Pat Ritter. Books

[patritter]

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 31:

The Lead Filled Sock Of Fate

All through my life I wondered how the lead filled sock of fate affected me. In many ways. I've been blessed to have lived the life I have. Whenever something unusual happens the lead filled sock of fate always pulled me through the disaster at the time.
To prove my point: when aged ten years old I lived in Roma. Walking home on a hot Saturday afternoon after attending a Boy Club Meeting a police vehicle pulled up beside me. The police officer asked if I wanted a lift home. With a nod I opened the door climbed inside. The police officer introduced himself Rollie Cole.
The lead filled sock of fate stepped into my life again at twenty-three years old while stationed in Queensland Police Force at Cunnamulla. One afternoon whilst on duty in walked Rollie Cole, the police officer who when I was ten gave me a lift home. At the time I couldn't believe me meeting this hero. The lead filled sock of fate worked.
Shortly after this time I met my wife. The lead filled sock of fate certainly clouted me on the head. My dream came true. We married moved to Stanthorpe. The lead filled sock of fate followed me. One evening on duty with a young police officer we attended a disturbance at a local hotel. In the laneway beside the hotel this young person relieved himself in front of a crowd. I went to arrest him, looked for my partner who returned to the police vehicle locked the doors.
Instead of making an arrest I allowed the person to leave. When I returned to the police vehicle my partner apologised. His behaviour not acceptable. We returned to the police station to have him please explain his actions.
The lead filled sock of fate stepped in again when I read in the local newspaper the death of the young person who I didn't arrest on the night. At his workplace he fell from a roof to his death. Not long afterwards the junior police officer who locked himself in the police vehicle committed an offence to be imprisoned. At this point in my life I never realised the lead filled sock of fate again helped me.
Many years later an incident happened when a deranged man placed a M1 Carbine Rifle to my forehead ready to shoot. The lead filled sock of fate quickly stepped in because after his command for me to leave. I left. Later when he finally surrendered, his Armory consisted of one hundred rounds of M1 Carbine bullets plus two hundred rounds of twenty-two calibre ammunition. I was pleased the lead filled sock of fate stopped this mad man from ending my life at thirty years old.
Twelve years on the lead filled sock of fate saved me again. This time my heart rate slowed to seventeen beats per minute instead of seventy beats. If I hadn't visited my doctor that night I would've gone to sleep forever. The lead filled sock of fate certainly took control of my life again.
Hopefully the lead filled sock of fate continues to take control of my life for I have too much living to do before I pass from this life.
Word count: 552
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[patritter]

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 32:

The Legacy

How does any human being leave a legacy? This question raised an important issue when my daughter said, 'Dad, Crimestoppers is The Legacy you leave behind.' I didn't understand why she said these words of wisdom.
Let me take you on a trip down memory lane. One Friday afternoon my boss stood beside me at the place where I worked in 1989. 'You were a detective, weren't you?' His question puzzled me beside he had knowledge I worked as a detective for most of my service as a police officer in Queensland Police Service.
Acknowledging him I was a detective he requested I visit the Inspector Neighbourhood Watch at Police Headquarters. The latest police initiative Crimestoppers to be introduced to the public. He recommended me for the position. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
At Neighbourhood Watch office, the Inspector handed me a video, 'go home, watch this, return here Monday morning. This is your baby.' His only words.
Upon watching this video of the establishment of Crimestoppers in America, I couldn't believe myself to be chosen to implement this programme for Queensland Police Service. After twenty years of working in the police this opportunity only came along once in a lifetime. An opportunity never to miss.
Monday morning arrived. No person was more excited about establishing this programme than me. Another detective, whom I never worked with joined our small team. My first instructions. 'Prepare a proposal by ten o'clock tomorrow morning in how you're going to establish this programme. Present your proposal to The Minister For Police at his office.'
I wrote probably the best proposal I'd ever written, making everything up as I went along. Victorian Police established Crimestoppers for their State in two years, New South Wales Police, eighteen months. I placed a lead time of six months to establish Queensland Police Crimestoppers.
Ten o'clock the following morning I handed my written proposal to The Minister of Police at his office for consideration. His words almost landed me in front of him on the floor. 'I agree with your proposal. I haven't got six months. Because of the upcoming Fitzgerald Inquiry, you have three weeks.' I picked myself up off the floor.
I said, 'If you cut the red tape, give me resources I need, I promise you I'll have Crimestoppers operating in three weeks.' I thought afterwards how I spoke to a Crown Minister this way. He agreed. To be honest The Minister did cut the red tape. That afternoon I presented a 'wish list' to the senior members of the Police Service. Everything I requested approved.
During the following three weeks, I worked my butt off, selecting four other staff, obtained a vehicle, office, equipment, plus computers. After three weeks, everything I wrote in the proposal completed. Crimestoppers Queensland launched by Channel Seven at Queensland Police Headquarters in an array of celebration.
Twenty-five years later I received an invitation to attend Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Dinner of Crimestoppers at Brisbane City Hall. I invited my two children to join me in the celebrations. During the night, I was interviewed by a Channel 7 Newsreader on stage before five hundred guests. This interviewer asked me how I established Crimestoppers Queensland twenty-five years previous. I repeated this story.
On our journey home my daughter said those prolific words, 'Dad, Crimestoppers is The Legacy you leave behind.' I still didn't understand her meaning of The Legacy.
Word count: 576
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.

