The House On Mendocino Street

Today, I’ll share a pic of the house I based the story on. A couple of years ago, I accidently had Amazon deliver my Kindle to the address. At the time it was boarded up and the yard was a horrible mess like the day I had my initial walk through. It looked haunted.

Last week, I drove by and snapped the pic below.

An investor must have bought it. At the time of my purchase, it was in foreclosure. The young couple I sold it to ended up going bankrupt and put the house in foreclosure not long after.

Was grandpa-ghost not happy with these two? ***shrugs*** Could be. From what a psychic told me, he loved being around me and my children. So its possible he didn’t care for the young couple like he didn’t care for the Bob character in my life at that time.

Anyway, creepy Bob will get his just deserts. I , as the writer will see to it … along with Ed.

If you wish to read the story, The House on Mendocino Street, go to the right of your computer screen and click on the icons, starting with, Writing Off the Cuff.

Before I go, I want to share one of my all time favorite creeps.

Don’t you just love Jack Nicholson?

Happy Halloween, all!

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

The House On Mendocino Street-12

Running late today. Woke up late. Went to the chiropractor. Had errands to run. Bathroom and fur-peep scrubbings to do. And began the rewrites to Killer Stilettos.

Anyway, here is scene 12. PLEASE NOTE: This has not been edited. It will be at a later date for publication.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

You can follow the sequence by clicking on the links below:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Maddie stuffed the creepy coin into her robe pocket with the other one and peered through the bedroom window, scanning for the bald Spanish man. Early morning fog misted through the  backyard, blocking whoever might be out there.

She glanced at her daughter's Little Mermaid digital clock. It flashed a red 6:37 AM. The sun would be up soon. Bob would be up as well.

What sounded like a front door slamming shut, came from the front of the house.  Bob’s voice followed, booming out a few expletives. “Maddie! Where’s Niki!? There’s dog crap on the garage door and my truck again!” This was the third time this week.

Maddie jumped and then shut Niki's window. She watched her daughter get on all fours and crawl under her bed.

Bob stomped through the house and stopped at Niki's bedroom door. “Where is your little angel? I know she's the one doing this. The little brat!”

Maddie blinked her eyes twice. She couldn't believe Bob behaved this way toward her daughter.  “Niki wouldn't do such thing!”  She stepped into the doorway blocking him from entering. A thought stumbled into her mind, I need to get my ducks in a row and leave this idiot.  I need a plan.

“There you go again! You're always coddling her! Always!”

Something crashed to the floor in the living room.

“What the f---?”  Bob spun and made his way to the living room.

Maddie followed in his wake.

Every golfing trophy Bob owned laid in a heap smashed to smithereens in the middle of the living room.

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-11

Two more days before Halloween. Hope all is well with everyone. This is scene 11 to my ghost story. Its not edited but will be at a later date.

Hope you enjoy.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

If you want to follow the sequence of the story, click on the links below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

PART EIGHT

PART NINE

PART TEN

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Three weeks had passed, and Bob’s attitude toward Niki had worsened. It left Maddie no choice but to call out sick on a Wednesday morning. She needed to find a before-and-after-school program to care for her daughter.

Maddie slugged to the kitchen. She reached into a cupboard for her canister of Maxwell House. Something small and metal-like flew out when she pulled out the coffee can. The thing spun a around for a good thirty seconds before it collapsed on the floor.

She knelt beside it, gingerly scraping it from the floor. After, studied the strange female skeleton face clothed in long flowing robes. In one hand the depiction held a scythe and in the other a globe. Weird.

Maddie held it up and squinted. Tiny letters bordered the bottom half of the coin: Santa Muerte.

Niki screamed form her bedroom, jolting Maddie to attention.

The mom stuffed the coin in her robe pocket and ran to her six-year-old’s room.

There, Niki stood frozen in front of her bedroom window, staring out of it. Her little body shuddered while curtains billowed out and around her.

Maddie grabbed her daughter’s shoulders. “What’s the matter?”

