Pat Ritter. Books

[patritter]

'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 34:


A Most Dangerous Person.

The message was clear: drop in at 21 Barry Street on your way to work; a father has a baby in the house. There was no mention of firearms; however, for a reason only known to the detective, he slipped his Smith and Wesson revolver into the back portion of his trousers, held tight by his belt.
When he approached the address his Boss was standing on the footpath, ‘you got your gun.’ His Boss commanded. Immediately the detective felt the cold steel of his revolver pressed between his back and the leather belt he wore and nodded.
They walked side by side slowly to the front porch of the house. The front door opened. A man stood holding an infant child in his left arm and a M1 carbine rifle in the other, ‘piss off coppers – I want my wife.’ He screamed at the two officers. He looked upset.
Without blinking an eyelid the detective moved his right hand behind his back and clasped his fingers around the handle of his revolver, slowly moving his index finger to the trigger. The man with the gun raised the rifle and pointed the end of the barrel, an inch away, directly in front of the detective’s forehead.
‘I want my wife.’ He screamed at the two officers.
‘We’ll get her – just stay calm.’ Words quivered from the Boss’s lips.
The detective stood erect looking directly into the assailant eyes, his fingers curled around the butt of his revolver, his index finger on the trigger, ready to draw the pistol from behind his back at any second.
‘Then bloody well get her here now! I want to see her.’ The gunman screamed.
‘Alright, we’ll bring her back.’ Both police officers retreated. The last they saw of the gunman he returned inside of the house with the infant child still in his arms.
Within four hours, members of the elite Emergency Squad arrived to try and talk the gunman into surrender, to no avail. The gunman’s mother with a policewoman finally persuaded the gunman to surrender and release his child.
When the detective interviewed the gunman, his reason he pointed a M1 Carbine Rifle to the detective’s forehead was, ‘I wanted to scare you.’ He certainly carried out his desire. When the police searched the home of the gunman, they discovered 200 hundred rounds of M1 Carbine ammunition and two .22 calibre rifles and 100 rounds of ammunition.
Afterwards the detective realised how close he had came to death, when the gunman pointed the barrel of the M1 Carbine Rifle only an inch from his forehead. The barrel of the rifle appeared to him at the time to be the size of a cannon. The gunman was a most dangerous person.
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[patritter]

'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 35:

The Caravan Park.

Alone she slept in a rented caravan. Life had dealt her one of those hands which she hoped wouldn’t land on her lap for sometime. She was lonely and exhausted. To stay overnight at a caravan park was somewhat beneath her status. She’d fought with her parents and wanted to escape. These domestic disputes had been going on for sometime and her only escape was to leave the family home to see if she could cope by herself. It was a test she wasn’t prepared for; only time would tell what the outcome would become.
When she awoke the next morning, stretched, she realised she needed to visit the bathroom. Usually her bathroom was an en suite in her bedroom at home. This en suite was a walk from her rented caravan to a community toilet block, a distance of forty metres. She’d slept in the clothing she’d worn when she booked into the caravan park the previous night. To make matters worse she didn’t carry any luggage, only her purse and mobile telephone.
She lifted herself from the soft uncomfortable mattress she slept on, placed her bare feet on the floor, thinking how cold her feet felt. She stood upright and knocked her head on the overhead cupboard. Tears trickled from her eyes. She sobbed but needed to visit the toilet urgently.
Feeling around the floor, she found her shoes, slipped them on, tried to gather herself together by combing her hair with her fingers. She felt dirty and uncouth. Opening the small door, she escaped into daylight.
‘Hi there neighbour.’ A male voice sung to her.
She looked from where the voice come from and saw an old man waving, ‘you okay?’ His voice warm and tender, in a way this person reminded her of her father.
She burst into tears, cupped her hands around her face, and sobbed. The old man didn’t known what to do, he walked toward her. ‘Can I help you?’ He softly asked and placed his arm around her trembling shoulders.
Between tears and sobbing she said, ‘I’ve run away from home.’
‘Where is home?’ He asked kindly.
‘Brisbane.’ She muttered.
‘You are a long way from home.’ The old man suggested. ‘Come with me and my wife will help you.’ They walked to the caravan next door to meet the stranger’s wife. After consoling with his wife, she telephoned her parents and later met them at the caravan park.
For the remainder of her life she never forget the kindness given to her by two elderly people she’d never met before who lived at a caravan park.
Word count: 441
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[patritter]

Thank you dub for your thanks. I appreciate it. Now for today's story: 'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 36:

The Bookshop.

Unfortunately the local bookshop we are used to visiting and browsing to find the book of our choice is coming to a close. Instead, we now trawl the internet to find an e-book. For those people who do not know about the e-book, it is an electronic book, not dissimilar to a paperback capable of being read from a computer or an e-book reader.
How has the written word come to this with readers? For a start it is easier for the author to publish their book as an e-book. Once the e-book is published, it is sent off into cyberspace for customers to search the internet to choose an e-book to read, by means of a computer, e-book reader, mobile telephone and any other devise to store a book.
It is a simple process. For example: the website www.smashwords.com is a website an author can upload the manuscript, attach a front cover to form an e-book. This book is circulated via affiliated e-book distributors such as – Amazon; Apple; Diesel; Kobo and many others.
Another important fact which helps the e-book is the price. Prices range from free, to whatever price the author wishes to sell their book. On researching this area, two dollars and fifty cents is a medium price for an e-book consisting of three hundred and fifty pages. Any e-book reader can hold up to three hundred and fifty books at any one time.
In the traditional publishing world of books, the author searched for a publisher to publish their work. Not only was this a time consuming way to publish a book, but after the book was published and released much promotion was needed to be carried out by the author.
Another disadvantage for the author publishing with the traditional publisher was the amount of money the author received after their book went onto the open market. Normally the author received 10% royalty from sales which over the years has decreased to 6%.
In regard to an e-book, the author receives 80% of the sales whilst the distributor receives 20%. If the author sells their e-books for $2.65c, which is the average price, the author receives $2.12c per sale. On the other hand if the author was published by a traditional publisher, the book would need to sell for more than $22.00 for the author to receive a similar royalty.
Another advantage for the e-book is; it is distributed across the globe to each country in the world. Almost all countries have the internet and if a customer has the internet they have access to e-books.
There is a strong argument to suggest the next generation, our great grandchildren, would never have heard of a bookshop.
Word count: 455

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[patritter]

Thank you dub for your thanks. Here is the story for today: 'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 37:

The Life Of A Carrot.

Terrance and Pat were two small seeds in amongst many seeds, encased in a packet with the words ‘carrot seeds’ printed in bright red lettering.
‘Why are we here Terrance?’ Pat asked his friend.
‘Hopefully some kind gardener will buy us and take us home so we can grow to become big carrots like our parents.’ He shared.
‘What are we – exactly?’ Pat asked in an inquisitive voice.
‘Don’t you know?’
‘Why would I ask if I knew what we were?’
‘We’re carrot seeds – that’s what we are.’
‘Ah, we’re carrot seeds – what is it exactly what we do?’
‘We’re planted in the ground to grow, people eat us.’ Terrance tried to explain, ‘look Pat that little old lady is picking up our packet.’ Terrance shouted.
‘Why do people eat us Terrance?’ Pat’s voice quivered and shook being thrown about inside of the packet.
‘Because we’re a vegetable – that’s why. We’re good for people’s health - makes them see well?’ Terrance related to his friend after they stopped from being tossed about.
‘There’s light, Terrance. What’s going to happen with us now? Have aliens taken us?’ Pat voiced with concern.
‘No look, this lovely lady is putting us into the dirt……away we go – down into the dirt.’ Terrance screamed.
‘Where are you Terrance – its dark down here?’ Pat was concerned about his friend.
‘I’m over here, not far away. We’ll grow together and even could end up on the same plate for supper.’ Terrance was excited about his future, he knew if his owner gave him a drink of water every couple of days and fertiliser, he would grow into a huge carrot.
‘I’m pleased we’re close together – I’d miss you if you were on the other side of the garden.’ Pat expressed to his friend. They’d known one another since they were small seeds in a pod.
Time went by, eventually Terrance and Pat grew into huge carrots, ‘what’d think now Pat, we’ve grown and almost ready for picking.’ Terrance shouted to his friend.
‘Yeah, we’ve grown tall haven’t we? When we are picked, would you do me one small favour Terrance?’ Pat asked
‘Anything, whatever you want.’ Terrance agreed.
‘Make certain I’m the first carrot eaten. I don’t want to be left behind.’
Word count: 383.
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[patritter]

'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 38:

Walk Safely And Carry A Big Fish.

Midnight was closing in fast. The detective had had a quiet night by any stretch of the imagination. His afternoon shift was almost finished. He wanted to go home. His patrol ended at the top pub in town.
When he commenced his shift his Boss told him to be on the lookout for a young woman with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH printed on the front of her shirt. A canary carrying a fish was embroidered underneath these words. She was seen leaving a store without paying for a stainless steel mug.
Walking in the front entrance of the top pub his eyes focused on a young woman leaving. Words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH glared him in the face.
‘Excuse me, I’m with the police. Can I have a talk with you for a moment?’ The detective implied.
‘About what?’ The young woman pronounced.
‘We received a complaint this afternoon from a storekeeper, a woman similar in description to you, with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH embroidered on the front of her shirt, was seen leaving the store carrying a stainless steel mug. She left without paying for the item. Would you come with me to the police station please?’ The officer asked kindly.
‘I want a solicitor.’ She announced.
‘We will arrange a solicitor for you.’
She went with the detective to the police station. A local solicitor came to the detective’s office and spoke with his client.
‘You’ve got the wrong person.’ He told the detective.
‘Do you think I come down in the last shower? How many young women wear a shirt with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH embroidered on the front of their shirt?’ The detective implied. ‘Do you have a motor vehicle?’ He asked the accused.
‘Yes, it’s parked outside of the hotel.’ She replied.
‘Then you have no objections if I search your vehicle in the presence of your solicitor and yourself.’
‘Go right ahead. I didn’t steal anything.’ She began to sob.
They drove to the accused vehicle and she was asked to open the boot. It was dark and no light came on in the compartment. The detective felt around the compartment and his hand felt a cold steel mug. He took it from the boot and showed it to the accused.
‘You don’t need me any longer.’ The solicitor replied and left.
‘You should have walked slowly and carried a big fish rather than steal this mug.’ The detective said.
Word count: 434
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'Awesome - OMR - Stories' - Page 39:

Economy – As If People Matter.

Demand and supply has become the highs and lows of the Australian commodities, such as iron ore and recently coal deposits. If sufficient sales and supply is available, everyone wins. On the other hand, if either factor is missing, there is either a depression or recession.
In the early 70’s Australia were rich in iron ore deposits. Iron ore was sold to Japan and other countries at $50.00 per ton and in return Australia purchased motor vehicles and white goods imported from these countries at a cost of twenty-five times more than they received for the iron ore.
Australia is and always has been rich in mineral deposits. For instance, the present coal mining boom. Many people I know work in a coal mine, travel nine hours drive from where they live. The demand for work against the supply of wages is economically sound.
For one, the prize is great. People are earning more than triple their normal wage if they work for a mining company. Advertisement on television by the government draws workers to the mines seeking tradespeople, drivers, or labourers. In the future the mining boom will need another twenty-five thousand workers to keep pace with the production of coal as an export sourced by countries such as China and Russia.
How does this economic boom affect people?
Families are affected when their main breadwinner is absent up to three weeks at one time.
Let’s take the position of a breadwinner. He or she leaves home to travel nine hours by vehicle to start work in a couple of hours from when they arrive at the mine. The location is miles from any town. The breadwinner works twelve hours per shift, rests for twelve hours, either sleeping or eating and then re-commences their shift. This goes on for seven days.
At the end of their seventh day, they leave work after completing twelve hours working three kilometres underground and drive nine hours to their home reaching it at either daylight or daybreak.
Does it affect family values?
In one case I know, the breadwinner is absent at times up to a month without seeing his wife and children. His wife becomes the double parent and with four male children under the age of nine years, at times, gives the mother certain disadvantages of being a lone parent.
When the breadwinner visits his home, he’s too worn out to care and mopes around until its time to return to the mines. Is it an escape? I don’t think so.
Economically the family are financially better off when the breadwinner is working and collecting a wage far in access to what the family was used to before the breadwinner worked in the mine. I suppose its like – you can have the cake and eat it too.’
Word count: 474
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[patritter]

'Awesome - OMR - Stores' - Page 40:

A Letter From An Old Flame.

‘I’ll check the letter box.’ I called to my wife after I parked the car in the garage. We’d returned from our vacation.
The usual mail – mainly bills and one envelope addressed to me stood out from the others. It was a neat handwriting which I didn’t recognize. It had a postmark of Beachmere, a suburb only twenty minutes drive from my home.
Anxious to know what it contained I ripped open the envelope and pulled a folded letter from inside. My eyes fastened to the address and name. It was addressed from a friend I’d known more than forty years ago. We’d been acquainted. She was sixteen and I seventeen at the time.
Isn’t it strange how these times of your life come back to bite you on the bum? My sister visited us on our vacation and produced photographs of when I was in my teens. One of the photographs showed me with my arm around the waist of a young girl. ‘Do you remember her; she was one of your first true loves.’ My sister eagerly told my wife and me. A flush of red covered my face with shame.
The letter was sent by this same person. I hadn’t seen nor heard from her in over forty years. She explained she wanted to catch-up-with-me again and hope we could take over from where we left off.
Her husband bashed her throughout their marriage and she’d finally left him.
Memories flooded back forty years. I placed the letter inside my pocket and instantly forget about receiving it. Should I tell my wife?
‘What mail did you get?’ My wife asked when I met her in the kitchen.
‘Bills…and ah a letter from the person you saw in the photo my sister showed you the other night.’ I was calm, butterflies erupted in my stomach.
‘What did it say?’ My wife looked at me with sharp eyes piecing into mine. I didn’t feel guilty. It was a long time ago and to receive this letter today after returning home from a holiday like a second honeymoon. It wasn’t fair.
‘She wanted to catch up with me and hope we could take over from where we left off.’ I stated calmly.
‘She did! Did she! You can write and tell her you’re already taken and no old flame is going to get you back, Right!’
I totally understood.
I never did reply to the letter but it was a great lift for my ego to think a girl contacted me after forty years. Life was more simple back then.
Word count: 439.
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK PLEASE CLICK ONTO THIS LINK: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120881.