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'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 33:

The Mystery Lecture

Aged twenty-one years old I joined Queensland Police Force as a Probabary Constable at Petrie Terrace, Brisbane on 5th May 1970. Dressed in fatigues, fawn coloured trousers and shirt, starched so the trousers almost stood by themselves.
Thirty-six other Probabary Constables enlisted to become May 1970 Squad. Standing with my fellow Probabaries on the parade ground, a Drill Sergeant roamed between us shouting orders. Standing in front of me this Drill Sergeant bellowed at top voice spluttering spittle over my face. 'Am I hurting you son?'
'No Drill Sergeant.' I shouted at my top voice.
'I should be son because I'm standing on your hair. What's under your hat is yours whilst below is mine. I don't want to have any hair showing beneath your hat. Understand!' He shouted in my ear almost blasting my eardrums.
To make certain I looked smart on my first day I visited the barber to have my hair cut short. Little did I realise this Drill Sergeant had an arrangement for all Probabaries to visit the barber down the road from the Depot to have a regulation haircut to his standard.
Four months of training before being sworn in as a member of Queensland Police Force. Daily we marched around and around the parade ground to the beat of a drum plus echoing sound from Drill Sergeant bellowing in an Irish accent; 'left, right, left, right'. After marching, we attended lectures delivered in a classroom environment daily learning Police Duties plus Law.
Each Friday afternoon one hour before we stopped for the week Officer-In-Charge of Depot made this time 'The Mystery Lecture'. Without a conscious he pointed to one of the Probabaries to answer a question. On the first day he asked me a question. 'If you were standing on the corner of Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba and an old lady came up to you to ask directions to Holland Park. What would you tell her?'
I thought for some time before answering. First, I had no idea of Brisbane, nor Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba. What made this answer more difficult because I had no idea where Holland Park was. Pushing my chest out, I answered, 'I'd direct her to the nearest Tram Sir!'
Laughter rang around the classroom. Face of the Officer-in-Charge flashed red. His look at me wouldn't knocked me down if looks would kill. His answer, 'tell her to board a tram!' He screamed.
My mind filled with dread having no answer to his shouting. I went to be seated when he shouted. 'Don't sit down Son!' I wasn't his son. His demeanour raised to a point whether I was ever going to be sworn in as a Constable. 'I strongly suggest in the next week you find out where Ipswich Road Woolloongabba is; also, while you search; find out where Holland Park is so this poor elderly lady will be able to find her way home instead of taking a tram. Sit down!'
During the week I studied maps to find my way through Brisbane in case the Officer-In-Charge asked me a similar question. You wouldn't believe when we had 'The Mystery Lecture' the following Friday afternoon; I was paraded before the front of the class to be asked the same question as the previous Mystery Lecture. This time I didn't refer to any trams. Instead directed the lady to a taxi stand.
Word count: 566
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'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 34:

The Quest For Meaning

A movie 'Fields of Dreams' with actor Kevin Coster shows a farmer played by Coster who after planting a crop of corn a voice in the corn speaks, 'build it and he will come'. Throughout this movie Coster is driven by this message in the quest for meaning.
Instead of growing corn he builds a baseball arena. Ghost players from a past baseball team his father once played appear from the corn fields to play baseball. A message is delivered to Coster to seek out an author in New York to help solve the words, 'build it and he will come.'
His journey takes him to New York where he finds a retired author who he needs to take to the local baseball game. Whilst they're at the game a message displays on the screen only Coster and the author can read. Their journey continues across Amercia to find the person's name left on the screen.
Coster finds this person they need to speak with, a retired doctor. In his youth he wanted to play baseball with the same team. On his return journey home, the author accompanies him when they pick up a young hitch-hiker who wants to play baseball. All three journeys to Coster's farm when a baseball game being played between two ghost teams from a bygone era. The young hitch-hiker joins one of the teams.
Coster concluded his journey. Coster's father passed away years before Coster married not having met Coster's wife or daughter. Near the end of the movie Coster is seen throwing the ball to the catcher who is identified as Coster's father. A warm and wonderful movie. The quest for meaning is truly exhibited in this movie.
How can the quest for meaning be experienced in our lives? Two events happen to all of us. We're born, we die. These are facts. In between times we experience the quest for meaning. To explain an example of my life to show the quest for meaning.
In 2009 I discovered my quest for meaning by writing my memoirs. Before starting this task, I sketched on a A4 size paper in landscape commencing from most recent to as far back as I remembered of my life. I wrote bubbles of ideas joined by s. My mind developed a picture of how lucky my life had been.
The quest for meaning showed me various events in my life. Instead of following a certain direction this quest for meaning turned into a different direction. After watching the movie 'Fields of Dreams' I understood why Kevin Coster did what he needed to do to discover his quest for meaning.
Throughout my discover of the quest for meaning exploring highlights, an important event in my life discovered my ambitions to be a writer. This is a great discovery I learned to finally understand the quest for meaning.
Word count: 484
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'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 35:

The Resolution That Failed

Throughout my life, I have believed in two standards – honesty plus trust. If one can’t be honest and trustworthy not much left in any relationship. I’ll share this story of ‘The Resolution That Failed’.
In 2004 Brett Lowcock, a local builder in Imbil constructed a carport for me. Most satisfied with his work a decade later I recommended him to build a bathroom and loungeroom in my daughter’s home. At the time from previous undertakings with Brett I was satisfied he would complete the task without many issues. I honesty trusted him to complete the task.
During this time, he worked on my daughter’s construction I asked him to sand and paint my front veranda plus repair a step. Because I was going away I paid him in advance $150.00 in cash to finish the job in my absence. We shook hands on the deal. I handed over the money. At the time, I totally trusted Brett to carry out the work. He promised me on my return he’d have the job completed to my satisfaction.
Returning from my holiday everything was the way before I left. Asking Brett why he didn’t complete the task his reply, ‘when I’m ready’. The penny dropped. The resolution that failed raised its ugly head in front of me. I handed my money to him in good faith believing he would complete the task on my return. I failed to identify Brett wasn’t honest nor trustworthy.
Now thirteen months later I had the work completed by another person to my satisfaction. On several occasions, I’ve approached Brett about his dishonesty and trustfulness. His reply not worth repeating in this story. I’d been taken in by a most dishonest person. Caught between a rock and a hard place I approached a police officer to report this crime.
Brett told the police officer he accepted my money in return for completing the task, however, hadn’t been able to complete the job. That resolution also failed. I thought about taking legal action, however for such a small sum of money the cost would out-weigh the hope of retrieving my money.
Karma plays a huge part in our lives. Many times, in my life karma has come through when another has betrayed my trust by not being honest. How would karma play a part in the life of Brett Lowcock? In my mind, I honestly believe I’ll never receive $150.00 from him. What strange events happen after the act? Each time I mentioned the name Brett Lowcock to anyone in Imbil their reply. ‘He’s not much good. Dishonest into the bargain.’
The penny should’ve dropped before I parted with my money. Remembering a couple of years before when he did work on my friend’s home she complained how Brett overcharged her. Like I wrote before my two standards in life are: trust and honesty. If you can’t trust another to be honest than what else is left.
I’ve tried a new strategy knowing Brett will never repay my $150.00; however, karma will play a part in our lives for a suitable resolution. Monthly I write a letter to Brett telling him he is a thief plus a dishonest person. I also mention karma will play a part in the resolution that failed.
Word count: 551
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'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 36:

