Hometown Monday
B is for Brian and others
We are continuing this of series of posts of excerpts from the novels, novellas, and short stories of "The Homeplace Series" Family Saga story-telling, with a new twist. We have adopted a format from the: "
Blogging From A to Z Challenge." Each week we will share a published except related to a person whose name begins with that letter.
This series of posts is to provide an insight into the story lines that may not be clear from other promotional pieces about "The Homeplace Series." These will also be coordinated with the content of the
developmental Wiki, "Beyond the Books" - to expand the information available there, as well. [Links in the text, below, provide more information on that person or entity]
Today we look at B. For B, we have:
Beth (Young) McDonald - this is Mildred's mother - we'll look at her more in the future
Brian Kirk - let's look at an excerpt of his, today.
An excerpt from "The Homeplace Revisited" from Saturday, August 31, 1996:
Brian arrived at Christopher’s office right at noon. After exchanging pleasantries, they took Christopher’s car to the
Country Club for a private lunch. As they walked in together,
Christopher realized that the two of them actually looked a lot alike. They both were about the same height and build. They were each dressed in open collar shirt and slacks that could have come from the same closet. They each had neatly combed brown hair and similar smiles. Brian had darker eyebrows, a more prominent nose and slightly smaller ears, if you bothered to look real close.
Their conversation was typical of young lawyers, each seeking to identify persons they knew in common as a way of feeling out the other person’s thoughts, motives, and manner of approach.
They each ordered the half turkey sandwich and vegetable soup with a Diet Coke. That was encouraging, Christopher mused.
Christopher asked Brian why he would consider leaving the corporate firm in St. Louis for much less money for this opportunity in Oak Springs, the obvious question. Brian talked of the constant pressure of partners and corporate clients, they always wanted work done faster and didn’t really seem to care all that much if it was done really well… just done yesterday. The hours became unbelievable, he said. He also missed his father. In law school, with the pressure to get done, it hadn’t been a problem. But now, when life was supposed to be about some balance between ‘home and family’ and work – there was no ‘home and family’ time. There was no time for a social life, at all. When he wasn’t working, he was exhausted, and feeling he should be at work or he would be considered a failure.
They discussed the pressures and life of working in the small town firm, with the uncertainties there as well. They also talked about life in the small town and living in the southern Missouri Ozarks with all of the outdoor activities available. They talked of Sunday always being ‘home and family’ time, as well as most Saturdays, and most evenings. It was up to you. You needed to get in your billable work, but it was manageable, and there would be the three of them to work together and share the workload.
“That honestly sounds heavenly, Christopher,” Brian replied. “I am a hard worker, a very competent lawyer. I just need a change of scene, and this sounds remarkable, and very timely. I’d sure like to give it a try.”
"May each of us have a Homeplace to hold onto, if only in our minds."
Bill ;-)
