“Three Minute Fiction” From National Public Radio

NPR’s “Three Minute Fiction” puts a new spin on the term “short story.”  This program allows anyone living in the United States to submit a short story that can be read in under three minutes. The stories respond to prompts written by authors, who, with the help of creative writing graduates around the country, choose the best story out of that round to be read on the air during NPR’s All Things Considered (italics). The story is also published in “The Paris Review,” a literary magazine. The latest round of stories, Round 10, was judged by author Mona Simpson. Her prompt was to write a short story in the form of a voice-mail message. The round winner was Lisa Robeson, with her story “Sorry for your Loss.”
As an amateur writer, I have written a short story in response to the Round 10 prompt. I hope you enjoy it.

Can you hear me? (bold)

Hey, Pauline.
I wouldn’t normally call you like this, but I thought probably I should tell you in person – I mean, y’know, kinda in person – ‘cause this is kinda important.
I think we should get a divorce.
Wait, hang on, let me mute the TV.
Okay, did you even hear that? I had the baseball game on kinda loud. I said we should get a divorce. Look, it’s been a rough year. I mean, what with me not having a job, and no car, and you getting a pay cut – it’s just not working out. It’s getting hard for me to take care of the important stuff. I can’t go anywhere, ‘cause you sold the car – which I’m still mad about, by the way. I mean, that’s like, totally ridiculous. Who doesn’t have a car? And there are no jobs available anywhere. I tried every shop in town. And I ain’t working as some janitor, I gotta say. I don’t care if they got an opening at the middle school. Those middle school kids are disgusting. I don’t need none of that crap.
So, anyway, I think we should split up. I’m cool with you keeping the baby. I wouldn’t know what to do with him anyway. And you can get together with that one guy you like – what’s his name, like Brad or something? I don’t believe any of this crap about gayness. I know you’ve been eyeing him.
I’m gonna move back in with my parents. They’ve got this great flat on the edge of town. They’ll feed more for a while until I can find an actual job. At, like, an actual movie theater or something. Then I’m gonna move in with my new girlfriend, Kelly.
I’m sending you the papers and stuff you need to sign on the fax. I can’t drive over and bring them to you because WE DON’T HAVE A CAR. Like, seriously.
So. Yeah. Um, Pauline…I’m sorry this didn’t work out. But, uh – wow, did you SEE that! What a hit! Uh sign those forms and send ‘em in for me, will ya? I’m in the middle of a game right now. Talk to ya later.