Swept Away
Dudley French was a mediocre salesman, working for the brush and broom company, known as Schwepp’s Brush and Broom. Not that it mattered since he was one of very few salespersons still left with the company. Thirty years of door to door selling were behind Dudley; and more and more sales were generated through the internet.
It was just the other day when Dudley was called into his boss’s office when he heard the words her would never forget.
In a volume so low, Dudley strained to hear, his boss, Sherman Schwepp, Jr. stated, “French you swept me away when you were young, but now I am giving you your final pay check, it’s time to retire.”
Dudley looked down and then up, took the broom and swept the office floor, smiled at his to be former boss, and said, “thank you for not firing me, and if you ever want to have coffee, just give me a call,” to which Schwepp nodded, his throat too full for him to speak.
…..
This is my Six Sentence Story for this week. Would you like to submit? Just go to:
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prolificpulse.blog 
It’s such a sad sentiment. I enjoyed reading it.
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Thank you. This ending was better than the original. It sounded more hopeful.
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May he have a lovely retirement, i think after years of such work, he has earned it.
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I think so, too. I think he is looking forward to coffee breaks with his old boss.
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Really good!
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I like how they parted, or perhaps didn’t since they could still get together for coffee.
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Thank you! Yes, they need to keep that friendship alive. I don’t think the boss will be much longer working.
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and so they became equals, no more boss and employee. good.
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Thanks! I had another ending but it left things uncomfortable and I wanted them to be okay.
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I vascialte between enjoying being retired and missing the challenge. I am glad I got out before the Covid mess hit. And I don’t miss the Atlanta traffic! Rush hour 24/7 Great six.
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I am sort of retired, but I don’t think I ever will completely retire. I get too restless. But I do like being at home.
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Excellent Six. I’ve known a couple of old-school door-to-door salesmen, as distinctive (and now, extinct) as the famous dodo bird.
Good Six
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Yes, they are becoming a thing of the past. I had three uncles who did that kind of work and I am sure they would be hanging up their hats. One finally had enough and opened his own business. He spent so much time in bars during his travels, that he started noticing how torn up the seats would get. So, he started asking about how they get them fixed. Well, when he found out there was a big demand for fixing the things, he created his own technique, ran a successful business and didn’t have the same type of sales pitching to do. He still had to sell people on it, but it was a big demand. He is long gone, now. I am happy he found his niche. Thank you.
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I especially like the last sentence, where Dudley sweeps the floor before leaving.
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I wonder as we move ever faster toward technological dependence, that anyone will be at any one company for 30 years!
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I am noticing shorter times and then there are always mergers.
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So often such partings are brutal and cause long lasting resentment. I think both sides handled the situation with a measure of grace and acceptance, and I liked that. Very good story.
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Thank you!
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Good to retire like that after such long service, and on such a good note too.
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Yes, with hints of cinnamon latte
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Happy to read he was the honest type of door to door salesmen instead of the aggressive, charlatan type.
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Yup!
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Oh dear; my eyes are leaking!
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Awww ❤
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Your story reveals (or so I inferred) a relationship after all those years, and at least the young Schwepp had some respect for such a long time employee. Nice one.
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Thank you!
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Well done, Lisa! + I love Bossa Nova and play some on ukulele! 🙂
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Thank you!
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