Motor Maniac: Writer Wanted

Today, Doug is hoping to land the job of his dreams that he never expected. Sitting at an ornate desk in front of Mr. Whitmer, Doug finds himself on edge. Under the desk sweaty hands grip blue jeans, holding tight. Doug knows he’s under qualified, but he applied anyway, and got the interview! A writer for a large magazine, Motor Maniac. This job would set him and his family up, and allow them to raise their new child the way they want. Enough money, time after work and working from home. His current job with Mr. Tire, is unfortunately not able to provide that.

Behind the desk Mr. Whitmer sits reading his resume and story, seemingly ignoring the fact that Doug’s heart is pounding waiting for him to speak. He looks interested, and has smiled a couple times, so that’s good at least.  

Doug has been around cars his whole life. Working with his father in his garage since he was five has taught him a lot. Unfortunately with dad’s health problems, dad wasn’t able to hang around long enough to teach the business side of running a garage. Cancer can be harsh, and very unforgiving.  

Mr. Whitmer’s chair creeks, as he leans back holding Doug’s resume and story. The resume is far from the best chance, as it only shows he knows cars. Not good enough for a writing position when the job description explicitly says “knowledge of cars only, is not enough”. His best chance is the three 8.5 x 11 pages attached to said resume, that contain a story he wrote on how to rebuild an engine. The three pages were written in the format of the magazine's writing style. Melissa, Doug’s wife, convinced him to write and attach the story. The only reason that this interview was even possible, Doug’s pretty sure.  

Writing has always been a passion for Doug. Ever since he was small he would write poems, and stories that interested him. A bookshelf in their new home is filled with old notebooks. Written over the years in between changing, brakes and fixing cars. This is most likely why Doug never learned the business side of the garage, as he really had no passion for working with cars. When Doug sits down to write the world fades away and creative bliss takes over. Doug feels truly alive when he writes.

Mr. Whitmer clears his throat, smiling, and sets the papers down. Looking at Doug he casually says “So, Doug, Is this the only piece you’ve ever written? I’m intrigued by your story here, and thought it may be worth hearing what you have to say. That’s why I agreed to bring you in for a talk.” 

Doug looks with tired eyes at Mr. Whitmer. Eyes that have been awake for the last 3 months with a crying baby every night, and says. “Well, Sir. I have always had a passion for writing. I’ve written a lot over the years. It interests me, and I’ve learned a lot in my life, but I’ve never been formally trained or schooled.”

Nodding, Mr. Whitmer raises one eyebrow “Hmm, well for a writer with no formal education, this isn't bad. Especially considering you said you did this in an hour. Can you do this consistently, and on many subjects however? Would you be able to write me something, as an example of your talent right now if I gave you a subject, and an hour?”

Hands shaking slightly Doug, thinks back to two weeks ago when he wrote the story he submitted. Melissa, caring for baby Liam when she initially showed him about the job. 

*** 2 weeks ago, Doug and Melissa's Bedroom ***

Doug and Melissa sit awake at 3:13am with baby Liam, as he cries for the fifth time tonight. The 60 Hours at Mr. Tire combined with a newborn have been especially hard recently, and the work week isn’t even over yet. The word tired, just doesn't even begin to describe how Doug is feeling. Liam lets loose a piercing cry as Melissa gets a bottle ready for him. While connecting the multiple parts of a Dr. Brown's bottle, she looks over at Liam. Doug’s gently rocking him in his arms. Melissa says “I know, honey… It's coming.” Finally screwing the bottle top on, she makes her way over, looks at Doug half consciously rocking little Liam and says “Babe, go back to bed, i got it.”

After handing Liam over, Doug puts his head down in his hands, and sighs “Mel, I don't think we can keep doing this…”

Liam stops his crying, as Melissa finally gives him the bottle. Sucking it down vigorously, Liam is immediately content. Sitting down on the bed next to him she sighs “Well, this is the hard part. It's only like this for a couple months and then he’ll start sleeping through the night.” 

Looking up, Doug sees the bills marked past due stacked up on the nightstand. With a sigh, he replies “No, I mean we cant keep living like this. Barely getting by, not sure if we can afford to get food for next week… I'm working myself to death, and we can't afford the mortgage now as it is… Soon you’ll be back to work, but then we’ll have to pay for daycare…”

The room goes quiet as the words sink in. Liam happily sucking away on his bottle, making cute little cooing noises is the only thing breaking the silence. Rising from the bed, Melissa holds Liam like a football balancing the bottle with her chin and heads over to her dresser. ”Yeah babe… i know, and that's why I saw this earlier, and thought of you.” Melissa says while rustling papers around with her one free hand. “I was going to wait till morning, but here.” Picking up a piece of paper she walks over to the bed, sitting back down and sets the sheet next to Doug.  

Picking it up Doug looks down at the sheet, blinking a couple times so his eyes can focus on it. The words "Monster Job Postings” sits proudly at the top of the page followed by “Motor Maniac: Writer Wanted” beneath it. 

Doug’s eyes widen a little bit as he says “Mel, a writer? I’ve written some stuff, but never professionally.” 

