Opening Acts

Many of life’s experiences happen as if they were staged, progressing steadily toward a final concluding act. However, circumstances can change and some real-life dramas never get past the first act; or they may pause for a brief intermission before resuming. This can apply to relationships, work assignments, or even the weather.

Jim had been seeing Leah for six months and he thought they were the perfect couple. Leah was attractive, smart, and affectionate. While sitting on the couch with his arm draped around Leah’s shoulders, Jim felt confident that they had a future together. But later that evening, Leah had ended their relationship, leaving Jim shocked and devastated. As he stood outside in the cold December air watching Leah drive away, Jim failed to notice a slick patch of ice on his sidewalk. When he turned to go back into the house, Jim had slipped and crashed to the ground, hitting his head on the sidewalk.

Slowly, the brain fog that was hampering Jim’s ability to think began to clear. He had no idea what had happened but as his senses slowly came back online, Jim could feel his head starting to throb. Faintly, he heard a voice calling to him.

“Are you awake, Jim? Open your eyes if you can hear me.

Fighting off a wave of nausea, Jim did as he was told, hoping to see Leah. Instead, he found himself looking up at a guy he didn’t recognize. As Jim started to sit up, he instantly regretted it as a stab of pain shot up his right side. The voice told him that he should lie still and take deep breaths.

“Who are you and where am I?” asked Jim who was now fully awake and very confused.

“I’m Allen, your nurse. It’s Wednesday and you’re in Midway Hospital. Last night you took a bad fall on a patch of ice and ended up breaking some ribs. You may also have a concussion. Fortunately, a neighbor saw you and called 911. When you were brought in you were semi-conscious and mumbling someone’s name. Your personal belongings are in the cabinet in back and there’s a glass of water on your tray. Any questions before I go?”

“How long do I have to stay here”

“If your test results are OK, you can go home this afternoon.”

Sounds good thought Jim. “Say Allen, before you leave, could you see if my phone is with my stuff?” After a quick search, Allen found Jim’s phone, handed it to him, and gave him some advice. “You know, if you do have a concussion, it might take a while for your memory to completely return. Just be patient and try to rest.”

After Allen left, the painkillers Jim had been given kicked in and he started feeling better. He immediately recalled his breakup with Leah and the feeling of loss he had experienced as he watched her leave. However, there was something else that Jim knew was important but he couldn’t quite bring it into focus. It wasn’t until early afternoon that he remembered the project meeting he had attended on Tuesday. And the bombshell that had been dropped by the team’s design engineer.

For an upcoming field trial, the design team was making major changes to an existing product. Changes that would require a complete revision of the product’s user manual. And as the lead technical writer for the project, Jim had committed to delivering a preliminary version of that manual by the end of the week.

Jim pushed back against the urge to panic. Maybe he could get some additional time so he decided to call Jennifer, the manager who assigned his projects. He explained his situation but unfortunately, Jennifer was not entirely sympathetic. “I’m sorry Jim but we need that preliminary manual by noon on Friday. Do you want me to assign the project to another writer?” Jim had quickly said no. He knew that if he wanted to keep his job, he had to do his job, despite the circumstances.

Friday found Jim at home, scrambling to complete his assignment. Even though his head was pounding and his ribs were killing him, Jim had worked all day Thursday and then well into the night, stopping only briefly to catch a few hours of sleep. He had resumed working early Friday morning and by midmorning he had finished revising the text and then started working on several drawings that required updating.

As the minutes ticked by, Jim worked furiously and it was nearly noon before he called Jennifer. “The preliminary user manual is done. Should I send it to you?”

“Hi Jim. I was just going to call you. The field trial has been canceled so a preliminary manual is no longer needed. However, I have another project for you. Stop by my office when you come in on Monday and we’ll talk about it. Hope you’re feeling better. Bye.”

Arrrrgh! Jim slumped into his chair as he realized that his efforts to produce a preliminary manual had been a total waste of time. It had been a grueling experience that left him physically and mentally exhausted and even a bit angry. However, he saved all his work because Jim knew from experience that a dead project could suddenly come back to life.

As Jim struggled to make sense of the events of the past week, the pain in his side reminded him of something he needed to do. Jim got up to get some salt to spread on his slippery front sidewalk. But when he got outside, he discovered his sidewalk was perfectly dry. While he was in the hospital, the weather had warmed up just enough to melt the ice. The early freeze followed by a thaw was apparently just the opening act of the winter that had not yet arrived.

As he turned to go back into the house, Jim heard a soft ping. Glancing at his phone, he saw he had a message from Leah. “Jim, I made a mistake. Can I come over? Please.”

Jim quickly texted a one-word reply. “YES.”

About the author

name: Dean Eisfelder

Dean Eisfelder is a retired technical writer who spent most of his working career producing hardware, software, and process publications. He is currently a member of the Riverview Library Writers’ Group and writes mainly for personal enjoyment. His works include historical narratives, family history, personal memoirs, short stories and a mystery novel. The encouragement he received from his fellow writers has given him the confidence to pursue his interest in creative writing.