Contest #173 shortlist ⭐️

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Creative Nonfiction Indigenous Western

So here’s the thing, I want to tell you a story about a time capsule.


Wait, that’s not entirely true. It’s really a story about two people and a time capsule. Oh, and by the way, this time capsule is also a purse.


Don't worry, it will all make sense at the end. I promise.


Kathleen, or Kathy for short, was so unique that even peculiar people called her quirky. She was proud of her name, although she wanted everyone to know that not all Kathys were alike. She was fond of saying that Cathys with a C were wimps. She always said this with a smile because Kathy loved everyone—even Cathys.


I know what you're thinking, she couldn't have been that unique. Well, I'm here to tell you she was. I'll give you an example. Whereas most people go out and buy an ugly sweater before a Christmas party, Kathy’s closet was full of them year-round. When she did attend the aforementioned gatherings, the prize would always go to the second ugliest sweater at the party. It was the only way to keep Kathy from winning every year. 


Here's another example. Kathy bought hundreds of magnetic multi-colored polka dots to place strategically all over her car so she could always find it in a parking lot. Her husband, Pete, would tell you, however, it had nothing to do with the fear of losing the car—it was just Kathy being Kathy.


That brings us to the reason for this story: the time capsule. I told you it was also a purse, right? Good. Well, Kathy started carrying the purse her first year in high school, but—just like everything else she did—it was bigger and louder than any other girl's in town. The monstrosity was large enough to fit a medium-sized dog comfortably. I'm not entirely sure why someone would want to carry a medium sized dog in a purse, but you get the idea. In addition, it had an extra-long strap. It had to. It was the only way she could carry it on the opposite side of her body. This was critical because the purse was unbelievably heavy when it was full, and it was often full of the strangest things.


Once at a baby shower, the host—as part of an ice breaker—offered five dollars to the attendee who could produce the oddest item from her purse. One woman had a pair of dirty pantyhose. Another produced a box of condoms. A third, the remaining bit of a partially eaten egg salad sandwich. But Kathy, in her last year of nursing school, simply reached into her purse and retrieved a stool specimen. She had collected it earlier that day and, needless to say, she won the contest in a unanimous vote.  


Kathy also had another special use for this purse. In an instant it could be transformed into, you guessed it, a time capsule. Don't act shocked—I’ve told you about that at least three times.


The important thing to understand is it’s not easy being different, especially when you are young. Most teenagers do everything they can to fit in, as it’s much easier to be part of a crowd than to stand out from one. 


Kathy, on the other hand, always wanted to be true to herself. As a result, she, like many teenagers who march to their own drums, was misunderstood, ostracized, and bullied. Kathy, never one to let circumstance control her, came up with an ingenious idea. Whenever anything was going badly or she was dealing with something that seemed like the end of the world, she would activate her purse’s secret super-power. 


The first thing she would do was to find a small piece of paper and a pen. She would then write out the current trauma on said paper, ball it up as tightly as she could, and throw it in her purse. It was her way of setting the problem aside while not letting it change who she was or her happy outlook on life.  


This trick was great for temporary relief, but the real reason for the practice came from its long-term benefits. This is when our hero, Kathy, would take her ordinary purse and transform it into a time capsule.


(I know. I know. The purse wasn't ordinary, but neither was Kathy. Stop interrupting. I don't want to lose my train of thought.)


The thing about having a purse so large is one can go for long periods of time without emptying it. There were times where it would be years between cleanings, but each time she did, Kathy would find those small balls of paper, open them up and read them.


I’m failing math.


Bobby says he doesn’t love me anymore.


I got into a fender bender in mom’s car.


I’m pregnant. Dad’s going to kill me.


Those notes were little time machines that would take Kathy back to the days each earth-changing event had happened. Invariably things had worked themselves out. To say the least, they were no longer the end of time issues. In fact, often she'd have forgotten about the problem all together.


Kathy had spent extra time studying and passed math with a “B”. 


Bobby was kind of a bad guy anyway, and she knew that now. 


Mom was so happy Kathy was alright that she just hugged her and forgot to be mad about the accident. 


Yep, it turned out these life-changing events weren’t life-changing at all, except for that last one. That last one is what this story is all about. 


(Stop complaining, I’m getting to the point as fast as I can.)


Where was I? Oh, that’s right, this part of the story starts after high school. Kathy had gone to college on a math scholarship. Okay, she didn’t really go on a math scholarship. I was just making sure you were paying attention. She did, however, go to college and it was there she met Charles. 


Charles was everything Kathy wasn’t. He wore Oxford button-down shirts and loafers. (I know, loafers, who does that?) He came from money and had a slight English accent. This was unusual because no one in his family had been to England since before the Revolutionary War. He wasn’t particularly smart or funny, even by accident. He was nothing like Kathy and that attracted her.  


It’s also important that you know that despite all of Kathy’s quirks, she had grown into quite the handsome young woman. She had long curly auburn hair and piercing brown eyes. The purse wasn't a magnet for the fellas, but the rest of her attracted them like flies. For some reason, Kathy settled on Charles.  


Their relationship came and went more quickly than the Edsel; however, there was one lasting reminder—Kathy’s unborn child. 


This was problematic to say the least. You see Kathy’s parents weren’t particularly religious, but they were practicing Catholics. It goes without saying there are few surprises less welcome in a Catholic household than an unexpected pregnancy out of wedlock. Marriage, on the other hand, was not an option. "Good old" Charles left school and stopped answering the phone as soon as he found out he was a father-to-be. Kathy was alone and unsure if, for the first time in her life, the time capsule purse would let her down.  


As good luck would have it, she would be home for Christmas before she started to show her "predicament." This would allow her to surprise her mom and dad with the news. 


(In case it’s not obvious, I’m being sarcastic there.)


She was dreading that conversation and that’s what precipitated that last note. She quickly scribbled her concern down and, after wadding the paper up as tightly as she could, threw it in her purse just before climbing onto the bus home.


Christmases at Kathy’s home had always been special. The family, which consisted of Mom, Dad, Kathy, and her five siblings, would always start preparing for Christmas the Friday morning after Thanksgiving.


(Yes, I know, I said five siblings. Remember these are practicing Catholics we are talking about, but I digress.)


After hours of decorating, her childhood home would be transformed from an average suburban two-story into a Christmas wonderland. There was the manger on the coffee table, a tree in the center of the family room, and mistletoe over most of the doorways. In the back of the room, where the fireplace warmed the home and their hearts, were stockings, hung by the chimney with care. 


Kathy's family, always partial to music, played Christmas carols on a loop. Kathy's dad loved the old favorites like “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Silent Night," but while he was at work mom let the kids play "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" to their heart's content. 


And the smells! The fantastic Christmas smells. Cookies cooking, eggnog nogging, and wassail simmering made the whole house smell holiday delicious.  


I am telling you all of this so you can see, in your mind's eye, what Kathy was walking into. She knew she could skip the Christmas trip and wait until spring break when her over-sized belly could do the talking or just bring home a little surprise during summer break, but she was no coward. To Kathy, who loved her parents deeply, those ideas were cruel. She, likewise, could choose to end the pregnancy but that idea left her mind faster than Charles had left town. Kathy was less than two months pregnant and yet, she already loved her child. She was keeping it, even if it meant disappointing her family.


The good thing was Kathy had a plan. As a young girl, Kathy had learned when breaking bad news there were only two ways to soften the blow for her dad. The first was with food and the second involved her mom. Kathy knew she had to win over her mom first before approaching her dad. When the time was right and they were alone, Kathy confided the news to her mom. The revelation set off a familiar response. Her mother paused, sat down for a second, and then stood back up and started to cook pasta. Kathy's mom, you see, knew the two tricks as well, and this surprise would most assuredly take both. 


Now I wasn’t there for the conversation with Kathy’s dad, but I’ve spoken to people who were and by that I mean, Kathy, her mom, and—yes—her dad, too. The consensus was there was no consensus. 


Kathy’s dad said he took the news like a man, and after pausing and sitting down (Are you noticing a pattern here?) hugged his daughter, said he loved her and promised everything would be alright. 


Kathy’s mom said her father screamed “What!” and turned bright red. He even stopped breathing for a minute. He then paused, sat down, and hugged Kathy. 


Kathy said, well, she said she wasn’t quite sure what happened. She had run out of the room as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She missed everything that happened after the reveal and before the hug.  


You see it turned out the time capsule had worked after all. Kathy’s dad was shocked and a little disappointed, but he was going to be a Poppy. That’s what the little girl ended up calling him, and what dad doesn't want to be a Poppy? The bottom line is he loved Kathy and he couldn’t wait to meet his first grandchild.  


It’s been years since that day and Kathy never gave up on her purse. Her time capsule worked that Christmas so long ago, and it’s worked every time since. It has a perfect record.


