Change Of Luck

By Ken Saik

Change of Luck, once a simple campfire story of suspense and mystery, developed a self-revelation. It opened the door to a change of life, a change of love.

How the revelation changed Jerry and those to him is a different story, one yearning to be told. You interested?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Feb 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643453361

Ken Saik

              Ken Saik, retired social studies teacher with the Edmonton Public School Board, was once a member of the executive of the Alberta Teacher’s Association. During that time, he became a member of the Greater Edmonton Association, a local pressure group working to improve housing for the poor. He enrolled in their training on “engaging people for political action.” In his latest book, The Caretaker, Ken Saik uses the lessons he learned to arm Steve, the story’s protagonist, to stop Walter Kohlberg, a developer, from converting a public park into a housing development for the rich.

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Ken Saik

Change Of Luck

Copyright © 2018 Ken Saik

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Stratton Press, LLC

1603 Capitol Ave, Suite 310,

Cheyenne, WY 82001

www.stratton-press.com

1-888-323-7009

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in the work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-64345-335-4

ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-947355-79-8

ISBN (Ebook): 978-1-64345-336-1

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter One

Good move , thought Jerry.

The muscles beneath his short-sleeved white T-shirt revealed he frequently worked out at the gym. Even four years after he graduated, Jerry’s left hand sported a polished high school grad ring, the special ones awarded to honor students.

Jerry rejoiced as he recalled squeezing a dinner date from Jessica’s crowded university class schedule. Granted, he took advantage of her guilt for canceling last weekend’s plans, and Jessica, helping her aunt move back into her home after returning from the hospital, was nothing for which she should have felt apologetic. Jerry’s offer of Then make it up to me by letting me take you out for dinner was quickly snapped up.

Can we go to Character Cove on Wednesday? Believe me, you’ll fall in love with the place.

She’s right. My New York steak is so tender and juicy, and the service is excellent.

He savored another swallow from his second glass of Irish coffee.

And best of all, this place seems to be like a second home for Jessica. I can see eating here becoming a habit.

For an hour and half, Jessica and he sat, ate, and talked. Jerry soaked in her joy and creativity like it was the long awaited hot summer sun. He learned that her full-year creative spirit course mates from the university made a habit of dropping in Wednesday evenings after their class for a bite to eat, some fun, and entertainment.

As a matter of fact, they often were the entertainment. They, now known as the Hump Day Heroes, would invite their audiences to provide them with a few tidbits of information to define a character, a situation, or a setting from which they would then, after a short time, turn it into poems, short stories, and/or songs. Their audiences had grown to the extent that the manager not only began advertising their presence in the restaurant window, but he had just recently provided them and some of their regulars with a frequent diner’s club card granting the holder a 20 percent discount on their meals.

As if concluding a chat after class, Jessica glanced at her Bulova watch. Oops, gotta go if I’m going to make my next class.

She flashed a smile, blew him a kiss, turned, and disappeared out the door before Jerry realized his time was up. Her bouncing auburn ponytail held his attention until Roxy, the waitress, intruded into his savoring the last two hours.

Jerry had dated her a few times in his grade twelve year. Nothing serious. She was a redhead then and wore snugged, fitting clothes. Now her hair is short and black and the restaurant uniform hides her attractive figure. She, too, wore her honors’ grad ring.

Jessica told me that you wanted to pay for tonight’s meal, said Roxy, smiling, as if she could read Jerry’s longing for his girlfriend. And that you probably would want to be a regular, so we should offer you our frequent diner’s club card. Jessica explained that to you, did she?

Jerry nodded as he received the card, a little flyer on the promotion, and the bill.

Good. You can use it next time you come in.

Taking another sip of his Irish coffee Jerry, reviewed the bill and nodded his approval.

Drinks, meals, tip––about $75–80, just as I figured.

He reached to his right back pocket of his new jeans for his wallet. It wasn’t there. He checked the left back pocket. No. The floor, under the chair––no. Under the table. No.

That’s stupid, he thought. Where could it be?

Retracing the evening activities, he could only conclude the wallet fell out of his work slacks when he changed to go out and eat.

I hate rushing. Something’s bound to go wrong.

He shook his head and ran his fingers through his wavy combed-back black hair.

I’ve got to find a way to pay for this.

He reached for his cell and called his brother’s cell. No answer. Jerry left a message. Next, he tried his brother’s landline. Again, no answer. Again, a message was left. His brother’s work number brought no success.

Come on, Jim.

A barely audible frustrated plea escaped from Jerry’s lips as he left another message. In desperation, Jerry checked his pockets, the chair, and the floor again. No luck.

May I help you?