Brad Parks - The Girl Next Door

As for the Jackman-Papadopolous conspiracy I had created, it turns out that the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce, of which Papadopolous was the president, was one of several chambers partnering with the paper on a new initiative aimed at driving consumers back to downtown shopping areas.

Which is what Tina had just finished explaining to me during her second visit of the day, during the midafternoon.

“So there’s another daily story going in tomorrow’s paper, I assume,” I said.

“Yeah, with a sidebar about McNabb’s long tenure atop IFIW-Local 117 coming to a close. The union board convened a hasty meeting this morning and voted to terminate him.”

“Who’s writing all this?”

“Hernandez is doing the main. Hays is doing the union stuff.”

“Uh-huh. And who is doing the big, beautiful Sunday story that makes sense of it all?”

“I didn’t think you would be up for-”

“Get me a laptop,” I said, before she could finish.

Over the next four hours, I let it pour out of me, indulging my penchant for overwriting, knowing the desk wouldn’t dare take it out. Reporters who have been shot in the line of duty get special dispensation. And since I hoped this would be the only time in my career I could claim that exemption, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

It was definitely better than writing my own obit.