Guest post – Short Stories | Fish-eye Perspective

I’d like to present a guest post by Ngozi Awa. She is fellow blogger and friend who shares heartfelt pieces of her life and other stories on her blog http://doshelles.com.

The Quiet and Reserved Ones

As an undergraduate, I wasn’t the boldest or the most eloquent in class. However, I knew I wanted to make a difference in the quality of studentship in the department. So, there came the decision to run for one of the supporting leadership positions in the department’s students’ association.

When I indicated interest to run for Treasurer of the Department of English and Literary Studies Students’ Association, I was laughed off. My classmates and seniors described me as withdrawn and shy. I was pained at the low levels of confidence I received from my classmates. I thought they could see past my quiet demeanour.

I didn’t let their disapproval stop me from pursuing my goal. I vied for the position, wrote and delivered a manifesto that sent the crowd to their feet with rounds of applause. I won the position.

It is okay to be reserved, quiet, or even withdrawn but you have to step out of your comfort zone once in a while.
Like Master Shifu of The Kung-fu Panda series says “If you do only what you can do, you will never be more than you are now.”

You can read more of her beautiful stories at http://doshelles.com/.

I’m pleased and honoured to share a Guest Post from my partner in crime, Don Ostertag. He is one of my favourite blog writers. His stories are straight from the heart and worth your time every single time.

An Introduction to my blog: Don Ostertag: Off Stage

I am in my lower 80s. My legs are in their late 90s. My beautiful Mexican senorita, now senora, Georgina, (Gina), and I have been married over half a century (59 years). We have five sons, four daughters-in-law, and eleven grandchildren. My wife raised five sons and one husband, and now is using her talent to help out with our grandchildren.

I am retired. I have had a great many occupations over the years; but for the last 45 years of working, I had been a union stagehand in the Twin Cities. While stagehands often work into their 80’s, (I knew one in Boston that was over 90), common sense and my aching body told me to get out. I had way, way, too much fun in my youth, getting bucked off horses, getting busted up in football, and getting bounced on the ground at the end of a parachute jump, and so on.

If I outlive my 401K, and my bad luck with Powerball continues, I’ll probably be greeting people as I gave them their shopping carts at the nearby big-box store. But for now, I’m retired.

I never got into trying to hit balls into holes in the grass. Although I lived in the woods and lakes when I was young, hunting and fishing don’t appeal to me anymore. I love fields and flowers, but my knees no longer approve of gardening. TV grows old after you watched the same episode of NCIS for the umpteenth time, and the MN Twins keep losing. I do read and read and read. I always have my Nook within reach.

And I write.

All my life I enjoyed daydreaming, watching people, and writing. More importantly, my body doesn’t mind my remembering and my writing. This blog is a small example of my writings.

I hope you enjoy reading them half as much as I enjoyed writing them. For the most part, they are true stories. Well, as true as I remember. After all, many of them happened a long, long time ago.

OLD HAND – published pieces

STAGE HAND – show biz pieces

NO HANDS – bits & pieces

PS: This Intro was written before the Darkness came to our world. And while prayer may be a great comfort, just remember God helps those who help themselves. So please obey the rules for good health. Be optimistic. And love thy neighbor even if it is at a six-foot distance.

And just keep thinking what the words of that annoying earworm sings, ‘The Sun will come out tomorrow’.

STAY SAFE

For a good laugh and food for thought, visit Don’s blog at https://donostertag.wordpress.com/

Category: Guest post

Guest Post: Ngozi Awa

Guest Post: Don Ostertag