A writing experiment


Nakomis Paul is approximately fifty-five years old and has been working for Reno City for over twenty years.  He has a wife, Mina, and four dependent children still at home.  In charge of water quality and the meter readers, he has always felt secure in his job.

Now, he has aged and recently fell when checking the tower and broke his hip.  The accident necessitated him being off the job for three months.  During this time, a new mayor, Bert Arden, and city manager, Angela Peck—dynamic young progressives, assumed elected office in Reno City.

Unacquainted with Nakomis, they murmured at council meetings and suggested that he might not be effective at the job of Reno City’s water-quality management.  Consequently, Nakomis, who had gained about twenty pounds over his 185 after his surgery—moved more slowly and was late, sometimes as much as thirty minutes, arriving at residents’ requests regarding their water pressure checks or water content tests.  Complaints irked the mayor.

The rumors that the mayor and manager regarded him out-dated had reached him by the day of the Gala fundraiser.  He believed that his job was on the line.  The prospect outraged him.

“My job,” he murmured, “when I’m the only one still on staff who knows anything about where the lines are, how to collect samples, and how to read and report the meter readings.  I’ll avoid facing either of them at the Gala!”  He vowed, “I’ll not complain about their stupidity to anyone!  It’s my job if they know I know.  But Heaven help them, if I’m fired.  There’s no way I can survive this job.  At my age and situation, where would I find another?”

Who He Is: Nakomis Paul