The World is Ending and My Feet Still Hurt

I cut Broadway Joe.

Barrelhouse Magazine offered a free online write-in March 2020 at the beginning of what was then called the Coronavirus Crisis.

Writing prompts were posted daily by a designated instructor for writers finding themselves quarantined.

I was totally on board.

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The prompts offered starting points along with additional details to include in a story. Add this. Think about this. And that.

“Change the usual way people think about this conflict.”

I dove into the character-setting-conflict prompt. I had worked the jewelry counter at JCPenney over winter break during my college years and wrote about the conflict between my on-the-job oh so achy feet and the day Broadway Joe strolled by.

The rough ruff draft:

I learn to disguise my attempts at pain relief. I stand like a flamingo and tuck a foot behind me to relieve pressure. I slip off my shoes and stand on tip toes. I open the lower display case and kneel down to straighten the Timex and Casio watches so I can rub my aching insteps. God help me if I want to get somewhere fast, like the day Joe Namath walks through the store.

Someone yells Hey, it’s Joe Namath! I spin around on my naked toes and trip over my kicked off shoes. I’m a woman in motion. I hit the floor, sacked. I see stars. Football stars. Joe Namath stares down at me from over the counter. He’s wearing a mood ring on his pinkie finger. Emerald.

The story fell flat. It didn’t lift off the page for me. I set it aside and let it steep a week or so before tackling revision.

I found this story hiding within the draft. The World Is Ending and My Feet Still Hurt was published March 15, 2020 by Funny Pearls.

Thank you, editors Philippa Hall and Mette Jolly.

Read the story here.

Photo by Laura Rivera on Unsplash

I’d cut Joe. Sent him to the locker room.

I posted the Funny Pearls publication link on social media.

My first “congratulations” proved my first (and last) overshare on social media.

My enthusiastic reply revealed how the published story emerged from a draft of an actual chance sighting of Joe Namath while working the jewelry counter at JCPenney with so sore feet. That story became this story, the kicker being I’d edited out completely one of America’s greatest quarterbacks.

The response I took as a subtle TMI! Too much information.

I had gone overboard.

Photo by Enrico Carcasci on Unsplash

draft The Journal of Process believes “… in the process of developing a moment of inspiration …”. Check out the journal here.

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“There are some things you only learn through experience.” -Joe Namath

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Thank you, Barrelhouse for demonstrating exceptional literary citizenship during an extraordinary time.