Friday, April 28, 2023

Sample: Tabor Heights Short Story, IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR

 

He didn't give the gravel-voiced man a chance to protest but cut the connection and linked in line two. "You're on the air on WEGL, the Eagle, and you're talking to Whit. What words of wisdom can you offer on the whole conundrum of dating for Christians?"

"Yeah, it's a pain, but you wouldn't sign a contract without reading it, would you? Same thing with getting married. You gotta figure out if the person who makes your heart go thumpetty is the one who's going to be there for the long haul, know what I mean?" The second caller was also a man. His voice sounded thick with sleep. Whit wondered if he was getting up or heading for bed.

"Very astute point. But can't you learn about someone in group situations? Group activities, Sunday school class socials, for instance?"

"Yeah, but after a while, you hang out together long enough, people are going to wonder if there's something serious going on. Know what I mean?" He laughed. "I know the other guy who just called in. His problem is, when he can find a girl desperate enough to go out with him, her parents can't stand him. If he can't get the parents to like him, what makes him think anybody'd be stupid enough to sell their daughter to him?"

"Sorry to be a kill-joy, folks, but we're talking about dating versus non-dating, not slavery or forced marriages." Riley tried to laugh as he said it, but the knot growing in his throat made that hard. What had he been thinking, bringing up the whole hot potato topic? "Let's give caller three a chance. Thanks for sharing with us." A few quick flips of buttons and tapping keys, and he had that second troublesome caller off and line three ready to go.

Please, Lord, let the third time be the charm!


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