“That’s an odd twist ending,” Ben commented. “Ah, last story, mate,” the clerk said. Ben said, “Okay.” The clerk grabbed a video from a shelf, the cover was all black, and it showed a bloke holding a pistol, getting strangled by a ghost, right beside a lake. The clerk announced, “This one’s titled, “Dream Job”.”

I drive along this deserted road to get to London. I’m a salesmen. Me name’s Edwin Dahl. Just came from a busy business trip up in Scotland. Now it’s back to London, and they’ll give me another location where I must sell these bloody paperback books. Ironically, on the radio is The Beatles’ song “Paperback Writer”. I’m sick of paperback books. Whenever I see them in book stores I now want to vomit. I stare out the window, and see a signpost. It says: Now Entering Liverpool. Liverpool, what a great place, I remember growing up there as a kid. I remember the district I lived in. Penny Fields, a wonderful district. I remember the lake there, that I used to go swimming in with me mates. I remember those blue suburban skies. I remember the banker, the barber, the nurse, the firemen, everybody. Why can’t I do what I want to do? I’m a bloody human being. I don’t have to be in London till tomorrow. Surely, it won’t kill me to just look around Penny Fields, such a wonderful place. I drive the car to the Penny Fields district. I can’t believe it, all those years ago. Time flies, I miss this place so much. I park the car in the parking lot for the “McCartney Bank”. I get out the car, and walk inside the bank. The bank attendant looks at me when I walk in. He says, “ ‘Ello Sir, how may I help you?” I replied, “ I’m just looking around mostly.”

“Hope you don’t mind me asking why?”

“I grew up in the Penny Fields district. This is the first time I’ve been here in like twenty years.”

“Oh really?”

“Hey, does Mr. Edward Harrison still work here?”

“He died a couple of years ago, very sad, such a nice old chap.”

“Yes, he was very nice. What did he die of?”

“He had a heart attack, poor bloke.”

“How old was he?”

“He was about eighty-one.”

“Eighty-one, and he still worked here?”

“Yes, he was a very dedicated man you could say.”

“Thanks for the information, mate.”

“No problem, Sir.”

I left the “McCartney Bank”, and made me way across the street to the “Lennon Barber Shop”. I entered, and saw a very old man sitting in a desk reading a newspaper. I said, “Is that you Mr. Lennon?” He looked up from his paper and exclaimed, “Edwin! How long has it been?”

“About twenty years.”

“Do you want a haircut?”

“Sure.”

“It’s on me.”

“Thanks.”

For an hour I chatted with Mr. Lennon while he cut me hair. He did a nice job. I wanted to pay, but he insisted that I keep me money. I said good-bye, and left the barber shop. I walked to Strawberry Lane, and saw the fire department. I couldn’t resist going inside it. What an interesting day it’s been. I walked up to a sleeping firemen, I woke up the firemen by shouting in his ear, “ ‘Ello Sir.” He woke up with a start. He exclaimed, “What the bloody Hell do you want?” He was a very old man. “Sir, don’t you remember me? We used to talk in the bowling alley like twenty years ago. I’m Edwin Dahl.”

“It can’t be.”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Twenty bloody years, it’s been a long time.”

"I know, it has been."

I pulled up a chair, and sat beside him. We started talking. We talked for about forty-five minutes. Mr. Starr( the fireman) was still the chief of the fire department. I asked, "Is Nurse Poppie still around?" He replied, "Oh yes, she still works at the Penny Fields Hospital, such a nice lady."

"Yeah, I agree, so long, Mr. Starr."

"Nice seeing you, Edwin. Do come back."

"I will."

I walked out the fire station, and walked up the street. I stopped at the entrance to the "Penny Fields Hospital". I walked inside, and noticed not very many people inside. I immediately saw her at the counter. I walked up to her and said, "Nurse Poppie?" She looked up and saw me. She asked, "Edwin, is that you?"

"Yeah, I know. It's been a while."

"Where the bloody hell have you been all this time, Edwin?"

"What can I say? Moved, and took the first job I could get."

"And what might that be?"

"A salesmen, a bloody horrible job."

"Well, what are you doing here?"

"I was driving on business, and I thought I could stop by here for a couple of hours."

"Well, I'm glad you came."

"I miss this bloody place."

Nurse Poppie started walking to the front door. I asked, "Where are you going?" She replied, "I'm going home."

"For what?"

"To see me grandchildren."

She left me standing alone in the hospital. I said to meself, "Grandchildren? Ha-Ha." I left the hospital, and walked back to the "McCartney Bank". I get in me car, and start driving to the Penny Fields Lake. While driving, the radio came on playing ironically The Beatles' song "In My Life". I listen to the lyrics, and realize they are exactly what I'm thinking.

"There are places I’ll remember

All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I’ve loved them all"

A bit bloody strange if you ask me, oh well, I thought as I parked near the lake. I got out the car, and walked toward it. I must've stood in front of that lake for at least fifteen minutes. A wonderful view, I really miss this place. Suddenly, me cell phone rang. I took it out of me pocket, and looked at it for a long moment. I threw the ringing cell phone on the ground, and smashed it with me foot. I give up, me life has sucked ever since I left Penny Fields. I walk into the water, under it, and I never came out the lake.

Ahead of me I see a chap carrying a pistol. Nothing good's probably going to come out of him, I thought. I think to meself should I let this chap with a gun enter Penny Fields, me true home. He starts walking past the lake. He has a mask in one hand. I can tell that he's walking towards "McCartney Bank", obviously going to rob it. I jump from the lake, and wrap me fingers around the chap's neck. He slowly dies in my grasp. Nobody will harm me home. Me true home.

I finish the story of what happened to me twenty years ago. That's the story of how I became guard of this district. I protect Penny Fields, it's a bloody dream job for me.  I drowned meself in the lake, and now I have me dream job. Every time an evil person enters Penny Fields, I kill them. The dream job, protecting me true home, what more could a chap ask for?

 Author's Note:

The inspiration and idea for this story came recently, when I was visiting a neighborhood I lived in when I was about five. I came up with the whole idea of this chap who never wanted to grow up, and is depressed with adulthood. I came up with the twist ending while I was at the neighborhood as well. I used lyrics from The Beatles’ song “In My Life” in the story as well, another Beatles’ reference. This is definitely one of me favourite stories from this collection, because it has an excellent plot, and a bloody awesome twist ending.