I'm happy to report, unlike Bobby and Charles, Kathy found a keeper in Pete. He was a loving husband to Kathy and devoted father to her baby girl. You see there were a whole lot fewer opportunities to use the time capsule because Kathy found true happiness.


So I guess you’re sitting there wondering why I’m telling you this. Well, you see I have a small part to play in this, too. If you look back you'll see I said this story was about two people. Well, the other one was me. I was the little girl Kathy decided to keep. Kathy is my mom and today we laid her to rest. 


She had some very specific requests for her funeral. The first was very difficult, I’m not going to lie. She insisted her coffin be covered in multi-colored polka dots. 


Have you ever tried to put polka dots on a coffin? Of course, you haven’t. No one has. That was a stupid question. I will say this, it looked ridiculous, but that was Mom at her best, being quirky from beyond the grave. 


The second request was for laughter. Anyone could give a eulogy, but they had to tell a joke first. She wanted people laughing through their tears. 


The last, and by far the most emotional for me, was that as soon as she “was feeding the worms” (her words not mine), her oversized leather purse was to be passed on to me. It was my greatest joy and most profound sadness to accept her gift, and I’m sure you know the first thing I did. I pulled out a little piece of paper and a pen and wrote:


I buried my Mom today. How will I go on without her?


Then I rolled it up in a ball, threw it in my new purse, and headed home.


(Oh, by the way, I don't have any stool specimens in there, I promise.)


November 21, 2022 16:25

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75 comments

Wendy Kaminski
21:52 Nov 21, 2022

I loved this so much! It makes me want to keep a time capsule instead of this mini wristlet which has no practical soul-soothing purpose. :) Thank you for the great read, and also your charming writing style!

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Thom With An H
22:55 Nov 21, 2022

You are so kind. This story was loosely based on my mom so your praise honors her. Thank you.

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Jexica Marcell
16:56 Nov 21, 2022

"Stop interrupting. I don't want to lose my train of thought" This killed me! I was laughing so hard, and its simple, yet I found it funny. Maybe I'm just weird that way. I liked the narrator's voice. It felt fresh and not at all boring, in fact, it was so interesting that I started to wonder if I was like Kathy. Of course I'd never carry around a stool specimen, so maybe we aren't so similar. All in all, this story was refreshing and relatable. I loved it!!!!!!! Sending love and good vibes as always, Jex P.s - thoughts on my new story? n...

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Thom With An H
17:01 Nov 21, 2022

I read you. The key is to do exactly what you’re doing. Read other stories and ask for feedback on yours. It takes time but you’ll find your following. I promise.

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Jexica Marcell
17:04 Nov 21, 2022

Awww thats sweet. Sometimes I feel bad asking people to read my content, just because I don't like to bother people, but I guess that's what you have to do to get people to read you.. Thanks for the good advice as always.

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Gia Pape
20:57 Nov 21, 2022

Wow. Period. I was laughing, tearing up, comforted…literally every story you write speaks to me. Your stories give me so much inspiration. I’m new to writing short stories but have found a joy in it. Any advice for a newbie???

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Thom With An H
21:07 Nov 21, 2022

Thanks so much. You made me smile, big. As for advice, I have a few things that might help. First, keep writing. There is no substitute for practice. It will get your creative juice's flowing and before long you'll see the improvement yourself. Second, after you write, let it sit for a while, at least a day if you can, then go back and read the story to yourself, out loud. You'll be amazed at how that will help you revise and improve. Lastly, do what you're already doing. Read other people. See the things that you like and mimic the...

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Gia Pape
21:31 Nov 21, 2022

Thanks so much! I’ve heard similar things from other writers. I’ll definitely put this advice into play. Glad I could help brighten your day :)

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Lindsay Flo
11:47 Nov 23, 2022

Thom, I also read out loud. If nothing else, it helps me grammatically (extra words or a "the" instead of "he" that your eyes may miss will be picked up this way) as well as redundancy (like using a certain word repetitively or two sentences where one will do.) When I DONT do this, I find that down the line yep, there's a few typos or a whole paragraph that didn't need to be there.

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Thom With An H
14:35 Nov 23, 2022

This advice is pure gold. An absolute must.

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Ela Mikh
14:31 Nov 25, 2022

Great advice! I've been doing it as well - letting it idle for a day or two before posting. Makes a difference!

