Life Imagined

Short story about a single man who decides to get a real, more grown up job after realizing he may never marry and have children and the things he endures.

Silas Haines picked up the newspaper and scanned the black and white print as he munched on two-day-old pizza crust.

He had just turned twenty-nine and it was about time he found a real job.  He’d come to terms with the fact that he may never get married or have children.  Women just weren’t interested; he didn’t know why exactly.  He considered himself to be handsome and quite charming.

But if the life he imagined wasn’t meant to be, he would find a job with long hours to make him tired enough to forget those women.

Running an index finger down the columns of classified ads, he stopped at one that seemed to have potential.

‘Shipyard Welder Needed.  Utilize welding skills to fabricate and weld heavy steel pieces in a shipyard environment.’

A long list of requirements accompanied the ad.

‘Must be able to walk up and down stairs, be capable of standing for long periods of time and sitting in awkward positions.  Bending, crouching, climbing up and over equipment such as scaffolding and ladders is also necessary.’

Silas smiled.  He could do this.  He had welding experience.

‘Ability to swim and work over water is mandatory.’

Okay, there was the catch.  Silas couldn’t swim; not a stroke.

His index finger moved on down the column, enthusiasm turning to disappointment.

As he started to fold the paper, he opened it again.  He stared at the shipyard ad.

“I could always fudge on my resume a little.  No harm in that, right?” he said aloud.  Stepping over to the trash can, Silas dumped the remains of his pizza.

‘For more details, contact Iliana Pederson at 555-4433.’

He fished his cell phone from a deep pants pocket and punched in the number.

***

She was lovely.  She had long rose-red colored hair streaked with gold and sea-green eyes that would mesmerize any breathing man.  A slight accent, perhaps Russian, rounded out the package.

“Everything looks to be in order, Mr. Haines,” the Human Resources Director announced.  “And, you can swim, correct?”

Silas hesitated.  “Umm, please, call me Silas.  How often does the need to swim arise?”

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Iliana grinned.  “It is quite uncommon but it does happen.  We’re very safety conscious here.  You must understand that, Silas.”

Even with her professional demeanor, Iliana Pederson emitted distracting, glowing warmth.  The young man could not look away from her beauty.

“So, you can swim, correct?”  She sat, her ink pen poised over the potential employee’s resume.

“Oh, yes, yes, sure,” Silas lied.

“When can you start?”

***

He’d been on the job for three days.  Ship after ship after ship stood in various stages of disrepair.  Some needed small patches, others required more extensive work before buoyancy would once again be possible.

 

Welding a busted metal seam, sweat poured heavily down Silas’ neck and chest.  He could hardly breathe in the cramped space; the muscles in his arms and legs ached and spasmed.

Finally finished, he removed his welder’s mask and sat back on his haunches to inspect his handiwork.  Nice.  He ran a gloved hand across the closed seam.  He had accomplished something.  He felt good about himself.

Crawling backward through the tight tunnel, Silas’ throat clenched.  He was weary.  Exhaustion was setting in but he still needed to look at the seam from outside the ship.

Up on deck, he walked slowly.  He felt as if the ship was rocking and being tossed about in choppy waters yet he knew differently.

Leaning over the railing, he removed his gloves and ran a bare hand across the outside seam.  He felt a tiny hole he hadn’t noticed while below deck.

Sighing, Silas slogged his way back to his welding equipment and dragged it back to the railing.  Stretching on tiptoe, he leaned as far as he could to find the exact spot needing repair.  Hefting his torch, he hung upside down, blood rushing into his face.

Pointing the fire toward the ship’s wall, Silas squinted, leaning just a bit farther.

“Haines?  What the Hell?”

Silas heard his supervisor’s voice as he toppled over the rail and plunged, head-first, into the cold, churning waters below.

The next thing he remembered, he was choking, spitting salt water from his throat, arms flailing, panic clutching his chest.

“Oh, God!  Oh, God!” he screamed.  “Help me!  I can’t swim!”

Silas Haines could see his life flashing before his eyes as he sank into the abyss.  No family to speak of, no career, no formal education.  He could die right here, a watery grave swallowing him whole.

Kicking his legs, he could see the bright, shimmering sun once again.  There had to be a reason he was in this shipyard.  There had to be a reason he was in this water but was he really cut out for this type of work?

He was grateful for the rescue but embarrassed and frustrated at the laughter and chastisement.

Silas was done.  He could easily find a desk job where his worst fear would be a nasty paper cut.

With heavy clothing sticking to his lean torso, rivulets of water streaming onto the carpet in soggy puddles, his anger exacerbated.  He waited with as much patience as he could muster for Iliana to end her telephone conversation.

Cradling the receiver, she jumped up, rounded the small scratched cherry wood desk and flung herself at Silas.

