Characters

There he goes, out the door — one of the best writers, sharpest minds, and most sarcastic wits I've ever met. Mike sits a couple cubes over in the newsroom, or at least he did until today, when he finally packed up his stuff and headed off for greener pastures, a bigger paycheck and a shorter commute. Under his arm were tear sheets from some of his best stories, a stack of his kids' handmade drawings that had decorated the wall next to his desk, and his favorite stress ball — now the consistency of soft butter after hundreds of hours of vigorous use. Here's the thing about Mike — he cranked out news stories like a vending machine, day after day, week after week, year after year. That kind of thing can suck the creativity and joy right out of you. But even after all these years in the news business, Mike still found a way to weave a little "inspired" into just about everything he wrote. People, places, experiences, causes — he gave readers a front row seat...