Tuesday Tales: From the Word BLAND

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. This week, the other members of the group and I are writing to the word prompt BLAND. I’m continuing with Naughty Rudolph, my Christmas Romance Comedy; however, I’ve added a new twist to this book. While it to is written in the first person, it will have two points of view, identified at the top of the chapter or scene break with the character’s name. Today’s entry is from Rudy. It’s from slightly earlier in the story, but it seemed like a good time to let you all in on the fine print and what gave me the idea for the book in the first place. Since this book is part of the Cocktails for You series, its cover is similar to the others. Enjoy.

I nodded and smiled.

At my daughter’s pleading, I’d agreed to allow her to have her hair cut, but I’d refused to let her cut it as short as she’d wanted. I’d given in and permitted the hairdresser to add a few blond streaks to the front of it, enough to frame her face, and she’d seemed satisfied with that. Now that she was back in school, it appeared that she’d decided to draw everyone’s attention away from her hair with outrageous clothing choices. I suppose it could be worse. That was the problem with being a single dad and spending so much time away from home. Nell did the best she could, but she wasn’t getting any younger, and while I’d dated while I’d been in various states and countries, I hadn’t met anyone I would consider wife or mother material.

“I’ll clean up and meet you in the kitchen,” I finished, my voice bland. I didn’t want her to know how much was riding on this.

Nell nodded and headed up the stairs.

I had a meeting with the Miami Business Association this afternoon at one, and I wanted to work out all the kinks in my plans before I presented the idea to them. I just hoped that Molly Richards would stand by me; after all, she was the one who’d planted the idea in my head.

Miami’s Christmas traditions were well worth celebrating, and if the right people saw the documentary … this could be the best thing to happen to this town since 1995 when Scruff Connors and Larry Updike, radio DJs from Winnipeg, pulled a prank and offered listeners a trip to Miami to watch the Superbowl. I was too young to see the prank play out, but Jerry Richards, owner of Dick’s Bar and Grill remembers it fondly. Fifteen people showed up at the airport, and were they pissed! They’d expected a flight to Miami, Florida, not a bus ride to Miami, Manitoba. While they seemed to have a good time with free food and drinks, a few complained to the papers about the stunt. Sadly, the DJs lost their jobs, but tourism went up–until the pandemic.

I would have to make sure that the contest rules were crystal clear and remind everyone who entered to read the fine print. I wanted to draw attention to the town, not get the pants sued off of us.

Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.