Fore's Collection of Short Stories and Poems

Hey guys, as some of you know, I just moved to NYC and I write and perform stand-up comedy. I was just trying to think of a place to post random short stories I write and maybe y'all can throw out feedback? lemme know what you think. I have tough skin. I'd love to know what you think it's about and where you think the strengths and weaknesses lie. Or should I just get really good at throwing pizza dough because this shit ain't gonna pay the bills. To be clear, I only started this because I saw a bunch of threads for poems and music but nothing for short stories or essays or anything like that. 

So, come one, come all, I place myself on display before you and would greatly appreciate any thoughts of my own work as well any work of your own that you may want to share! Anyway, without any further rambling, here's my first submission:

"World's Best Boss"


“Come on now. We got this,” Samantha half-chanted to herself, “eyes on the prize. Don’t break eye contact, that’s disrespectful and weak.” Work has never been a difficult thing for Sam to find in the past; but, she wants to start down her career path and stop working the middling, trivial jobs. From grueling hours in the sun to being pampered in the A/C, Sam has seemingly experienced it all but none of the jobs have caught her attention enough to justify a life devotion, but she is hoping that might change with the interview she has this afternoon. You see, shifting from job to job as she has had to move around has taken quite the toll on Sam. Repeatedly filling her head up with knowledge specific to each new profession, only to enter some other field just a few years later. Each time, requiring that she wipe all the old information to make room for the new information; however, that’s much easier said than done for Samantha.

Given that she had failed in doing so, Samantha figured that if anyone could help her find the right job, it would be Mr. Benjamin Averett, a former boss of Sam’s and the world’s best business advisor, as far as she was concerned! Unable to find work on her own, Samantha made an appointment to see Mr. Averett, scraped together last of what she had in her, and nervously marched down to his office. Despite the lobby’s sterile smell, the dim lighting and a homelier furniture design than she had expected, immediately took Sam off edge. After checking in at the front desk with the exceptionally positive receptionist, Sam decided against sitting next to the man with the backwards MAGA hat whom, she noticed, had been madly scavenging through the classified section of a newspaper since she arrived which would likely cause her more anxiety if she sat near him. Instead, choosing to sit on the other side of the room, between the water fountain and the single mother trying to breastfeed her baby boy without offending anyone, Sam did her best to go unnoticed until her name was called.

“Samanthahhhhhh” sang out the receptionist as she held open the door with an open left arm to invite Sam back for her meeting. Eventhis short walk down this pale, narrow hallway was enough time for the receptionist to fit no less than ten inspirational quotes that were befitting of posters in a math classroom. Despite the receptionist’s attempts to strike up conversation, Sam kept silent. Finally in the office of Mr. Averett and away from the overly kind receptionist, Samantha was prepared with her resumé and a million polished answers locked and loaded for all the typical interview questions. The moment Mr. Averett opened that flood gate, Sam was off like a shot of a gun, explaining her situation and why she so desperately is trying to get out of the draining cycle that she has been caught in for so many years.

Struggling to catch her breath even more than he did nowadays, Sam finally allowed the wide-eyed Mr. Averett a moment to process and respond to the anxious stream of consciousness that Sam had just berated him with. After a moment’s pause, he chuckled like heartily in his typical blue attire with grey, textured socks, until he coughed a little and wagered that he could tell Sam why she had left each of her jobs and where she would end up.

“I spent all those hours out in the Sun working with my hands to better know the Earth while doing lawn maintenance” Sam said. “You blindly walked into that job at the age of 13. Everybody has the first job where they really get comfortable and they get good at something and it usually breaks up just as smooth and effortlessly as it came together due to people growing up and moving away.” Mr. Averett insisted. Nodding in agreement, Sam saw how this aligned with her own experience. “Then, you picked up bartending to help pay bills while you were in college and had the time of your life, right?” Mr. Averett questioned before continuing with a wheeze, “And that was fun while it lasted because everyone involved just wanted to have a good time but it was a superficial happiness that runs only as deep as the bottle.” Accepting the faults in her past for possibly the first time, Sam looked upon Mr. Averett’s gleaming scalp thinking that it was nice something finally mirrored the sheen of Mr. Averetts long ago replaced teeth. She didn’t have it in her to even make a case for herself and oppose Mr. Averett because she knew he was right. “Finally,” Mr. Averett pushed out, “you’ve been selling insurance as of late and it just kills you to do nothing but analyze people like they’re nothing more than a number, doesn’t it, Sammy? Everyone is kept at a professional distance to make sure no emotion is involved, but doesn’t that seem a tad unfair to not involve emotion in the evaluation of another person’s life?”

“Well,” begged Sam, “since you know all of this, where will I end up?” Waiting a long while, as Mr. Averett was not sure how to word his next sentence, Mr. Averett began with a massive grin on his face, “You will end up right where you belong, as we all do. No matter how winding your path or how many times you think you get lost along the way, remember that you’re always on your path and no amount of worrying or stress will ever change that.” “The saddest part,” he continued, “is that all paths have an end and you will have to say goodbye to each boss you work under along the way. But, you will eventually realize that you had to keep moving so that you could grow in ways that your old jobs simply could not allow. Squeezing his hand a bit more firm than he could shaky hers, it all became too real as Sam saw his irremovable smile flicker for a second as they locked eyes, causing Sam to crack, letting her attention drift to the tubes and equipment for the first time since she walked in the room. He noticed and he liked it even less than she did. “Thank you for your time, sir. I hope to hear back from you soon!” Samantha choked out through the lump in her throat. “Any company would be lucky to have my little girl and you going to a new company will never prevent me from getting you whatever help you need from your old business associates.” assured Mr. Averett as his lip trembled just a tad before they said their goodbyes.

Sam walked out out of the room with her eyes on the ground sniffling until the receptionist came up with a hug and that goofy grin that Sam knew all too well. “Have a good day, ma’am.” Samantha nearly whispered to the receptionist as she navigated around her. “And you as well, Ms. Averett!” Sam could hear her call out as the door closed between them.