The Long Game

Chapter 1

He’d had every intention of telling her. Truly he had. Right up until the moment he’d walked in the door after work. She’d given him that hopeful smile, and said something like, “So, did you knock ‘em dead today?” And suddenly, he couldn’t tell her. The timing was all wrong.

So Craig Valero had just replied “You betcha!” and given her a half-hearted peck on the cheek. Then he’d soldiered through dinner, and the evening news, and then a lengthy discussion of how peel -and-stick wallpaper and new cabinet hardware would really spiff up the kitchen. His wife had clearly been thinking about that subject for some time, and even dragooned him into looking at sample wallpaper patterns and door pulls online. Finally, he excused himself by saying he had to complete some paperwork in the office downstairs.

“Well, that’s good news. I’ll let you get to it,” Andrea said.

Once he reached the privacy of his office and closed the door, he let himself cry. But only for a minute. There was no time for wallowing. He had to figure out what he was going to do now that he was freshly out of a job. His manager had called him in at the end of his shift and given him the bad news. It was the second month in a row that he hadn’t earned any commissions in excess of his draw, and the insurance company was letting him go.

Everybody failed sometimes. But how many times could you fail before you became a failure?  Not even a has-been, but more like a never was. He’d tried real estate sales, just before the Great Recession of 2008.  When that flopped, he tried his hand at stock brokerage. And then furniture sales.  And then health insurance, specializing in Medicare supplement plans.   And most recently, life insurance. It had ended the same way as all the other careers. At forty years old, he was running out of time to make something stick. 

He wished he could tell his wife, but Andrea was so fragile lately. He wasn’t sure she could take another disappointment. In addition to worrying, and tears, she’d have a million questions about what happened. She would demand to know how he planned to remedy this situation. He didn’t want to rehearse all the details. And he didn’t know what his next step would be. So he would keep her in the dark, for the peace of both of them. Just for a little while.

The only thing he was really good at was a “career” that didn’t pay. He was on the pastoral staff at his small church, and he was a Bible teacher par excellence. Everybody said so. They all raved about his teaching. But the church budget was tight, and aside form a little stipend – an honorarium of $250 per month — only the senior pastor got paid.

He had devoted countless hours to his church work. In fact, he had chosen many of his paying jobs because they gave him flexibility with his hours. Besides the many hours he devoted to preparing Sunday School lessons and occasional mid-week Bible studies, he had to be available for everything from sick visitation to picking up and entertaining visiting preachers. Whatever he was asked to do. But it ate up time that ought to be devoted to making a living. Pastor Burns always thanked him, told him how much he appreciated his work. But thanks wouldn’t pay the bills.

Craig Valero turned on his computer and typed out a letter. It took almost an hour. At first, it was full of whys and wherefores and assurances. But he knew his reasoning would sound lame.  It would just give the man something to argue with. Finally, he whittled it down to the bare essentials:

Dear Rev. Burns,

Please take this letter as notice of my intention to resign from all my posts and responsibilities at church, effective immediately.

Sincerely,

Craig J. Valero

The good pastor would be shocked, taken completely by surprise. All Craig knew was that if he did the things he’d always done, he’d get the results he’d always gotten. Something had to give.

He printed off the letter and read it twice, and then once more for good measure. Finally, he folded it and put it in his church briefcase atop his Bible.  While he was at it, he also printed off a message he’d received earlier. This one was from his doctor. He printed it in case he needed additional ammunition for Pastor Burns. This was a new consideration; he’d gotten the letter five days ago and hadn’t shown it to anyone. Not even Andrea.  But if he told the pastor, he’d have to tell her. That would be more fraught then the news of his firing. But he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  For now, the letter would stay a secret too. Just for a little while.    

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[This little teaser is chapter one of my forthcoming book, the third installment in the Solid Rock Survivors trilogy! Projected finish date of my first draft is 12/25/25. Let’s see how much if any of the chapter stays the same!]