The Art of Getting Awayby Nicole Sorrell is a companion short story to her series The Art of Living. The main character is Carlos, who lives in the small Midwestern town of Clantonville, Missouri, where he grew up. He’s thirty-four years old, and has one younger brother, Zac.
The story occurs when Carlos takes a vacation at Table Rock Lake. There he meets a sassy girl he calls Andie.
Let’s listen in as Carlos answers a few questions:
Q: “What is your superpower?”
Carlos: “I’d have to say cars. I can fix almost anything wrong with them. I’ve been hanging around my Uncle Jose’s garage since I was a teenager, and I’ve worked for him full time for over ten years. He’s the best mechanic there is, and he’s taught me everything he knows. So if it’s broke, I can figure out how to fix it.”Q: “What’s your biggest regret?”
Carlos: “I recently lost my aunt, who was like a mother to me. My biggest regret is that I didn’t appreciate her more when she was here. My mother left when I was four, and I never saw her again until a few weeks ago. Looking back, I realize how involved my Aunt Cecilia was in my life. I wish I’d have told her more often how important she was to me, not just at the end.”
Q: “But you did get a chance to tell her?”
Carlos: “Yes, I did. She had cancer, so her death wasn’t a complete surprise. I sat with her one afternoon about a month before she passed, and told her how much she meant to me. We had a chance to remember some of the crazy things I did as a teenager when I was going through a rebellious phase. She kept me out of trouble with my dad, who was a deputy sheriff. She was always there when I needed her, with a smile, or a hug, or just to listen. It’s hard being without her now, knowing I’ll never see her again. We were really close.”
Q: “Clothes in the hamper or on the floor?”
Carlos: “It’s about fifty-fifty. I try to keep the place neat, but sometimes it gets away from me. Gets pretty messy.”
Q: “Do you have a favorite pet?”
Carlos: “I don’t have a pet. If I did, it would be a dog. A big one, like a German shepherd or a Rottweiler. One that would be good for protection, but well-trained. I hate dogs that have bad manners.”
Q: “What’s your favorite food?”
Carlos: “I like spicy food. My Aunt Marie is a great cook, and she makes the best Mexican food. I love her chicken enchiladas. She makes them with her homemade green salsa and sour cream. Delicious.”
Q: “And your favorite vacation spot?”
Carlos: “Table Rock Lake, in the Missouri Ozarks. I recently went there for vacation. I stayed in a little cabin that had a nice private beach. It was beautiful, peaceful. Real special. Even more so because of the people. You just never know who you might meet there.”
Q: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Carlos: “Funny you should ask me that. A year ago I would have said the same place I am now. I like small town life, and I like being single. I never wanted the responsibility of a wife and family, or even a pet. But lately I’m not so sure about the single part. I may reconsider that. Having children might not be so bad. You never know what the future holds.”
About the Author:
I currently reside in a rural area of the mid-west. After living in various parts of the U.S. and traveling abroad, I recently moved into the very same home where I grew up. I enjoy country living: ours is a small community, and everyone knows everybody. The culture of the city also draws me: the shopping, dining, and the opera and ballet. I love traveling, especially to other countries, and I speak Spanish. Of course I love to read, and I’m a published poet. I like baking piesand drinking ale. Oh, and I like playing cornhole, and I spend way more time than I should playing computer games.
My constant companion is a tiny Yorkshire terrier named Georgie Doodlebug. I call her GiGi. She’s my fur baby.
My constant companion is a tiny Yorkshire terrier named Georgie Doodlebug. I call her GiGi. She’s my fur baby.
Contacts:
Website: https://www.nicolesorrell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Sorrell/738100142937466
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnicolesorrell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Sorrell/738100142937466
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnicolesorrell
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Sorrell/e/B00QVRHZD6
Amazon Book Links:
Amazon Book Links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Going-Home-Living-Book-ebook/dp/B00Q5FXAHY/
The Art of Getting Away is part of the Stories of Sun, Sand and Sea collection, currently available at the links below: