Although I did not win, I wanted to thank everyone that did vote for me. It was such a fun short story for me to write, and it sure did bring back a very fond memory. As promised, below is the short story for your reading pleasure. As you can see, I placed the second runner-up in my category. As I continue to write, I am currently on chapter 10 of my second book titled “Overcoming Adversity Being An Aspie.” Many of you may or may not know that my son was diagnosed early with Asperger’s. As a result of his early diagnosis, he went on to finish college. I hope to share my story along with many of the emotional challenges he overcame along the way. He continues to surprise me every day, and we should be so thankful that this world has bright and unique minds that live amongst us.
Motivational & Inspirational
WINNER: Between Life and Death by Azmat
RUNNER-UP 1: The Simple Impediment by Hassan Rauf
RUNNER-UP 2: Three Blonde Wigs by Henderson
Three Blonde Wigs
By: Candace Webb Henderson
How three blonde wigs brought twin sisters closer and developed a deep, lasting friendship remains to be part of our family. There are those friends that are indeed one of life’s great joys. I know I have several of those friends in my life, making me laugh till my stomach hurts. They are always there in times of sorrow or just when I am having a bad day. Whether you met when you were in grade school or college, work, you are just so happy to have found someone to be yourself around.
Growing up in a small town can have its advantages and disadvantages. I suppose what I mean by that is the small-town mentality that taught me the importance of finding great friends who get you, and to this day, those friends are still my friends. You learn that it is okay to be you, and it does not matter how much money you have. It is not how beautiful you are but who you are on the inside that counts. Now where the disadvantages come in are fewer well-paying jobs and lack of entertainment. What you do not know outside of your small town and having your family should be enough for some people. But for me, it was not, and I always had an adventurous side to my personality. There have been moments in my life when I have been confronted with inevitable situations that may or may not have led me astray. Some good and some may have been bad choices; however, these life experiences have made me a better person. I suppose that is why I packed my clothes in garbage bags, loaded them in my car, and headed to Long Beach, California, where I would live and find happiness at the young age of twenty-two.
Two very hard-working parents brought me up. My father, Ron, was a full-time printer associate at R&S Printing, and my mother, Joan, was a registered nurse. She worked for a family practitioner in town, and everyone knew her and called her nurse Joni. Our family was considered your average middle class. I was not an only child, as I have a fraternal twin sister, Connie. While you would think that there are benefits to having twins, there are challenges in caring for two babies, especially with both parents working. However, having great neighbors to share the help and lend a helping hand eased the burden on my mom and dad. The Browns were our second family that lived next door.
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