. It’s got nothing to do with the rest of the content of this newsletter. I mean, for real: It doesn’t even contain the word burpee. But I think you’ll like it.
I wrote it to make my kids laugh, their friends laugh, and their parents laugh. I’m guessing most of you have kids, or know kids, or were kids, so you’re my target audience. I explain the book’s backstory here.
Give this chapter a read. If you like it, read it to your kids, their friends, their friends’ parents, random strangers on the street, etc.
I’ll keep publishing the newsletter as usual on Thursdays. This will just be bonus content.
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“SALLY! It’s time to go! Get down here.”
Sally barreled down stairs, threw her shoes on and banged out the door into the garage. She strapped herself in before her parents even opened their doors. Her parents talked the whole way about the recital and didn’t notice that Sally was shaking. “Wow!” her dad said as he pulled into the auditorium parking lot. “This place is packed.”
He circled for a minute but couldn’t find a spot. He parked across the street in the parking lot of a library. Sally’s dad held her hand as they crossed the street. Now she started to get nervous about what she had planned. “What’s the matter, honey?” her dad asked. “Aren’t you excited?”
“I’m scared,” she said.
“Of what?”
“What if everybody laughs at me?”
“Sweetheart, nobody’s going to laugh at you.”
“What if I mess up?”
“What is there to mess up?”
“What if I forget my lines?”
“Your lines? What are you talking about?”
“MOVES,” yelled Beverly Quarter, who had suddenly appeared next to Sally.
“I mean my moves. My moves. What if I forget my moves?”
“I thought you didn’t have any moves. Didn’t Laurie Knight say you could do whatever you wanted? And besides, Honey, I’ve watched you rehearse this 10 times. You have it all down fine. You’re going to be an awesome tiger’s tail. If you get nervous, just think about how big of an ice cream I’m going to buy you once this is all over. If you do great, I’ll buy you an ice cream as big as your head. If you screw up, I’ll buy you an ice cream as big as my head.”
Sally’s expertise in rules from years of reading about them allowed her to immediately spot a loophole in her dad’s promise. “But what if I just do OK?”
“I’ll buy you an ice cream as big as mom’s head.”
“REALLY? Mom? Can we go get ice cream after?”
“Of course!”
This cheered Sally up. She forgot about her nerves and ran ahead and into the school.