“Oh, I am so glad you’re okay.  You are okay, aren’t you?”  She began to pat the man down, checking for abrasions and broken bones.

Grasping her arms, his fury dissipated.  “I’m okay, nothing injured but my pride really,” he explained, touched by her concern.  “But I came to tell you I quit, this is too much for me.”

Iliana wiped at a wet smudge of dirt across the front of her beige dress.  “I understand but I’ll sure miss seeing your chiseled good looks around this place.”

Silas was shocked at the statement.

Returning to her desk, Iliana fumbled through a drawer until she found a set of termination papers.

“I have a question, Silas.”  The pretty woman’s cheeks tinted red.  “If you say no that’s fine but I’m hoping otherwise.”

Silas began to shiver in the air conditioned office.  “Okay.”

“Would you consider going to dinner with me?”

A dazzling white smile swept across the former employee’s water-logged features.  Yes, everything happens for a reason.

Author's Note

Please give an overall review on this short story. Thank you!

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

I was not expecting the ending at all. I know its a short story and I know I rarely edit my short stories (because I'm LAZY) but this one - if you are ever inclined would be deserving of it. A little bit longer. A few more moments of tension between him and the HR lady. And perhaps a bit of time spent so that he relaxes into the job - so that the dunking is a true shock to him.
I almost thought the HR lady was going to be some kind of sea creature, a mermaid or something more ominous. I'm actually glad you didn't go that route

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, TL. Seems like those who have commented say I should have added more moment with the HR lady in my story so I will work on that. (Just haven't had the time). And, yeah, if I have made her a sea creature or mermaid in this it would have probably come off too corny! Haha!

[barleygirl]

Your story is mostly well-told . . . in places, you showed, instead of telling (the first rule of good writing), such as not saying "his life flashed before him" (when in the water almost drowning), instead you painted word pictures of what was flashing thru his mind at that moment. This is very good writing. Also, the description of welding was realistic, down to the smallest detail, like leaning back on his haunches & inspecting his weld, etc. Very true to life.

The only thing that felt like a bump to me, as far as the overall flow of the story . . . it reads like he only worked this one day & then fell & then quit the job. Yet, the lady in the office said she liked seeing him around the place . . . this sounded unbelievable, becuz your story reads like he'd only been there that one time. Maybe a sentence or two could be added to show us how the guy had been there awhile. Or better yet, give us a few more instances of how he'd stopped by the office more than that one time. It can add to the delicious feeling of flirtation & suspense & longing, when the story includes several encounters between the two, before leaping to the final desired conclusion. When things happen this fast in a story, you rob us of the delicious sensations of attraction between the two.

For a short-short story, getting to the conclusion is understandably happening quickly. You've covered the mechanics of giving us good foreshadowing, about how he was attracted to her in their first meeting, but as I said, draw out the attraction & flirtation . . . the joy is in the journey, not so much the victory (altho we are glad the guy got the girl!) *smile*

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, barleygirl. This was meant to be just a short story but I do understand what you mean about it feeling a bit rushed. I am sorry that I have not responded sooner to your comment. I have been terribly, terribly sick with bronchitis and a sinus infection and I am just now starting to feel like I am getting back into the land of the living. Still have that nasty cough but I know it will linger awhile. Thank you so much for your review!

[barleygirl]

Sorry you've been sick . . . a friend of mine got it & was sick for 2 weeks! I'm so glad I never get sick! Please take care of yourself & get well . . . sending healing energy! (((HUGS)))

[MelissaAndres]

Oh, thank you very much. I am not sick too often but when I am, it grabs hold of me and won't seem to let go. I can't think very clearly when I am sick and it cuts down on the creativity!

[Coyote Poetry]

A good ending for the poor man. Almost finding death and get a date with a beautiful woman. Luck or chance. A good ending in this story. Thank you Melissa for sharing the excellent tale.
Coyote

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Coyote Poetry! I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. We may not always know what the meaning of something is for us but in this short story Silas found out exactly WHY he was drawn to the shipyard. I may not always write happy endings but this just seemed to need one.

[Coyote Poetry]

Good to have a happy ending and you are welcome.

[Samuel Dickens]

Taking that job without being able to swim was a really stupid thing to do, but it seemed to have worked out--in the romance department, at least. If Iliana wants to keep him, she'd best get him a life preserver. I love happy endings, Melissa.

[MelissaAndres]

Thanks, Sam. Silas wanted a 'grown up, physical job' and that's what he got but he surely didn't know what he was getting himself into, huh? Maybe Iliana will inspire him to take swimming lessons! haha!

[J. Swaney]

This was good, kind of light and fun like strawberry flavored chapstick but lots of people like that sort of thing.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you for reading and commenting, J. Swaney. I appreciate it!