Character Interview with Carlos—The Art of Getting Away

The
Art of Getting Away
by 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 pies
and
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.

Contacts: