Sandy Supposes....

My Book is da Bomb... No Really

attempt #4 to log/save a reply to July 22nd prompt..... PROMPT: Creation Saturday! This is the cover of your next book. What's the title, who are the main characters, and what's it about? Don't forget to give us a little inside-back-jacket blurb of the author!

          Hmmm, a book you say? Okay, here's a working title for my book, Planet Retail. I plan to explore the bleak, barren wasteland of urban retail. The artificial light has a harsh glare. There is nothing but stale air and constant noise. Too many customers whine, pout, argue, stomp their feet, wave their arms, rant, rave, and curse. A rare few smile, and make a point of saying thank you.

          Philomena is a thirty-something, single, heterosexual female struggling with her managerial duties. She prefers to be addressed as Phil. The name confuses most people and she likes to knock them off center. She kinda likes to irk the mother that saddled her with this awful name, too. So what if this lame name was good enough for a saint? Phil wanted a moniker that was trendy and edgy, so Phil it is.

         While attending a design college, she manages a sewing supply store. It pays the bills plus she needs the generous discount for supplies.

         To Phil's mind, her store is a jungle. Customers lurk and loiter along pre-set paths that criss- cross the landscape. The displays and racks of merchandise replace the foliage of trees and shrubbery. At any moment, disagreements could potentially burst forth with shrieking.

         Phil sees her role as more of a referee. If only she could blow on a shrill whistle and penalize people. A penalty/ time out box would be a great asset.

          Her staff members seem to want her to be a confidante, a therapist, and a cool babysitter rolled into one. Lorenzo especially tests her tolerance and patience. He is so needy. He confided in her that he identified as gender neutral. She has no idea what this means. All she could fathom was that sometimes he came to work dressed as a female in skirts and dresses, while other times he chose to wear male clothing. More than once she had to admonish him, and remind Lorenzo of the store dress code. If he wanted to attire himself in a skirt, fine, but it had to cover delicate areas, and be more demure. He liked to test boundaries. He seemed to enjoy shocking the older female clientele.

          Company dictates frowned upon discrimination of any kind. Lorenzo was also a hypochondriac. He worried out loud about every twinge, sneeze, and tic. Phil heard it all.

         She could not judge. Recently, Adriana had requested that Phil now refer to her as Gabriel. Her new girlfriend liked this name. Gabriel thought his boss should re-introduce him to the staff and change his official paper work to reflect his new persona. Phil suggested she, Gabriel, inform her co-workers, and chat with the company PR rep.

          Ah, well it's a work in progress... Now an author blurb?

         Sandy explores the new employment landscape through the eyes of her main character, Phil. It is not her normal. This author embarks upon a journey of discovery. No one is ever too old to learn.