In the office, in a file cabinet, bottom drawer, very last folder titled “Writing”, you’ll find the Life section of our local newspaper from 2003. It contains an essay I wrote.
It was the first time in my life my writing earned money. My husband woke me on March 16th and gave me the heavy Sunday newspaper. It was still cold after spending hours on the front porch. I flipped to the West Virginia Life section, where I knew the essay would appear.
I scanned the pages, one after another, and couldn’t find it. I closed the paper and tossed it aside. And then I saw it. On the cover. Above the fold. With a graphic. You are what you drive. What does your car say about you? By Bex Hall for the Sunday Gazette-Mail. My first published piece.
This is the 33rd story in the Objects as Waypoints Writing Project series.