A Trilogy of Disappointment (and a Dash of Hope)

By A.M. Bristow

A frustrated college grad looks for work. A bitter mother channels her old regrets and failures into a struggling business. But at what cost? A young woman writes to her half-brother to explain why they can never be family. And two strangers meet for the first time. Or will they?

A Trilogy of Disappointment (and a dash of hope) is a series of untold stories about millions of people. They’re the experiences that we don’t realize we share. Sometimes they’re forgotten in the whirlwind of life, and sometimes we carry them with us forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.M. Bristow
• Release date: Apr 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370142033

A.M. Bristow

A.M. Bristow is a Cuban-born writer raised in the United States who writes contemporary fiction when she’s not traveling and writing about that. In fiction, she explores the overreaching philosophical theme that hell is other people. She currently lives in the Czech Republic, where she gives life to her cynical thoughts.Bristow was formally trained and shaped by the world of academia, before abandoning her scholarly pursuits in psychology and education in order to dedicate herself to writing on a nearly full-time basis. You can find her insights and tips about travel on her blog, www.GnomeTrotting.com.Available books by the author include: Savage, Elskerinde: Confessions of the Other Woman, Crimson Sheets, and A Trilogy of Disappointment (and a dash of hope). You can connect directly with A.M. Bristow on Twitter.

Book preview

A Trilogy of Disappointment

(and a dash of hope)

Copyright 2017 Ana Montano

Published by Ana Montano at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Foreword

In the Land of Opportunity

Requiem for a Dream

A Letter to My Would-Be Brother

Black Box

About the Author

Foreword

The short stories in this book have been sitting untouched in my archives for years. They are part of a larger collection that I had previously borrowed from to write Elskerinde: Confessions of the Other Woman. It seems a waste to let these great stories go without seeing the light of day. So I polished some of my favorite ones to bring them to you. Though this is largely a work of fiction. Some of the stories and characters are loosely based on real events and real people. You’ll just have to guess which ones. I hope you enjoy them.

In the Land of Opportunity

Hi, Mark. Thank you so much for coming in today. Have a seat.

She straightens out her paperwork. I sit down, eager, prepared.

I hope we didn’t give you the wrong impression. There was some miscommunication. I was out of town trying to communicate one thing and it got a little mixed up in transit.

Sure, I smile and nod, not entirely certain what she’s talking about.

I was looking for someone with experience a little closer to Jason’s.

Of course. I’m still smiling, though it probably looks like a distorted grimace now. That makes sense.

For a second, I consider walking out.

Thank you for humoring me, then. I get up, straighten out my suit and extend my arm out to shake hers politely. But I don’t have to waste any more of your time.

I stay, instead. I stay and listen to her fumble through an explanation of why I won’t be hired no matter how the ensuing interview goes.

There are more people interviewing than I have positions for.

There are a lot of qualified people looking for jobs right now. It’s a shame, because there are some great people I just can’t take on.

Naturally, I say. I look like a bobble head, nodding in agreement.

I just didn’t want you to think that we could just hire you on the spot. I mean, I wouldn’t hire anyone without meeting them first. And I still have some people to see.

Right, of course. I wasn’t expecting that.

But I was.

Are you still looking for a job? Jason’s voice had come through the telephone two days prior.

Yes!

Okay, we need to hire two people immediately. If you send me your resume by Monday, you’ll get the job. I’m 100% sure of it.

I was thrilled, but I hesitated.

Are you sure? I mean, I don’t have any of the qualifications.

Yes, trust me, he had said. She said it was fine. Just send me your resume and you’ll be hired.

I’m sitting there, deflated. I’m thinking about having to tell my friends, my parents, that the job interview I was going on that was a pretty sure thing didn’t quite pan out. I’m furious. I hate this bitch. If she bothered to ask me here for an interview, the least she could do is pretend I have a shot. I guess it’s better this way. I don’t have to wait for the mass email thanking me for my interest but the position has been filled by a more qualified candidate. They will keep my resume on file and get in touch with me if anything opens up. They thank me again.

This is my first job interview in three months. I had been nervous about it. Now I wish I had just slept in.

I’ve spent months tweaking my resume, rewriting my cover letter, searching for jobs. Psychology in Washington, DC. I apply to anything that will accept a psychology degree.

Intake Interviewer in Arlington, VA.

Addiction Counselor in Washington, DC.

Case Manager in Bethesda, MD.

Social Worker in Falls Church, VA.

Administrative assistant. Anywhere.

I don’t have to stay here. I look for jobs in my hometown. I look for jobs one city over.

Maybe I’ll move to New York.

I look for jobs one state over. Then two. I’m eventually looking through Craigslist listings in San Antonio, TX. I will move anywhere.

Willing to relocate. Can start immediately.

I will take anything.

No clinical experience. Only an $80,000 degree that is completely worthless. Immediate response desired, because I’ll be getting the bill for that degree shortly. Thank you for your consideration.