“I’ve read your writing, and it’s beautiful. Professionals don’t write as well as you do. You can feel the passion you have jumping off the page at you when someone reads your work.” 

Doug continues reading the job posting letting Melissa’s words swirl around in his head. Many of the prerequisites are well outside his education. Especially when his eyes linger on the part “knowledge of cars only, is not enough.” Ready to put the sheet down in frustration, his eyes find the salary and working conditions listed at the bottom. 90k a year salary, and working from home. Immediately his thoughts of Liam jump to mind. Having parents who can afford to feed him, and not have to worry about the roof over their head…. God how wonderful would that be. 

Doug frowns and looks back over at Melissa “I don’t know about this, Mel. I’d have to take a day off work most likely for the interview, and I’m not a professional writer. We can’t afford to do this.”

Liam cooing away has finally found the bottom of his bottle, as the cooing stops. Beginning to fuss Melissa puts him on her shoulder, and gently pats his back waiting for a little burp. In between pats with a yawn she says “well, it was just a thought. If you submitted your writing as a resume, I’d hire you...” 

Doug turns back around, and looks narrowly at the sheet, studying it. Then closing his eyes he wearily dreams of what a life like that could be like. Liam burps, and then promptly lays his head down on Melissa’s shoulder, closing his eyes. Melissa reaches over and lays Liam back down in the bassinet, wrapping him in a bundle. She then lays back down, and almost immediately falls asleep. Melissa is lucky like that, as soon as her head hits the pillow she’s out like a light.  

Doug crumples the paper up and tosses it onto his night stand and then lays back down himself to sleep. Laying there, the thought of being a writer swirls around, fighting off sleep like a Leonidus against the Persians in his epic conquest long ago. His creative energy yearning to be released on a page, as so many ideas spring to mind he can write about.  

Motor maniac is his favorite magazine, and he knows the stories they would publish well. Doug lies there unable to sleep, and occasionally checks the clock. 3am turns to 4. Then 4 turns to 5. Before he knows it, 5:43am stares at him in red from the digital alarm clock.  

Feeling frustrated with himself, he knows he won’t be able to sleep until he gets his thoughts written out. He gets up carefully, and makes his way to the laptop in the living room. Turning it on, he finds Microsoft Word, and lets his thoughts flow onto the screen. Writing a story he remembers well of him, and his father working together long ago. A fond memory that he holds in his heart from when dad was around. The bliss takes over as the world fades away. The only thing left are the keyboard keys, and the words.  

Doug finishes up the story after about an hour or so of writing, and checks it over. The story seems like something the magazine would post in their pages. Editing done, he decides to submit the story with his resume. Doug thinks to himself as he hits send on the email “What harm could come of it? Worst they can say is no, I guess”

*** Present day, Mr. Whitman’s office ***

“Doug?” Mr. Whitmer says. 

Doug, blinking his eyes looks over at Mr. Whitmer, and realizes he just daydreamed in the middle of his interview. Shaking his head slightly annoyed with himself he responds “I’m sorry Mr. Whitmer. I have a newborn at home, and to be honest I’m a little tired today. Can you repeat the question?” 

Laughing Mr. Whitmer replies “Oh, I remember those days… Congratulations on the baby, Doug. I asked, ‘Would you be able to write me something, as an example of your talent right now if I gave you a subject and an hour?’ If you can write like this in a hour, then I’m very impressed”

Doug feels his nerves in his stomach, making him slightly sick. Taking a deep breath to calm them down he replies “I’ll do my best, if that’s what you’d like to see” 

Mr. Whitmer smiles, and replies “Excellent!” He then leans over in his chair, pulling out a small laptop from one of his desk drawers. Powering it on and quickly typing something, he then slides it across the desk towards Doug. Doug sees the words “1500 word story on changing your own brakes, that someone would find interesting.”

The hour begins to disappear, as Doug finds himself engaged with the laptop. Mr. Whitmer clicks away on his computer, leaving Doug alone to type his story. The room fades away as he remembers a story his friend told him once he thought was interesting. It was how he took 7 hours with 4 trips to the auto parts store to change his brakes. Words appear on the screen, as Doug becomes one with the laptop. The creative bliss blurs the world around, and the only thing that exists are the words and this laptop. Flowing, and then editing the hour almost seems like minutes.  

When finished, Doug slides the laptop over to the other side of the desk. With a small smile, he nods and says “done.” Mr. Whitmer then starts reading one of his stories for the second time today as Doug grips his blue jeans watching intently. Minutes stretch out as Mr. Whitmer’s eyes flick left and right, soaking in the story on his laptop.  

Doug thinks of the story he just finished, and how he has so much more to offer beyond just two stories. Perspectives of others who have shared their lives with him. Events of him and his father, which have shaped his life. Mr. Whitmer’s eyes continue to move left and right, and a small smile touches his lips as he reads. Doug dares to let himself dream of a better life. A life where Liam and Melissa can have everything they need…. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful life indeed? To write for a living, and share his love of writing with the world…. Breaking the thought, Doug sees Mr. Whitmer looks up from the screen. Mr. Whitmer looks Doug in the eyes, and smiles.