“The bad man wanted in my room.”

“You mean Ed.”

Slowly, Niki turned to face her mom. “Ed’s not the bad man. It’s the bald Spanish one.”

Maddie reached toward the open window. Her hand slipped away from the metal frame but not without taking something small and cold into her hand. A coin. She flipped it up. Another Santa Muerte coin.

 

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-10

 

Hey, everyone! Here’s scene 10.

If you just popped in and are interested in following the story sequence, click on the links below. PLEASE NOTE: This has not been edited.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

PART EIGHT

PART NINE

 

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

When Bob arrived home, it was a half past nine. So much for being right back from getting a quick coffee from Seven-Eleven. Heat filtered from the top of Maddie’s head all the way down to her toes.

“Hey, Darlin'.” Bob swaggered into the house clueless of his irresponsible behavior.

Maddie cocked her brow and crossed her arms. “It's been two hours since I got home." She began to pace the living room. “How dare you leave my daughter alone!” The words came out in a high-pitched tone.

Bob shook his head, and chuckled. “Well … nothing did happen … so what’s the problem?”

“There was some creep going through our mailbox when I got home today.” Maddie fought back tears.

“What do you want me to do about it?” Bob shrugged and gave her a smirk. His usual way of handling her concerns since they bought and moved into the house.

“I trust you to watch out for Niki when I'm not around. That's what you agreed to.”

“She's not my kid. Besides, her imaginary friend, Ed is around to watch her.”

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-9

Hey, everyone:

I know I’m posting late again. Had to drag myself to work again this morning. Whatever virus is going around, I’ve got it.

Anyway, not too many days left before Halloween. I’m wandering if I’ll have a solid end to this story by then.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

PLEASE NOTE: This has not been edited.

If you want to follow the story, click on the links below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

PART EIGHT

 

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Maddie forgot about the mail thief and ran up the walkway to the house. Her daughter being left alone concerned her more.

“Niki,” Maddie said, unlocking and opening up the door. Tears filled her eyes as thoughts of the mail thief doing obscene things besides stealing her mail.

Niki lifted her wide eyes.  “Why are you crying?”

“Are you okay?” Maddie dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her daughter, squeezing her close.  “Where is Mr. Bob?” She sniffled.

“He said he was going to 7-eleven for a coffee. Why are you crying, Mommy?”

Maddie pulled away from her daughter and held her by the shoulders at an arm's length. “How long has he been gone? I don't know what his problem is. She swiped at her tears. I just bought coffee.

“He told me to wait here.  Ed's been watching me. It’s okay.”

“Did he touch you?” Maddie would hunt down that letter thief and kill him herself if she had to.

“He gave me a hug when he found out Mr. Bob left me alone.”

Maddie gasped, and then stood, flipping open her phone. She needed to call the police department. That pedophile would pay for touching her daughter. So would Bob for leaving her little girl to fend for herself.

“But mostly we played tea party.” Niki glanced up at her mom. “And Sylvia likes him, too.”

“Is Ed the man that was out at the mailbox?”

“No. I don’t know who that was. But he scared me.”

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-8

I’m posting late today. Woke up feeling yucky this morning and had to get my sick self to work. Took a nap when I got home. After, I got up, made dinner, ate, and cleaned up. So I’m feeling okay to write something this evening.

Four more days until Halloween.

PLEASE NOTE: This hasn’t been edited.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

You can follow the sequence  of the story below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Maddie turned her van right, rounding the corner to Mendocino Street. A strange, bald man was going through her mailbox, pulling out her mail. Bob’s truck was gone.

She floored the gas pedal and raced toward her driveway, barely missing the guy.

The mail thief jumped out of the way, hands flailing in the air, mail flying everywhere. It most definitely wasn’t the mailman. Nor did he fit Niki’s description of an older man with bushy eyebrows.

Maddie shoved her stick shift into park, swung open the van door, and jumped out. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She dashed toward him, pulling out her cell phone. Her fingers fumbled out nine-one-one.

