Regular readers know I love short stories, and dedicate an entire week in April to reviewing them. I love them even more when my friends write them—and receive rewards for doing so!
My former colleague and current friend Helen Liptak has done just that, taking runner-up in a recent short story contest for Funny Pearls, a British humo(u)r website dedicated to publishing women writers. She won the prize (and, as she told me, some pounds) for her story “Just Another Slow Day at the Diner.”
It’s a very humorous story, told as a frame story. The events are anything but “another slow day,” as the narrative weaves in some international espionage and even Albert Einstein.
The setting is clearly the early years of postwar America, when bored diner waitresses file their nails on the counter while popping gum and serving “java.” There are references to pin-ups and foreign spies, and lots of sassy dialogue from even sassier broads.
The sassy broads in this story turn out to be a couple of unlikely heroines, but I won’t spoil the ending.
Helen possesses a real gift for writing, especially what might be called “period” pieces, and she really captures the essence of this vaguely-late-1940s era time period (she did teach History, after all). There’s also a cinematic quality to this story, as her descriptions of really bring the not-so-boring diner to life.
I’ve asked Helen if she has an author’s website or blog, but she tells me it is still in the works. I’ll keep you posted.
In the meantime, enjoy “Just Another Slow Day at the Diner.”
The Portly Politico 
Thanks for the link, Port. Just clicked it up now.
I’m not sure about the ‘site dedicated to women writers’ though. If you’re good enough, surely you’ll publish anywhere? Sorry, I’m not a fan of identity politics.
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I agree, but H.L.L. is one on our side; let her enjoy the victory. She won some recognition and pounds for her talents, which is good news enough.
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Indeed. I’m just annoyed because someone has parked in our space, right in front of our house, and I don’t know who it is. Grrrr!
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Time to start pushing. : D
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Fun read! Reminded me of Mickey Spillane, lol!
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I just remembered an old Star Trek episode where they land on a planet where the people/society are following the trajectory of America but using our idioms and colloquilisms from the 40s and 50s. So much so, Capt. Kirk and the ‘away’ team, lol, have trouble understanding them, lol.
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But I bet Kirk slept with them? He was an interplanetary gigolo.
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Nope! The ‘heart throb’ was a Salvation Army lady – Christian. Poor Kirk.
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Poor Kirk, indeed. I’m sure he got his fill on some other planet, though.
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Wouldn’t you be, too, in his position? Making it with extraterrestrial babes in galaxies far, far away. I wonder if there were a bunch of half-human Kirklings running around on all those distant planets.
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Ha! I love how a lot of episodes of _Star Trek_ are just, “Let’s use whatever costumes, sets, and props we have leftover from this other show/movie and make a story out of it.”
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Yes! Very much that kind of feel.
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So was Jean Simmons in Guys and Dolls and look how that ended. ;\
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Thanks, Tyler, You’re a peach.
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And you’re a real sassy broad!
Haha, just kidding. You’re great, Lindy. Keep on writing! Can’t wait to purchase your first short story collection. ; D
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