The Virgin Father

My mind passes back to a trip my partner and I went on many years ago, ‘Stars, Spars, Outback Tour’. Instead of staying in motel accommodation, we camped on outback sheep and cattle stations.
Shortly after turning twenty-one years old I worked on a sheep and cattle property in far south-west Queensland. This latest adventure became different to anything I ever experienced before.
Country people are always friendly greeting us with warm country hospitality. First property we stayed overnight ‘Nardoo Station’ north of Cunnamulla in south-west Queensland. Not long after arrival our host took us on a tour of the property to familiarise us with this great country.
I’d seen most of this type of country a hundred times over, particularly, mulga scrub, open plains, Mitchell grass, until we came across a nest of Emu eggs in a clearing. Our guide stopped the bus for all to decamp and inspect this wonderland of animal instinct. All my travelling through this country, I never witnessed this sight before. Five large emu eggs in a nest with a giant male Emu standing nearby.
‘Let me explain to you about the Emu.’ The guide started to inform us all. ‘These eggs were laid by the female Emu, she left her nest. The male Emu sits on these eggs for six weeks until the chicks are born.’ I needed to close my mouth before flies entered.
‘A Virgin Father.’ These words I spoke aloud.
‘What do you mean, A Virgin Father’? The guide asked me.
‘Simple, the female Emu lays the eggs. The male Emu takes over making him ‘The Virgin Father’. I said in astonishment. This thought entered my mind when the male Emu stood near the eggs.
‘How do you work out he’s ‘A Virgin Father’? The guide questioned me. Obvious she’d become intrigued with my answer.
‘Okay, I realise they conceived the eggs before laying them. ‘The Virgin Father’ is unique because probably he is the first male I’ve ever seen to sit on eggs to produce his chicks. I’ve never witnessed a man pregnant. Have you?’ I explained in a manner-of-speaking.
‘When you explain how this happened in the way you have done. Yes, I agree, ‘The Virgin Father’ is a male Emu. I’ll need to keep this in mind to tell other guests.’ Our guide answered with a frown on her face.
‘You’re clever to point out this point.’ My partner whispered in my ear.
‘Don’t worry. I only thought of ‘The Virgin Father’ after the guide told us about the male Emu sitting on the eggs. I’m not clever.’ I finished with a smile spread across my face.
‘I think you’re clever.’ My partner replied holding my hand in hers. ‘You are my Virgin Father’.
‘I’m too old to be sitting on your eggs.’ I smiled.
Word count: 474
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.

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'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 37:

The Year That Never Was

2017. Will this year be any different to 2016? I can’t complain about 2016. Everything I set out to achieve, I achieved. Writing, publishing, marketing books number 19 and 20 to the world. Who would’ve thought in twenty-nine years I would achieve this milestone.
Back in 1988 at the time I wrote and published book number one ‘Closing The Gap’ my mind completely focused on doing my best to achieve this goal of writing and publishing one book. Now in 2017 my goal to write a novel plus publish stories we write at Pomona Writer’s Group is beyond imagination.
To achieve these goals in 2017 I don’t want to think of ‘The Year That Never Was’. I look forward to writing my next novel. A fire burns in my belly. My mind fixed on research I need to undertake before I start. Character conversations are recording in my mind to write this next novel. I’m ready.
How do one write and publish a novel annually you may ask? Dedication, resilience, time management, self-belief plus the need to finish the job. My next novel is a continuation from my previous one set in the period between 1899 to 1902 in Australian history. These times were important for Australia because in 1899 declaration of ‘Boer War’ in South Africa when Australia joined forces with Britain.
1901 became probably most significant period in our nation’s history because we became a Federation. Writing of the constitution, selection of Parliament included our first Prime Minister. Not forgetting between 1897 until 1902 Australia experienced the worst drought in living history especially in outback Australia.
I have much to write about. Once research of these periods has been completed, time to write. At this stage I have no idea of the topic or name of the novel. May name this latest book, ‘The Year That Never Was’. Sounds original. More I think about this title the more appealing to use this title. I will use this title for my next novel. Should fit the requirements plus the storyline.
First to set a goal of finishing the book by November 2017. Write the goal onto ‘To Do List’. Download movie of ‘Breaker Morant’. View movie to incorporate storyline into book. Search Google for information about Boer War plus Australia. Place information into a folder for later reference. Search Google for Federation of Australia. Who became our first Prime Minister? When? Place information into folder for later reference.
Most important to start, write, write and continue to write until the final page. Make the story interesting, characters lift from the pages. Bring tears to my eyes when writing the emotions of what I write, each reader will experience a similar emotion. Write daily even though may only be a few words or as many words as my muse will allow.
Enchant the reader by writing explosive storytelling at best. Make the reader want to turn the next page. Use simple words, meaningful, enlightening. Most important of all, have fun writing this story. If the writer enjoys their story so then will the reader. In November 2017 ‘The Year That Never Was’ will be available for all to read.
Word count: 537
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.