The man stepped back, tripping over his own feet, falling backwards. He rolled over onto all fours and got to his feet.

“Mommy!” Niki yelled from the large open living room window.

Maddie shot her eyes toward the window where her daughter stood alone.

The mail thief took this as his cue to run.

Maddie didn’t care and slapped her cell phone shut. Bob had left her daughter by herself. What was he thinking?

 

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-7

Hello again, everyone! Five more days until Halloween. I’m on scene seven. I’m doing my best to keep it at or under 300 words. I know everyone has other blogs to visit and writing of their own to do.

PLEASE NOTE: This has not been edited.

Have a lovely day, all.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Below is where you can follow the sequence of this story:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

 

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Six weeks had passed. The closing on the house finalized. One more thing had been crossed of Maddie’s ‘to-do list’, leaving her with two major tasks: find a job closer to home and finish planning her wedding. Thoughts of such filled her her head daily, while making her two hour commute to and from work. But the later didn’t set right with her. Something was wrong. She stared at the red traffic light ahead.

Last night Bob bugged her again over the current sleeping arrangements. “Why can’t you sleep with me?” he asked, pressing himself into her. “Why do have to sleep in the room with her?”

Maddie moved his hands. They had moved in an off limits territory.“For one, we’re not married. And I need to set an example of how I would want my daughter to behave later on in life.” Maddie had a religious upbringing. Her parents frowned on her decision to move in with the guy before the wedding. But Bob insisted and the place belonged to her, too. She was the one who came to the table with down payment anyway.

“Look,” Bob’s voice switched to sounding irritated. “I’ve waited a whole year to make love to you.”

“Well---“

The television set in the Florida room flashed on, and the sound blared through the house. Within seconds, the stereo system came on with an ear piercing screech.

Bob let go of Maddie. “What is your daughter up to now?” He rubbed his face in a fast circular motion. A habit that irritated her along with his always blaming Niki for all the wonky things that happened in the house.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Niki yelled down the hallway. Her small silhouette stood at the mouth of it.

“Niki!” Maddie shouted back. The noise through the house was deafening.

Bob started toward her daughter. :You need to be taught a few things.” His hands moved around his belt.

Maddie rushed past him toward her daughter, and scooped up her small child. In her mind, no man would ever hurt daughter in any way, not even in discipline.

“Ed doesn’t like Mr. Bob,” Niki whispered to her mom.

The television and the stereo snapped off, leaving the house in a sudden, still silence.

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-6

Hello again, everyone! Six more days until Halloween. I’m wondering if I’ll have some kind of ending to this story. I’m doing my best to keep it at or under 300 words. I know everyone has other blogs to visit and writing of their own to do.

PLEASE NOTE: This has not been edited.

Below is where you can follow the sequence of this story:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs and chocolate, all,

Shelly

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Bob and the realtor had returned.

“Like I said, no one’s out there.” Bob’s voice boomed through the furnitureless house.

Maddie about jumped out of her skin hearing it and snapped her head around to find him standing a few feet away. The realtor wasn’t that far behind him. “Oh.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Bob’s mouth twitched and the vein in his neck throbbed. They were two warning signs that he was about ready to blow his top.

Niki clung to her mother tightly. She buried her face as deep as she could into where her mom’s tshirt and jeans met.

Maddie pressed her hand against the back of her daughter’s head, bracing them for one of his verbal explosions. He had jammed fisted hands to his hips, and his face had reddened.

“We’ll discuss this later.” Bob’s hands dropped at his sides. “We need to finish the walk through.” He glanced up at the ceiling. The black mist had moved.

Maddie blinked her eyes twice and it was gone.

The real estate agent rubbed his hands together like a fly. “You’re going to love the rest of the house.” He moved around Bob and headed toward a hallway to the right of the living room. “The bedrooms are very spacious.”

