The kid who glared across my desk at me had stolen our petty cash. We’d trusted him with a job and with proximity and access or acted as if we had. Suddenly, we needed to fire him or have him arrested, or somehow get him to pay us back, or all of the above. It sickened us to see him in the office, sickened and infuriated us. His moping depressed us; on the other hand if he dared to laugh we felt like slapping him. I had to poll the staff at a meeting for approval to keep him around. The women held their pocketbooks in their laps. I know now that what troubled me then was how to tell the story. Among the details, I wanted to suppress his race. The truth seemed shabby and stereotyped. Of course, facts are no excuse for sloppy narrative, but there you are, if you want to be honest, stuck with what is. With no satisfaction, I’d gotten him to confess. When he finally admitted to taking the money, for the first time I doubted he had. I’d made it clear no other explanation would do. Perhaps he thought perversely it would save his job and for a time it did. I’d wanted to get rid of him, but now I kept him on to run errands and buy our forgiveness. I haven’t told it right. One thing is certain, that while he was making restitution and worried I might have him arrested I told him I didn’t care if he stole to make his Friday installments as long as he didn’t steal from us. What that was supposed to prove I don’t like to think. The day he paid us fully back I fired him from my life, I hope, forever.
Copyright © March 16, 2009 David Hodges
Too Like Truth by davidbdale is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at davidbdale.wordpress.com.
Very Short Novels 
14 comments
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March 18, 2009 at 6:23 am
raven emmanuel
not good but very ……………………………..good
Hey Raven! Thank you very ………. much! Welcome to Very Short Novels.
–David
March 18, 2009 at 9:31 am
grantman
…while I know you don’t write 299’s from real experience as an employer, trying to fire someone these days is no longer, “My way or the highway,” especially if you think stealing is involved….You had this employer chuckling. Even the stealer has rights! Good to see you writing again Dave…
grantman
Thanks, Grantman! Yeah, gone are the days when you could be let go for being suspicious. Good to see you here, too, Geo.
–David
March 19, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Wizzer
I’ve missed this – your thought provokers!
I’m not sure he did take the money! Maybe he just aggravated everyone – laughing or moping – I know some people just like that! Running short of petty cash – get someone to get it from elsewhere in the name of keeping his job. Times are hard you know 🙂
I’ve missed it too, Wizzer. Glad to be back and very happy to see you here puzzling out all the possibilities. Thanks.
–David
March 19, 2009 at 4:56 pm
wordgauntlet
I just started reading your very short novels. I loved the line “stuck with what is.” Thanks.
Well, thank you, wordgauntlet, and welcome to Very Short Novels. I hope you’ll always share your likes and dislikes with me.
–David
March 20, 2009 at 1:21 am
petesmama
I recently had to recommend that someone be fired – he was extremely charming but utterly useless and lazy. It conjures a myriad of emotions, having someone’s fate in your hands like that.
Welcome back. I have missed piecing together a million different stories out of 299 words.
Very thought-provoking, as always.
Thank you, petesmama! I will try not to be gone so long again. Good to see you back.
–David
March 20, 2009 at 8:02 am
raincoaster
Actually, it very much depends on which state you’re in: many states, including the most populous, have rules that state you can be fired more or less at will. People can always sue, even when the case has no merit, but that doesn’t mean that people can’t be fired.
As someone who’s hired marginalized youth and had to fire some, I really identified with this. But the only one I really razed the ground over was not a youth but a man in his fifties who should have known better; he thought his charm would carry him through. I didn’t mind firing him in the least.
You’re so right in everything you say, raincoaster. The real kid of which the youth here is a fictionalized version knew better, but that didn’t make firing him any easier. Twenty years later, the questions his case raised still trouble me (so much for putting the past behind!). I’m very happy to see you here, anywhere.
–David
March 21, 2009 at 3:20 am
shea
This is a very cool site.
Well, thanks, shea, and welcome to Very Short Novels. Very cool of you, too.
–David
March 27, 2009 at 1:39 am
Chad
As I try to develop my writing voice, I am glad to have found your work. I admire your ability to capture so much content within so few words. Thanks.
You are more than welcome, Chad. Let me know where I can sample yours, so I can recommend it as it grows. Welcome to Very Short Novels.
–David
March 27, 2009 at 10:50 am
Chad
My recent work can be found at http://www.cbeninati.com. I’d love for you to take a look and, of course, comments are always welcome!
March 27, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The Querulous Squirrel
The convolutions of ambiguities at trying to get at the “truth” of layers of lies, and trying to tell the story of those lies, with its painful mundane truths you wish weren’t there, and never really being able to know for sure the truth even of one’s own feelings and motivations, the back and forths, is beautifully played out, sentence by sentence.
Thanks, QS. Now take a breath. Wonderful to have you back reading and commenting. Delightful analysis.
–David
April 2, 2009 at 1:03 am
e
I’ve now read two of these very short novels; again, one line stands out as really very brilliant amongst the otherwise brilliant sentences. In this case “I know now that what troubled me then was how to tell the story.” I like the lyricism of the line, it has a nice flow, I like the play of the words. But the sentiment itself is unusual without being uncommon; I’m familiar with the sensation but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it addressed so succinctly. Just, nicely done.
You’re very kind, e. Thank you.
–David
April 14, 2009 at 5:37 pm
first50
Very interesting that you kept him on but made him redeem himself with errands and small favors until you felt things were even enough to fire him.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, first50. It’s an interesting writing prompt, don’t you think, to ask under what circumstances and in what way you would fire someone?
–David
April 29, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Mark Waterfield
The morality of this story is not good for the head.
He stole
He had to pay back what he stole
He was told he could steal from others to pay back
He paid back
He was fired
and ……………………?
He works for you now. Hope he learned his lesson. Thanks, Mark, and welcome to Very Short Novels!
–David
May 26, 2009 at 1:35 am
Anonymous
it is a good story. But can you please tell me who is the author of this story.
Thank you, Anonymous. davidbdale is the author of all these stories.
–David