Nonfiction
Memoir | Notetaker | Part VI of VI
I found myself in a difficult situation! My new supervisor, Sally Horowitz, requested that I become the note-taker for the newly formed Y2K meetings she would be leading. The problem was that I had no prior experience taking meeting notes—my note-taking skills were limited to my college days! I was unsure if I could accurately capture the essential points in such significant meetings.
By Mia Z. Edwards4 months ago in Chapters
Karachi Chronicles Chapter 13
Although we didn’t have a license to free roam, there were plenty of establishments in the hotel to keep us fed. Each morning, for breakfast we had the expansive Marco Polo buffet. In the evenings, there was a traditional Pakistani buffet for a local flavour. As for Eastern Asian flavours, we had Taipan yum cha and the “best restaurant in Pakistan,” Sakura Japanese. Catering to the Western palate, you had the Steakhouse or executive lounge. Room service, a café in the lobby and the Kwikimart† rounded out the plethora of options at our immediate disposal.
By S. J. Leahy4 months ago in Chapters
The Violin That Wept
Crafted in Venice in 1712 by Lorenzo Bellini, this violin produced tones unlike any other. Legend claims the strings were soaked in the tears of his dying wife, granting them unmatched resonance. At its first concert, the audience wept uncontrollably; by the end, three people were dead of heart failure. The violin was banned, sealed in a monastery vault. In 1935, a German officer rediscovered it and ordered it played on the radio—listeners reported a “melody of grief” that caused hallucinations and despair. The broadcast was cut mid-note. No one knows where the violin went next… only that on certain frequencies, it can still be heard.
By GoldenSpeech4 months ago in Chapters
The Elevator That Skipped the 13th Floor
Everyone knew the Sinclair Building had no 13th floor — it jumped from 12 to 14 like countless others. But every now and then, when the elevator doors opened between floors, passengers would glimpse something: a dimly lit hallway, peeling wallpaper, and a figure standing at the far end holding a lantern.
By GoldenSpeech4 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Get Mia! | Part VI of VI
As the sun rose on another workday, I needed the signature of our bureau’s Principal Secretary of Prominence, Mr. Goldberg, on an important document. Naturally, I went to Jane, his office secretary, only to discover she was again on sick leave.
By Mia Z. Edwards4 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Conclusion | Prelude | Part VI of VI | Secretarial Diaries
After demonstrating my competence in managing delicate materials during my global travels for the government, I requested a stable 9-to-5 job once my two-year assignment concluded. I had seen enough of the world and the unpredictable rhythms of international communication. I was ready to trade jet lag and adrenaline for a desk, a routine, and a little peace of mind.
By Mia Z. Edwards4 months ago in Chapters
Snow White’s Coffin Was Real — And It’s Still Preserved in Germany
In the hills near Lohr am Main, Germany, historians uncovered a glass coffin in a 17th-century crypt beneath a chapel. Inside lay the perfectly preserved body of a young woman — raven-haired, alabaster-skinned, and believed to be Countess Maria Sophia Margaretha Catharina von Erthal. Her stepmother, known for her cruelty, owned a “talking mirror” — a rare acoustical mirror that amplified voices.
By GoldenSpeech4 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | The Charming Hotel Housekeeper | Part V of VI
An official trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina took an amusing turn when a determined hotel housekeeper, with her rapid Spanish and swift cleaning skills, transformed a routine moment into a memorable encounter!
By Mia Z. Edwards4 months ago in Chapters