Bob sauntered over to Maddie and took her arm. “You almost look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” he whispered sarcastically to her, slipping his arm through hers. “ Do you think you can keep all imaginary friends at bay until we’re through.”. His blue-green, marble-like eyes glared down at Niki.

The little girl shuddered, letting go of her mom. She walked ahead of them following the realtor. Maddie and Bob went right behind her.

Everyone stopped at the first bathroom to the right of the hall. The faucet dripped and dripped.

“That’s strange,” the realtor said. “To my knowledge the water hasn’t been turned on.” He reached for the knob and turned it clockwise. The water continued dripping. He then tried turning it counterclockwise. Nothing but tiny drops plopped against the porcelain.

Bob walked toward the tub and turned the knobs. Nothing happened.. “That’s strange.”

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-5

Hey, everyone! This is the fifth scene of the story that I’m posting as I write. I’m doing my best to keep it at or under 300 words. It’s based on a true story. Mine. The names of people have been changed to protect the innocent. Also, this has not been edited so it’s not going to be perfect. I plan on expanding and polishing this later on for publication.

If you want to follow the sequence of this story click below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

 

THE HOUSE ON MENDCINO STREET

Maddie reached for her daughter after Bob and the realtor went outside. “Come here, sugar.”

Arms spread wide, Niki dashed toward her mother. She wrapped her little arms around her mother’s small hips, and squeezed. “Mr. Bob’s mad at me.” She sobbed into her mother’s blue jeans.

“He just doesn’t understand. He’s never been married and has never had a child. That’s all.” Maddie loved her daughter and wanted everything to go well between Bob and her daughter. In the initial dating stage, he doted over her. But now that it got closer to the wedding date, it had changed.

“He’s grumpy all the time like daddy is.” Niki’s own dad drank himself into oblivion everyday. It made him mean. She visited him through the Department of Children and Families every other week for an hour.

Maddie rubbed her daughter’s back, pressing her closer into her. “It’ll be okay.” She really wanted it to be. She wanted happy and normal. Whatever that was. “I promise.”

A small black mist forming to the right of Maddie, caught her eye. She blinked like she did when waiting in her car. Must be visual floaters again. They were a constant nuisance

Niki lifted her head, glancing up at her mom.

The room chilled over, and a strange breeze passed by them. For a micro moment it rippled through Maddie’s hair, like someone had gently brushed it off her face. It sent shivers all through her.

Niki giggled, casting her gaze somewhere beyond her mother’s right hip.

Maddie watched her daughter’s eyes move. They were following something or someone. Probably Sylvia. Her daughter’s imaginary friend gave the child a sense of comfort.

“He’s here,” Niki said.

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street

Hey, everyone! This is the fourth scene of the story that I’m posting as I write. I’m doing my best to keep it at or under 300 words. It’s based on a true story. Mine. The names of people have been changed to protect the innocent. Also, this has not been edited so it’s not going to be perfect. I plan on expanding and polishing this later on for publication.

If you want to follow the sequence of this story click below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Maddie pulled her brows together. She had searched the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website the night before for pedophiles and sex offenders in the area. It showed twelve within a five mile radius. "What man?"

"A man?" Bob walked through what looked to be the dining room toward a Florida room covered in jalacy windows. He peered through one of the slats, scanning the backyard. A big black bird sat on the lowest branch of the large tree. “I don’t see anyone. You sure this isn’t a new imaginary friend, Niki?”

"His name is Ed," Niki said. “He’s not pretend. He’s real and  he pushed me on the rope hanging from the tree. Sylvia said she would do it. But didn't." She twisted a long strand of hair, wide-eyed looking at her mom. “He’s real, mommy. His head is bald. And he has really bushy eyebrows. And he smells like a candy cane.”

Bob chuckled.

Maddie’s considerations kept her from hearing either one, but she said to Bob, "Maybe you should go outside and check." She writhed her hands together. The thought of some sicko touching her daughter gave her a sick feeling.

Bob spun around, casting a steady gaze on Maddie. “She’s making it up for attention again. Why do you let her do this?”

