CINDY ROBERT enjoys writing and four-wheeling. Luckily for her, the weather is always perfect for one or the other.
the chain letter
Claire Harper had been hooked up to the Internet less than twenty-four hours when she received her first e-mail. It was a chain letter from a cousin out on the coast. It started with an apology then went on with instructions to answer various silly questions. She had answered the first twelve without much thought when she came to the last one. Instead of another question it demanded that she now make a wish. She thought, peace on earth? No, too Miss America. Health and happiness for those she loved? Well, that was a nice sentiment but this was her wish. How about being the most beautiful woman in the world? Too much upkeep. A best selling author? Of course, it was perfect! She had been trying to break into the writing market for years. This would show all those doubting Thomas' that she had talent! Of course she didn't really believe that wishes from a chain letter would come true, but to be on the safe side she went right to work on her novel. As soon as she finished mailing out her ten chain letters, that is.
It took her almost a year of working night and day, but it was worth it. She was going to be published! She had just come from signing the contract. The check from Dell Publishing, was tucked securely in her bra so that she could feel it next to her skin. Less than an hour later it would be placed in a plastic bag along with her rings and watch.
Her death, though strange, was at least instantaneous. "She never even knew what hit her," people would chuckle when her name would come up. Even the news anchor at channel 9 had to bite her tongue when she read the story for the first time on the 11:00 o'clock news.
"Aspiring new author dies suddenly when hit with a passing plane's... uh...waste."
It wasn't put quite so eloquently when talked about around water coolers in the days to come.
The story might have died out sooner, but 20/20 brought in an expert to calculate the odds of one person walking on a crowded street and getting whacked by a piece of crap from 12,000 feet (to Barbara Walters credit, she maintained a professional demeanor through out the entire segment).
A week after the incident Entertainment Tonight had an exclusive interview with a passenger from flight 213 who claimed to be the man in the can.
The publishers at Dell decided to cash in on all the free publicity and released Claire's book in record time. It reached the top ten list in its second week out. The book was titled, Be Careful What You Wish For.
Too bad she hadn't wished for world peace.
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© 2003 Cindy Robert