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Cassandra Mendez
15:50 Apr 04, 2023

This was an amazing read! It was full of love and funny moments... This reminds me of myself a tiny bit. I am always showing my quirky side. But not as proudly and as beautiful as Kathy did. Thank you for this reminder, to be yourself. But thank you mostly for your piece of art on this wonderful story.

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Thom With An H
15:56 Apr 04, 2023

Keep being quirky. Cookie cutter people are boring. Thanks from me and for my mom. You made my day.

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AnneMarie Miles
23:30 Dec 02, 2022

I knew I'd see your name this week, Thom! Congratulations!!

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Thom With An H
23:41 Dec 02, 2022

Thanks Anne Marie, somewhere my mom is smiling. 😀

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Eleanor <3
01:48 Nov 29, 2022

i love this. it is so simplistic yet detailed, so practical yet charming, and your voice and writing style is so soothing. do you have any tips for me? i have been writing for a while but mostly am good at coming up with descriptive phrases, not piecing together stories. it would be so much if you dropped some insight on my most recent story! it was a little out of my comfort zone, bc it was kind of like hypothetical, feelings that don't make sense type. all of your works are so good. this speaks to me.

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Thom With An H
01:55 Nov 29, 2022

You are incredibly kind and I would love to take a look at your story. I will try to do it by tomorrow.

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April GIBSON
13:44 Nov 26, 2022

Great use of the narrator voice. Nice job character building in the beginning. I love how you brought the polka dots back around at the end of the story. The ending was appropriately emotional. I'm still not sure about the stool specimen at the end though. I get that you wanted to refocus on the comedic element, but you didn't give me time to process Kathy's passing. I think it was a little abrupt. As I think about it, perhaps you could have added a few more of the notes you have written, then suggest stool sample, then confide that was a ...

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Thom With An H
14:01 Nov 26, 2022

I hope I say this right because I don’t want you to think I’m being the slightest but sarcastic. Your minor criticism was so unbelievably nice. It’s my favorite comment so far and I expect will stay so. You let me know you felt my story and that’s all I ever want. I understand exactly what you mean and will remember it when I write in the future. Thanks so much. You made my day.

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April GIBSON
20:03 Nov 27, 2022

:)

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Michał Przywara
23:25 Nov 24, 2022

You said it's a story of two characters, and it truly is. Kathy comes to life throughout, from a bit of a quirkier-than-quirky caricature to a fully realized, deep person, with hopes and dreams, and her share of hurdles. (And a powerful way of dealing with them.) Then the narrator herself has a great voice too. Directly addressing the reader makes it feel like we're being told the story personally, but it doesn’t happen so often as to be distracting. I had a suspicion initially it might have been a spouse or friend, but then it being the ch...

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Thom With An H
01:16 Nov 25, 2022

Michael, your feedback always makes me glad I’m a writer but this was extra special. It is fiction but is based on my mom and most of it is actually true. It feels as if you told me what a great mom I have and she was. Thanks so much. You are a gift to me and Reedsy.

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Michał Przywara
21:45 Dec 02, 2022

Congrats on the shortlist! A worthy story :)

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Thom With An H
22:00 Dec 02, 2022

In a just world, yours would have been next to or above mine. You are a fantastic writer.

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Lindsay Flo
11:44 Nov 23, 2022

DAMN!!! I wasn't expected that the narrator was the baby. Oh man. And then just like that, Kathy's funeral. And then at the end, putting her own worry into the time capsule purse, that was the emotional second emotional punch. On top of it all, it was funny (probably why I wasn't expecting to get all welled up at the end.) Also need to comment on the concept behind the time capsule. This is something that has been drilled into me my whole life but I've only just started to realize how true it is. The whole "this too shall pass" or "everyth...

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Thom With An H
14:40 Nov 23, 2022

Lindsay, this comment means more than you know. This is a fictionalized version of my mom's life. There are a few enhancements but most of it is 100% true including the way she used her purse with the tiny balls of paper. She was such a wise woman. I'll give you one other story as a thanks for your encouragement. I once had to borrow her car and while driving up the New Jersey Turnpike I noticed a car with four young attractive girls driving next to me, looking my way and smiling. For a second my ego allowed me to think they were gawki...

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Lindsay Flo
23:11 Nov 25, 2022

Hahah! I truly think our best writing comes when we write the truth...but fictionalizing it makes it more fun :) What a mom you had!

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Talia Pierce
18:17 Nov 22, 2022

The five siblings part really made me laugh out loud. Also, I just want to say, I really like how detailed this was! There was so many different ties throughout, such a good read.