A pasty lump formed in Niki’s throat. She tried swallowing but it wouldn’t go down.

Maddie cocked her brow. She didn’t want to argue in front of a complete stranger about her daughter’s need for imaginary friends. Nor did she want anyone to know her panic button had been pushed by the man her daughter said she saw. Besides, her daughter never told lies to get attention.

"Why don't we all go," the realtor suggested, sauntering to where Bob stood. "The backyard would be great for your little girl to play in."

"Not with some pedophile lurking about.”  Maddie couldn’t help but blurt her thought out. “Niki and I will stay right here.” She knew she never liked this real estate agent. There could be a psycho running lose and all he can think about are his pockets? Jerk.

© Shelly Arkon 2013

The House on Mendocino Street-Post 3

Hey, everyone! This is the third scene of the story that I’m posting as I write. I’m doing my best to keep it at or under 300 words. It’s based on a true story. Mine. The names of people have been changed to protect the innocent. Also, this has not been edited so it’s not going to be perfect. I plan on expanding and polishing this later on for publication.

If you want to follow the sequence of this story click below:

PART ONE

PART TWO

Have a chocolate-filled day while I’m at work loppity-lopping today.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Finally, Bob and the realtor pulled into the drive next to Maddie’s mini van. They both came in the real estate agent’s Mercedes. That meant Bob’s pick-up probably broke down again.

Both men nodded a ‘hello’ to Maddie and got out of the car. They walked in front of the mini van.

Bob stopped and gazed through Maddie’s windshield, gesturing for her to hurry. The realtor rounded the north corner of the house toward the front door.

God, there he goes again acting like a traffic cop. Annoying as hell. Maddie got out of her mini van. “I’m coming.”

Bob shoved his hands into his blue jean pockets, looking around her. “Where’s the midget?” A smirk popped on his face.

“In the backyard.”

“Doing what?’

“Exploring.” Maddie waltzed passed him. She stuck her nose in the air. “Remember when you were six?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t aloud to explore.” Bob came up behind her quickly and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Exactly.” That’s your problem, Maddie thought, as she allowed him to nuzzle her neck. “How do you expect a child to grow up normal?”

“Are you saying I’m not normal?”

“We’ll discuss this later. I’m sure the realtor would like to get the show on the road.” Maddie peeled his hands from her waist and walked toward the open front door to the house.

The real estate angent stood in the middle of the large empty living room, peering out the wide front window.

As soon as Maddie’s shoes hit the threshold, a tingling sensation rushed through her, keeping her from going further in. A dark shadow washed over the yellowing walls. The realtor didn’t seem to notice.

Bob caught up to her, pressed his index finger into her back, and pushed her forward. “What are you doing?” His voice sounded agitated.

“Nothing.” Maddie moved into the house to get his finger off her back. She hated his tendency to prod her along in the public eye. It was degrading.

“What do you all think?” The realtor asked.

Bob clapped his hands and then rubbed them together. “Looks---“

What sounded like a back door slapping a wall came from the back of the house.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Niki yelled. She skipped into the living room. “The man in the back yard says I can call him Grandpa Ed.”

© Shelly Arkon 2013

Another Entry: The House on Mendocino Street-Entry 2

 

For Halloween, I thought I ‘d write a short story based on a true story. Mine. Everyday, I will post as short an entry as possible. Hopefully, not over 300 words. Talk about discipline. NOTE: This is off the cuff so there will be mistakes. This is for fun. However, I will end up polishing it for publication eventually.

Hugs and chocolate to everyone,

Shelly

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

Niki made a straight dash toward an opening between a broken chain link fence. Moldy leaves covered the ground of the backyard. The pungent smell clung to the insides of her nostrils.

She stopped in the middle, lifting her head. A giant tree towered over the house. It canopied the entire back of it, including half the roof. A rope dangled from it, beckoning her to swing from it.

