Hot Tamale with a Shoe Fantasy

     This woman's sister commissioned me to do something about her sibling, a successful Puerto Rican American businesswoman. She wanted me to capture the essence of her.

     But once I received her written stream of consciousness, I glommed onto her sister's fantasy about having a huge walk-in closet with hundreds, if not thousands, of shoes in oak and glass display cases that revolve, so many shoes that she needed a custodian.

     I think it may be a fantasy that many women can relate to.

     After finishing the piece, her sister and I negotiated a great title, "Watch Out, Imelda!"

—J Leedy

     General Jack Chain's daughter-in-law wanted a special commission for the General's 70th birthday. We talked a bit after she sent me all the information and photos of Jack and his wife in their lovely Colorado mountain home.

     I reviewed the pictures and all the stuff she had written about him and to my dismay discovered that there was "nothing funny" or peculiar about Jack. No irregularities, peccadilloes or things weird about him. Uh-oh. What was I to do?

     But one thing stuck out in my mind: besides being a four-star general in the Air Force and on the National Security Council, he had flown some serious jets in his day.

     So I decided to put him on the golf course, taking a good cut at the ball. All looks normal except for replacing his normal transportation with a fully loaded F-16 fighter jet. Oh yes, I added his golf clubs in the open cockpit.

     My wife, Elaine, came up with the title and the family loved it to pieces.

—J Leedy