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Jennifer Cameron
15:15 Nov 22, 2022

If I'm ever just scrolling through reedsy and see your name I have to make sure I have enough time to read the whole story because once I start, there isn't a chance in hell that I'm stopping until I get to the end. You've done it again, a great story and I loved it

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Thom With An H
18:31 Nov 22, 2022

Jennifer, I love it when you read me. Thanks, as always, for being so supportive.

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Francis Daisy
07:29 Nov 22, 2022

Once again you have written a beautifully sweet story. I laughed, I cried, I smiled. You have an incredible way with words...

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Thom With An H
18:32 Nov 22, 2022

Thanks so much, Francis. I know I already said this but I'm so glad you are back around. Reedsy missed you. I missed you.

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Helen A Smith
15:23 Dec 11, 2022

What an amazing woman Kathy with a K is! I loved the positive nature of her character, that she was an individual who was prepared to buck the trend and show others her unique and special nature. She proved to be a wise woman who understood that mostly nothing is as bad as it seems and good can ultimately come from something that initially seems difficult or challenging. I loved the twist at the end when I discovered the narrator’s identity. Also the sadness was lightened by humour, not an easy thing to achieve. Keeping these balls of pape...

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Thom With An H
17:16 Dec 11, 2022

Helen, I’m not sure if you knew this by the comments but this story very closely follows my mothers life so your comments are especially nice and touch my heart. Thank you. As for your question I’ll give you three bits of advice that have helped me immensely. 1. Write something awful, fast. Get 1000 or 1500 words down even if they are putrid. Some of my best stories come from the revisions to bad ones. When the page is empty you have an impossible task. When it’s just revisions you’d be surprised at how good you can make it. One of my fa...

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Helen A Smith
17:39 Dec 11, 2022

Thanks Thom. Your mum must have been a wonderful person. I’m guessing from the way you’ve written she’s no longer alive. If I’m wrong, I sincerely apologise. As for your advice, I’m doing number 1. I write the biggest load of rubbish just to get something on the page. I’m doing number 2 (ish), but not number 3. I feel bad if I can’t beat the deadline and submit a story. I put pressure on myself and never stop editing. Number 3 is excellent advice. I edit on the train on the way to work on my phone. Most of my writing is done when I’m off...

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Helen A Smith
17:49 Dec 11, 2022

After your advice (particularly number 3), I may attempt the latest prompt and if I don’t finish it, it won’t matter.

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Thom With An H
17:52 Dec 11, 2022

Exactly!!!! I wrote a story and missed the deadline by just a few minutes. Less than a month later I was able to post it. I can’t wait to see what you write.

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Mostafa Fayad
04:27 Dec 10, 2022

hello again my brother, what a fantastic style you use to write your stories, you're talented person, I have read thousands of stories before, but I have never found such a wonderful rhetorical style as yours I think I will be addicted to reading your stories Your style and stories deserve to be studied in many countries of the world; I promise I will help you with that the third one in the deal, brother, is now done already

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Jexica Marcell
19:06 Dec 06, 2022

Omggggg hiiiii yk, idk why your stories always get shortlisted. they should always win. I love your writng. speaking offfffff....im bored. any new content coming soon?

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Thom With An H
23:49 Dec 06, 2022

Jexie!!! You are so sweet. I am working on a story for this week. I promise to let you know as soon as it's posted.

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Jexica Marcell
22:53 Dec 07, 2022

YAYYYYYYY

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Edward Latham
10:00 Dec 03, 2022

Congrats on the shortlist Thom, this story definitely deserved it! The note of sadness at the end was a touching way to finish what was a charming story

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Rama Shaar
06:09 Dec 03, 2022

This is awesome! Fast-paced and thoroughly engaging and enjoyable! I want to be Cathy!! Ahem, I mean Kathy!

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Aeris Walker
18:36 Dec 02, 2022

I would *definitely* read more about Kathy—she sounds like the life of the party. Loved the tone in this story—it was matter-of-fact and light, and the “fondness” the narrator had for Kathy really shined through. Even with the sad ending, we couldn’t help but feel the way Kathy would have wanted us to. I’m enjoying seeing your varying styles, Thom! This one was really fun. And congrats on the shortlist!

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Tommy Goround
18:04 Dec 02, 2022

Boompa!

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Thom With An H
18:18 Dec 02, 2022

The blind squirrel strikes again!!! :-)

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Jordan Bassett
16:21 Dec 02, 2022

So unique so amazing memories forever

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