The Phone Call
Story prompted by a real incident
I was walking through the village when an odd engine noise alerted me to a lorry moving slowly and weaving on the road. I realised the driver was texting and not paying attention to his driving, so got the company number and emailed them to complain. They never responded but the incident prompted this story - which is PURE FICTION. It did NOT happen.
Pop Up Shop
"That new butcher's shop is great," Ann enthused as we left it and crossed the road. "It's so much cheaper than the other one. And it's good quality too."
I nodded, moving over slightly as the pavement narrowed, so we could continue walking side by side.
"It hasn't been around long but it's getting a lot of custom," she continued. "These pop up shops have only appeared since the recession." I nodded again. A conversation with Ann tended to be rather one-sided but it meant I didn't have to think of a response very often, which is why the odd engine noise caught my attention. I looked up.
"That driver's texting," Ann said indignantly. She must have noticed the engine sound too. And as we watched, the lorry drifted across the road. "That's disgraceful," she exploded. I could see the mobile phone in the driver's hand as he held the wheel and texted simultaneously. The lorry drifted back to our side and we looked around nervously for an escape route in case it came up onto the pavement. But the driver must have completed his text, for he stopped alongside the shop we had just left and jumped out to make a delivery.
"Come on," Ann urged, "Let's go and tell him he shouldn't do that." And she marched back into the shop and started to remonstrate with the driver, who was talking to the manager.
"Not me," said the driver, then "Prove it," he was starting to get angry and I pulled Ann out into the street to avoid a confrontation.
"Here, I said, "That's the company phone number on the side of the lorry's door." I pulled out my phone and called the company as we walked away from the shop. The manager was very interested and wanted all the details of where and when but I wouldn't give my name and address, I didn't want an angry lorry driver arriving at my door!
A few days later, Ann phoned me to say that the new butcher's shop was closed and the police were there. She said more of course but that was the gist of the story and we went back to using the usual butcher's shop and paying a bit more for our meat.
A few months later, Ann burst in through the door, waving the newspaper, "Did you see it?" she shouted. She didn't wait for an answer but spread the paper out on my table, opened to an inside page, with a photograph of the lorry driver and the pop up shop's manager and a few others in court. I skimmed the page. It seems the lorry was delivering meat to shops that were not on its delivery schedule and the pop up shops were being used to sell stolen meat at low prices and were opening and closing as people complained or got suspicious. The delivery company knew the meat was being stolen but hadn't been able to find out how.
The last paragraph of the newspaper story read, "The scam came to light when a member of the public phoned to complain about the delivery driver texting while driving, which is of course illegal, and the time and place did not match the delivery schedule."
Image Credit » https://pixabay.com/en/beautiful-business-smartphone-15742/ by PublicDomainPictures
Comments
bestwriter wrote on July 15, 2015, 2:27 AM
Its time you did some sleuthing around. Suits you by the mode this story has taken. Good Luck.
Paulie wrote on July 15, 2015, 2:38 AM
Thisa is a very interesting story and you should have it published where it would get more views.
inertia4 wrote on July 15, 2015, 6:13 AM
That was an interesting story. Too bad that sins really happen in real life. But there are lots of scams in this world. It is a shame.
1VinceSummers wrote on July 15, 2015, 9:36 AM
Sounds like you enjoy fiction writing. I might have tried it once, but decided against it. I see you have used as your image that same woman all the universe is using. The photo is appropriate, but don't you wish they'd use someone else for once? I'm kind of tired of looking at her!
MegL wrote on July 15, 2015, 9:58 AM
I'll have to see if I can find a different image then. She is definitely not me!
CoralLevang wrote on July 15, 2015, 11:41 AM
Interesting twist! I have a difficult time trying to think of a fiction story. Good for you!
1Ruby3881 wrote on July 15, 2015, 7:56 PM
Great short story! I love that you took an event from your life and spiced it up a bit :)
1Ruby3881 wrote on July 15, 2015, 7:57 PM
She ought to be writing murder mysteries. What do you think, Grace?
1bestwriter wrote on July 15, 2015, 8:02 PM
Murder mysteries do need 'Sherlock Holmes' and she can do that too in the story.
1Ruby3881 wrote on July 15, 2015, 9:10 PM
Sherlock Holmes is OK - better if played by Benedict Cumberbatch - but I quite liked Brother Cadfael, myself
DWDavisRSL wrote on July 15, 2015, 10:20 PM
I enjoyed your story. Writing short "I got you" stories can be a lot of fun and a way to work out stress and anger.
1cheri wrote on July 17, 2015, 5:14 AM
Something good or bad cab trigger someone to write good stories to share.
msiduri wrote on July 18, 2015, 8:43 PM
I enjoyed this. I liked the contrast between reality and fiction as well.
SebastianOnciu wrote on July 24, 2015, 12:36 PM
That is an interesting story, indeed. I guess that from on I will pay more attention to the lorries passing by because I'm convinced there are irresponsible drivers who are not fully focused on driving, and they are a real danger for our lives!
AliCanary wrote on July 27, 2015, 5:55 PM
Aha! The best revenge is writing a good story!