The hairs on the back of the little girls neck stood on end. A sudden chill rushed through her, and she shivered, looking around the musty smelling yard. She saw no one.

“Come on, Sylvia,” Niki said out loud to no one apparently there. Her mommy said Syivia was only imaginary, but she believed differently. Her friend went everywhere she did.

A gentle breeze whirled a few leaves up and around in the air. Niki didn’t give it a thought even though it had been a still, hot Florida summer.She reached for Sylivia’s small hand and tugged her toward the dangling rope. “I’ll swing you, if you swing me.”

Niki grabbed the rope, pulled herself up onto it, and wrapped her small legs around it. She dangled from it, waiting for her friend to push her. “I thought you were going to push me.”

The wind whipped up again all around her, but like the first time she gave it no thought. The temperature had dropped to an unusual chill.  It made the skin on her arms break out in goose pimples while she waited for her imaginary friend to push her. “Come on, Sylvia.”

A large but firm, gentle hand touched her back, giving her one big push. “Hello, tiny miss,” a soft-spoken man said. “Does your mommy know where you are?”

© 2013 Shelly Arkon

Writing Off the Cuff

Thought I’d write a short story off the cuff for Halloween, posting it as I go. So there will probably be mistakes.

The House on Mendocino Street is based on a true story. Mine. I once lived in a haunted house with my daughters. So I figured since this was Halloween month, I’d write a two or three or more part story.

THE HOUSE ON MENDOCINO STREET

The house didn’t look like much, an ugly grey Florida concrete home with a dirt yard to match. The only greenery was a pineapple palm growing close to the front door. The tree in the front yard drooped dead branches onto the roof. It was definitely not a candidate for anyone’s dream house.

Maddy couldn’t believe that she let her finance’ talk her into meeting a realtor to check out the dump. He had told her it was in foreclosure. By the looks of the house, she could understand why. It looks like a dump. But the house seemed to call to her. It had a familiar feeling about it even while she waited for her fiancé and realtor to arrive.

“Mommy,” Niki said from the backseat. “Are we going to live here?”

Drumming her fingers along the steering wheel of her mini van, Maddy shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t know. Maybe.”

“When will Mr. Bob be here?”

“Soon.”

“Can I go look in the backyard?”

Maddie found no problem with her daughter’s curiosity. Most six year olds were. “Sure. Just make sure you stay in it. Don’t go wandering around elsewhere.”

“Okay.”  Niki slid the the back passenger door open. “Mr. Bob won’t get mad at me, will he?”

“Don’t worry.” Maddie glanced over her shoulder and gave her daughter a small smile. She figured her finance’ needed to chill out when it came to her child. She hoped he would calm down about his parenting position after she married him. He took it too seriously. Too much on the strict side.

Niki hopped out of the van, ran to the front of it, stopped, turned, and waved at her mother.

Maddie waved back and watched her daughter skip around the corner on the south side of the house. After, she cast her gaze at her twenty dollar wristwatch she bought at Wal Mart a couple months ago.

Out of the corner of her eye a dark silhouette crossed in front of the garage door. She blinked her eyes twice thinking she had floaters crossing her vision for moment. Or am I seeing things. The shadow rounded the same corner her daughter did, but she dismissed it.

© Shelly Arkon 2013

Anyone else writing anything off the cuff for the world to see? I’ve been tinkering with the idea since I wrote an essay for another blog a while back. Anyone get story ideas from writing your blog?

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Bullies and Bad Bosses

Today, is Thank Your Wonderful Boss Day-something like that. Its been all over the news this morning, and so has the girl who committed suicide because of two completely insensitive girls-bullies who have taken that word to a whole new level. Two unremorseful souls. This reminds me that its Something-Something-National-About-Bullies-Month.

In my opinion,we should have a public hanging for bullies for a month and call it, It Sucks to be a Bully this Month. As for  Thank Your Wonderful Boss Day, there are more terrible ones than good. At least that’s my experience. I can personally count on one hand how many fantabulous bosses I’ve had and it doesn’t even reach a total five.

