Karen's Story

Who is Karen?
            When I’m not writing or chasing my children, I sell furniture. A while back, a customer told me that she had a lot of money to spend. She informed me that she had already placed an order at one of our competitors but she’d cancel it if I treated her right. She clearly expected me to begin begging for her business. I don’t work on commission and I don’t talk people into buying our products. I try to be friendly and informative—but the “hard sell” really isn’t the way we do things. She didn’t seem particularly satisfied when she walked away.
            She reported me to a manager at the end of her shopping trip. By way of illustrating her point, she showed the manager the very large roll of cash she had brought with her to spend. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t been treated in a royal fashion. That manager called my manager, who fortunately had overheard my conversation with the woman and assured her that I had been nothing but professional with the customer.
            I couldn’t get the customer out of my head. Why was she carrying around thousands of dollars in cash? Where did it come from? Why was she so desperate to have a stranger kowtow to her? Had she been forced to grovel in the past? Those questions lead me to create a character named Karen who has been tossed around by life. The pieces below are the beginnings of Karen’s story in no particular order: 



Danny and Karen talk about music and loss.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/05/ah-bach.html

Karen's history follows her.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/05/karen-bad-blood.html
 
Danny battles his memories.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/03/100-word-song-galileo.html

Karen strolls down memory lane with Danny.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-scent-of-memory.html

Karen seeks solace and finds an old friend.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/02/karen-silent-prayer.html 


Broken-hearted, Karen takes the high road.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/01/affinity.html

 Years later, Karen sees Henry.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2013/01/another-auld-lang-syne.html
 
Edmond's Christmas reflections.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/12/100-word-song-o-holy-night.html 

Henry lies to himself and Karen.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/10/100-word-song-lying.html

Karen and Henry drift apart.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/09/100-word-song-wait.html

Karen gets a reprieve from caring for her mother.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-beach.html 

Henry misses Karen.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/06/100-word-song-reprieve.html

Peggy comes home from the hospital.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-word-song-me-too.html

The morning after.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/waking-up.html

Karen steps into a new world. 
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-word-song-revolution.html

 Karen reaches out for help.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/phone-call.html

Henry and Karen have two different reactions to the same meeting. 
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-word-song-space-between.html

Karen's father finds trouble.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/moonlight-stroll.html

Karen must take charge of her home.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/rent.html

A walk home with an adolescent Karen.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/05/p.html

Karen meets Henry's parents.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/city-of-champions.html

 Karen is about to meet Henry's parents.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/100-word-song-marble-hallway.html

Karen's father, Edmond finds himself in trouble.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/ring.html

 Henry and her mother talking about the future.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/100-word-song-woman-in-you.html

 Henry and Karen after a rough day.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/100-word-song-run-away.html

 A memory from Karen's past.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/04/one-hundred-word-song-breaking-girl.html

Karen watches her mother stagger down memory lane.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/03/till-end-of-time.html

Karen lets Henry in.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/03/have-little-faith.html 

 100 Words from Karen's Mother.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/03/100-word-song-dimming-of-day.html

Karen agrees to go out with Henry.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/03/write-on-edge-dusseldorf.html

Henry waits for Karen.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/01/write-on-edge-between-conversations.html

 Henry tries to forget about Karen.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/02/smokey.html

 Karen's mother offers her wisdom with a side of bacon.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/02/fiction-friday-blt-with-side-of-wisdom.html

 Karen buys herself a gift.
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/01/fiction-on-friday-bathing-suit.html 

 Nineteen-year-old Karen meets Henry
http://39forthefirsttime.blogspot.com/2012/01/friday-fiction-toast.html
Karen says goodbye to her father
 
My first story about Karen: Auld Lang Syne

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