In the Life of Brice

By Michelle McGriff

Brice Hamilton had more skeletons in his closet than a cemetery has in a tomb. When he dies expectantly, they all begin to fall out - to the surprise of his timid wife Marion.
A dark comedy, in the life of Brice has been adapted from a stage play.
Written in my early writing years there are areas where I have grown as a writer and have made these adaptations in the story (POV etc). The pace however was made intentionally repetitive to create an air of eccentricity around the characters. I have always found the story of Brice delightful and so have readers over the years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle McGriff
• Release date: Dec 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301408283

Michelle McGriff

Native Californian, Michelle McGriff shares her love of storytelling with readers.

Book preview

IN THE LIFE OF BRICE

By

Michelle McGriff

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 Michelle McGriff

Published by Michelle McGriff

In the Life of Brice. Copyright 2012 by Michelle McGriff. All rights reserved. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages to be included in a review.

All characters, names, descriptions and traits are products of the author’s imagination. Similarities to actual people – living or dead – are purely coincidental.

IN THE LIFE OF BRICE

Author notes: About the book: In the Life of Brice has been adapted from a stage play. Written in my early writing years there are areas where I have grown as a writer and have made these adaptations in the story (POV etc…). The pace however was made intentionally repetitive to create an air of eccentricity around the characters. I have always found the story of Brice delightful and so have readers over the years. I hope you enjoy this whimsical story.

Chapter 1

When one thinks about a mystery, what often comes to mind is a murder, or whodunit, with dark shadows and skeletons in the closet.

Speaking of skeletons in the closet...there was Brice.

Brice was a small built average-looking fifty-year-old traveling salesman who lived in a small town in the desert called Twenty-nine Palms. Although it was surrounded by many exciting places, Twenty-nine Palms itself was rather an uneventful place. Aside from Brice’s occasional business trips, his life was also quite uneventful, quite normal. At least that was Marion's opinion.

…and she should know; Marion had been married to Brice for twenty years.

They had married in a small church there in Twenty-nine Palms, and lived in the same house, owned two cars, five water hoses, and one set of furniture through their entire married life. They had no children; owned no pets. They had a simple life, and except for the four times a year when Brice would travel for seven days leaving her alone, they were together every day.

They ate the same thing for breakfast: two eggs, one slice of bacon, and a biscuit. They watched the same channel on television, making sure to catch the six o'clock news every night while they had tea, and up until Brice's sudden death, they made love every Sunday night. He always made it home by Sunday night. Even with the four times a year and every third Saturday he was gone on a sales trip.

Marion was content living that way.

Brice provided well for her, and though it wasn't really a need, had encouraged