This delightful and enchanting story was chosen to appear in Bright Light Multimedia's latest anthology,

“Speaking of Love”.

For your pleasure and perusal, we present an extract from ...
 

When Love Strikes

“You don’t look right.”

Bill turned his head to the left, cocked his chin up, tightened his lips, and gave an evil stare at the woman who just said that to him.  Who did this woman think she was?  Talking like that to a complete stranger. 

“This is why I don’t walk to work,” Bill thought to himself, “Nuts.  These people are all nuts.”

 “I know you heard me,” the woman said again.

Bill grabbed his tie and pulled it.  He hated the thought of talking to someone and not having his tie perfectly aligned.

“Do I know you?” Bill said to the woman.  “Now, before you open your mouth again, why don’t you stop for a minute and think.  You shouldn’t talk to people you don’t know.  But, since we are talking now, want to know something funny?”

“I’d love nothing more,” the woman replied.

“If I wanted to, I could make two phone calls and have you not only arrested for harassment, but I could sue you for every penny you probably aren’t worth.”

Bill felt great.  He loved talking to people like that.  He was one of the best lawyers in town and took pride in beating people down with words.  He waited a few minutes, staring at the woman, hoping to see tears.  Tears always made him feel even better.

“That’s nice,” the woman replied. She turned and looked forward.  No tears.

 Bill sighed.  He wanted tears.

After a recent doctor’s appointment, Bill started walking to work three days a week.  The heat, the people, and losing the comfort of his expensive car, made him even more miserable than he usually was.  And, now, this lady had gotten under his skin.

He stopped walking again and turned to face the woman, “That’s it?  You have nothing else to say?”

“Not really.  I was going to offer you a drink of my water because you are wearing that heavy suit in the heat and your face is all red and sweaty.”

The woman swooped left and walked by him.

Bill watched and felt like a jerk.  The woman was being nice and he had talked to her like that.

“Ma’am,” he said, touching her shoulder. 

The woman turned.

“I’m terribly sorry for that incident a moment ago, it was not my intention to offend you, it’s just that the ...”

“Please, be quiet,” the woman said.

She again turned away from Bill and walked.  This was unheard of for Bill.  People didn’t walk away from him, unless of course, they were afraid.  But this woman wasn’t.  She looked past his suit, his tie, his sense of greatness, and just walked away.

Bill loved challenges.  And there was something intriguing about the woman.  Maybe it was her kind gesture, or maybe her quick, simple words, but he liked her.

He charged up again to grab her shoulder.  This time he was smiling and was working on something smooth to say.  Before he could try, she stopped and spun around with her finger in the air.

“Now you are harassing me.  I could make a couple of phone calls too, you know.”

“Oh yea?  And who would you call?”

“Doesn’t matter.  You don’t have to be some big shot lawyer to call people.”

“I’m a lawyer?  What makes you think that?”

“Because you think you’re better than everyone else.”

“Ouch,” Bill thought. 

Then the woman walked away again!

“What’s your name?” he yelled to her.

“What’s yours?” she yelled back, still walking away.

“I’m Bill.”

“Nice to meet you, Billy!”

She turned a corner and was gone.  
 

The complete story can now be found in Bright Light Multimedia’s latest publication
Speaking of Love
- positive and uplifting short stories and poems about romance, marriage and true love -

Click here for more information 

Editor: "When Love Strikes" is a wonderful story – in fact, we like it so much, we chose it to go into our book about the joys and wonder of love – “Speaking of Love”. If you know someone who enjoys feeling good all over, then this is the perfect present for them. Remember you deserve to feel happy too. Why not give yourself the gift that keeps on giving – “Speaking of Love”.
 

 
Kiss in the Park Giclee Print
Xuereb, Leslie
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Reviews (applause received)   

Liss   United States
"Loved the short! Sweet and uplifting! Bravo!"
 

Jodi MacArthur   United States
"These both are amazing, Jim. Good work! I look forward to more."
 

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