Anyway, my really big bully issues began in high school. Honestly, I have no clue why the mean-herd-mentality hit the group of boys and girls I had to share classrooms, hallways, and a cafeteria with for nine months out of the year for four long horrid years.

What was their purpose to stand in parallel rows in the school hallway like someone was going to pop some rad Soul Train move toward the next class? Well … actually … they were waiting for me. I was the star of those moves. All I wanted to do was get to the next period.

Each kid would push up their nose and snort as I walked down their Aisle of Torment, amongst other things their sick adolescent  minds could think of -which brings me to the day of gym class. While in the shower, the girls- not all, only the bullies- decided to take my school uniform and shoes. They put them in the toilet and took turns urinating and defecating on them. Talk about humiliation. Wrapped in a towel, I sat for four hours in the girl’s locker room waiting for my mom to come with another outfit and shoes.

So when I hear someone killed themselves over a group of insensitive morons. It leaves me wishing for a It Sucks to Be a Bully Month. Since a public hanging is probably out of the question, why not post their faces and the cruel things they’ve done to another human being for the entire world to see like they do sex offenders and pedophiles? Maybe they would think twice about what they post on social networks about someone else. PLEASE NOTE: I remember yours faces and names. I’ve never forgotten and probably never will. Wonder if you people are in positions to bully others in the work place. It wouldn’t surprise me.

This brings me to my next topic: Bad Bosses. They were probably your high school bullies. I say this because they have no problem being insensitive to others. PLEASE NOTE: I know this last statement isn’t true of  ALL bosses. So I don’t mean all. But to be honest, I’ve had more bad ones than good.

Over the years, I’ve been threatened, insulted, and lied about while the owners of these certain establishments turned their heads. All aspects of bullying really needs to stop. We’re all here to go through a journey. Life is tough enough without a bunch of monstrous people bashing others. It’s wrong even if their in a superior position.

In The Partners’ Progeny, Monica Bowman is the new girl at a lawfirm and seems to withstand attacks from Victoria Sheek, her supervisor and the daughter to one of the partners, until…. well, check it out on Amazon. It’s a short read at 99 cents, close to 6000 words with five 5 star reviews.

US Amazon

UK Amazon

Actually, its available for all countries on Amazon.

And before I go, I wanted give a shout out to PK Hero. Hay! Ho! She’s a got a cover for her up and coming book.

It’s lovely. Don’t you think? Anyway, her cover is everywhere today.

Ever been bullied?

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

We Create Our Own Demons

We create our own demons. Ironman 3, Robert Downey, Jr.

This quote got to me. Not to mention, the movie itself did, too. Ironman, 3. It didn’t help that I’ve been doing a lot of self reflection about … well … my life in general. The past. The present. The future.

What gets me about my life … is that it seems that certain scenes play over from the past but with a different flavor, and sometimes on steroids. Decisions I made thirty years ago … like marrying a drug addict-but I had no clue at the time. But I did make three decisions to have daughters with him when I knew what he was, hoping for the best, of course … that some how life would become magically delicious. But it never did.

Oh and then, I married again. The bags under hubby number 2 eyes foretold tale tell signs of an alcoholic. I should have listened to my little voice on that one. But of course, I ignored it. Six years and two more daughters later, he left us in the middle of the night so he could have years of fun without us.

My do we create our own demons. Never in my life did I ever expect any of my daughters to follow in either of their fathers’ footsteps. Nor did I ever think any of my grandbabies would ever be in peril. And if they were, never did I ever think for one second that my hands would be tied.

Anyway, I really suggest y’ll watch the movie Ironman III. It’s action packed and full of meaningful lines that will make you think.

Hope everyone has been well.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Going Away

Hey, everyone:

I’ll be taking an internet break until next Saturday, October 12th. The family drama has exhausted me. So I need to take some time to regroup and rethink all blogging and writing goals.

Hope everyone stays well.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly