This story tells about a boy named Berry who adopted a stray puppy inside a box in the street and named her Toffee, which then later grow older together. The adventure start when there is a girl named Shea who is going to the vet as the same time with Berry and Toffee while Toffee having a checkup because she is often get sick in his old days, while Shea fallen from the stairs and the next thing happened, she become Toffee at night?....

Set in a fictional Regency-era England, the story follows Sophie, a bright, kind-hearted young woman serving as governess to Lady Margaret, the spirited daughter of the Earl and Countess of Rosenberg. Though cheerful and composed on the surface, Sophie carries a deep and lingering void-she remembers nothing of her life before the age of twelve.Found unconscious outside St. Luke's Orphanage by a kindly nun, Sophie grew up with no knowledge of who she truly was. Despite her efforts over the years to recover her lost memories, the past remains stubbornly out of reach.That is, until a chance encounter with a stranger begins to unravel the threads of her forgotten life. As buried truths resurface, Sophie is drawn closer to a world she never knew she'd left-and to the man who may hold the key to her identity, and her heart.

Sequel to College Chemistry

I have always felt a bit different. Ever since I could remember. My mother is normal, about as normal as anyone else's would be. My sister is about the same as any other. And my father is dead.

But his death is not to blame. I always seem a bit different. My sister calls it robotic, but last I checked, I am a human. I have the baby photos and everything to prove it.

Well, I suppose I am forgetful too. Another human trait. I forgot to state my name and business. I am Aura Ozone, 16 years old.

And this is my journal.

In a world where demi-gods are enslaved and kingdoms thrive on bloodshed, Mablevi lives the life of a banished princess, cast out for her forbidden birth. By day, she dances in the brothels of Aranbiya, dazzling those who dare to watch. By night, she soars into the skies with her loyal bodyguard, freeing demi-gods from their chains. But the darkness is filled with danger-and desire. As Mablevi navigates a web of deadly secrets, reckless foes, and beautiful, dangerous men who seek to claim her heart and soul, she must decide if she will rise above her fate-or be consumed by it.

"The past never dies… it waits." Bestselling author Rishav Ahuja thought he had it all—fame, fans, and a future filled with stories. But everything changes the day a stranger hands him an ancient book at a signing event. It looks ordinary. It reads like poetry. But the moment he opens it, his soul remembers. The book is no mere manuscript—it's the key to a past life Rishav never knew he lived. A life filled with forbidden love, betrayal, and a death that demanded revenge. Now haunted by vivid dreams and emotions that don’t belong to this lifetime, Rishav is pulled into a deadly cycle of fate. The woman he lost. The enemy he never saw coming. And a war that was never truly over. Can love survive across centuries? Or will vengeance burn it all down—again? A reincarnation romance full of mystery, emotion, and destiny. Read now and uncover the truth that even time couldn’t erase.

A journey is usually something everyone enjoys, filled with excitement. But what happens when a journey is undertaken with fear and devotion? That is what this story is about.

Let's start:

Krishna had finished his studies and he was working at a call center.

One day, his friend told him, “There’s a job in Delhi with 1 LPA salary. If you’re okay with it, I’ll talk to my friend and try to get you a job there.”

Thinking it’s in Delhi, Krishna agrees.

The reason behind for agreeing Delhi offer is "Krishna’s family was heavily in debt. He was the one his family depended on. Although he's father is working he would like to give him peace, and Krishna wanted to pay off the debts and buy a house where he could see his parents happy. That was his wish".

Krishna believed in being honest and never cheating anyone.

Even though he knew his family’s situation, he was determined: “No matter what, I will never let go of my honesty and integrity.”

To get a job in his field of study, he needed time and he needs to do some study related courses, but that required money. Although he didn’t like the call center job, for money sake he will do that job, some how the job didn’t feel right for him.

At that moment, his friend told him about the job in Delhi, and Krishna said okay.

A week later, he received a phone call for an interview from Delhi. The interview would be entirely over the phone.

During the interview, they said the job would be from 10 am to 5 pm, and he’d have to answer customer queries and help them and some technical work will be there that you need to handle. We will provide complete training on that.

After the interview, the interviewer told Krishna “You’re selected.”

He told his parents about the selection and left to Delhi for the job.

After a 26 hour journey, Krishna reached Delhi. He got down from the train and called the person who’d contacted him to ask for the address.

That person said the office wasn’t in Delhi but it is in Ghaziabad.

He was told to take the metro rail from Delhi to reach exact location, which was about 1.5 hours from the Delhi railway station.

It was Krishna’s first time in Delhi. He had to figure out where the metro station was, so he stepped outside.

He went to an auto driver and asked. But Krishna didn’t know that there was a way to go directly from the railway station to the metro station. Not knowing this, he paid the auto driver 200 rupees.

After getting down from the auto, Krishna realized this and thought he had to be more careful from now on then.

Later he entered the metro station.

For the first time, he boarded the metro train in Delhi, he had never even been on a metro in Hyderabad.

He asked a fellow passenger when his station would arrive.

The man told him to follow the metro map. Krishna said okay and kept an eye on the map and the areas around him.

An hour later, he reached his station. He got off the metro and called the person who’d told him to come, asking where to go next.

The person gave him a place name and said to take an auto from there.

Krishna took an auto and left. About 40 minutes later, he reached the location.

He called that person again, the person said, “Our man will be there. I’ll give you his number. Call him and go to the room with him. I’ll come and take you to the office.”

There, a man was already waiting for Krishna.

Krishna called that man, and the two of them went to the room together.

Krishna freshened up and waited to go to the office. But it got late that day, so the man told him to rest and that they’d go to the office the next morning.

The next day:

Krishna reported at the office, submitted his documents, and looked around the office atmosphere.

But it wasn’t actually an office it was a training center. They were teaching how to set up a business, what you need, how to talk to people.

After the training, they would give you a store to run. The investment materials would be theirs, but the store would be yours to run, like a franchise.

Since he’d already come, Krishna thought, “Let’s do something" and stayed.

From the next day, he started attending five days of training.

During the training, Krishna found out something "For the franchise, the company required an investment of 10,000 to 50,000 rupees".

The person who had called Krishna to Delhi hadn’t told him this at all.

Now, that man was telling and convincing Krishna to pay the money.

Krishna knew very well his family’s situation and the debts. He didn’t want to take on another loan just to pay for this job or business. So, he decided to return home.

He told his roommate that he would like to go home to arrange money. Actually Krishna don't want to stay there but the person wants him to pay money. For diversion he said he will go home to arrange money.

Then he booked a train ticket online to Secunderabad.

Just then, our Prime Minister Modi announced demonetization.

There was no money in the ATMs, and only a few banks were open, with limited hours

Even in the place where Krishna was, no banks were open.

Out of the money he’d brought, he had only 2,500 rupees left.

He booked the train ticket online for 800 rupees, leaving him with 1,200 rupees. He had 200 rupees in his wallet and 1,500 rupees in his bank account.

The train from Delhi was at 5:30 pm, and Krishna left his room at 1:00 pm.

He ate a meal for 70 rupees, leaving him with 130 rupees. Auto and metro charges together cost 65 rupees.

Confident that his online ticket would be enough, Krishna decided to travel with the remaining 65 rupees.

He reached the Delhi railway station by 4:30 pm. The train came at 5:15 pm, and Krishna boarded it.

Krishna had an online ticket, but the ticket is in the waiting list. He thought he could show it to the ticket collector (TC) and request a seat.

Ten minutes after the train started, the TC came. Krishna eagerly showed him the ticket. But the TC told him that the ticket wasn’t valid and that the money would be refunded to his bank account.

Krishna was shocked by listening TC, he said the ticket he’d bought online is in the waiting list, and he didn’t even have money with him.

The TC told him, “It’s not my problem. If you have money, buy a new ticket. Otherwise, get down at the next station.”

Krishna argued, saying he’d bought a ticket online, but the TC didn’t care and told him to leave.

As Krishna was moving to the next compartments, he saw an empty seat and sat down. He showed his ticket to the people nearby. They told him, “This will be enough. If the TC comes, we’ll talk to him.”

Then he said what was the situation of him, why he came to Delhi all the story.

The passengers with him also offered some of the food they’d brought.

Meanwhile, Krishna kept thinking about his situation he was scared and tired.

The train was passing through Maharashtra. Some unknown persons talking like "I will get down at Balharshah station".

Krishna remembered the name of the place, Balharshah. He had traveled by the Balharshah train to attend his friend’s wedding in Mancherial.

But, It would take until 2 pm the next day to reach there. So Krishna spent the whole night awake, scared.

The next morning, without even brushing his teeth, Krishna stayed on the upper berth, chanting “Om Namo Narayana,” as he had great devotion to God.

He expected the TC to come at either 9 am or 2 pm. But the TC came at 11 am. When the TC came, Krishna had his eyes closed, chanting the mantra.

The people who had shared their food with Krishna told to TC that the upper berth was theirs, so the TC left without saying anything.

At 1 pm, Krishna received a message: “Your online ticket has been cancelled. Money will be refunded to your account.”

Seeing that message, Krishna began to sweat with fear. He thought, “At the next station, I’ll get down and somehow make my way to Balharshah.”

He thanked the people who had shared their food and got down at the next station.

The station was Chandrapur. From there, Balharshah was about 120 km away, which he came to know from an auto driver. Also he asked the driver about an ATM, he said it was near by.

But the ATM didn’t work, and another ATM had a “No cash” sign.

Krishna was upset he was stuck in an unknown town, with no money.

Then he remembered that he had a chequebook. He wrote a self-cheque for 1,000 rupees and went to the bank.

Weak and tired, he walked several kilometers to the bank.

Because of demonetization, there was a huge queue at the bank. He had to take a token to withdraw money. Even with the token, it wasn’t clear if he’d get cash that day.

He tried his luck at a nearby ATM, but there was no money there, either.

Exhausted, he stood in line at the bank. It took two hours for his token number to come up. Seeing Krishna so tired, a bank employee took pity on him, brought him inside, and asked the security guard to get him a samosa and tea.

Krishna gratefully accepted the food and thanked the bank employee. He took out the cash and went to the bus stop.

There, he came to know that there were buses to Balharshah, so he waited. At 5:40 pm, his bus came.

He boarded it and reached the Asifabad bus stop in Telangana by 9 pm.

He found out that the bus to Hyderabad would come at 10 pm. He had dinner while waiting for the bus.

At 10 pm, the bus arrived. Krishna happily got in, sat down, and finally reached Hyderabad and home.

Summary:  Chanting the Lord’s name helped Krishna, and he was ultimately saved by the people around him. God tests us, but if we keep our faith in him and remain honest and true, He will always send help during our difficult times.

***“Om Namo Narayana”***

New life begins for Krishna with more twists.

See you soon.

I will post links to my readings from the first few chapters of my recent novel, Hire Lernin’: An Idealist’s Quest Through the Realm of for-Profit Education. The novel involves the bittersweet journey of a young, idealistic, naïve attorney who takes on the role of academic dean at a for-profit business school in New York City in the late 1980s knowing very little about the industry. Unable to accept the way things are, he immediately launches into a personal quest to change lives for the better in an environment where only the bottom-line matters. Hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit quickly propel him to professional success, but at a deep personal cost in the process as he learns critical life-altering lessons about himself, about leadership, about for-profit and not-for-profit higher education, and about love.

The novel itself is available in eBook and paperback versions from most book sellers. And I recently released audiobook versions of both the original English version and my Spanish translation that are also widely available. These are cold, unedited readings and are not part of the actual audiobooks now available. I recorded these for fun and posted them to my YouTube channel in the past and am providing links here. They serve an interesting contrast to the actual audiobook version. (You can also listen to brief previews from my various audiobooks at the following link: Audible.)

I hope you will enjoy these simple chapter readings as much as I did recording them.

You can hear an unabridged reading of the first two chapters by clicking HERE.

Hire Lernin’

An Idealist’s Quest Through the Realm of for-Profit Education

(C) 2021, 2025 Victor D. López, J.D., Esq.

This is a preview of the first two chapters of my published novel that involves the bittersweet journey of a young, idealistic, naïve attorney who takes on the role of academic dean at a for-profit business school in New York City in the late 1980s knowing very little about the industry. Unable to accept the way things are, he immediately launches into a personal quest to change lives for the better in an environment where only the bottom-line matters. Hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit quickly propel him to professional success, but at a deep personal cost.  In the process as he learns life-altering lessons about himself, about leadership, about for-profit and not-for-profit higher education, and about love.

PLEASE NOTE:  This novel is now available in its final edited form in ebook, paperback, hard-cover, and audiobook versions from your favorite local or international booksellers, including AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, GOOGLE PLAY, APPLE BOOKS, AUDIBLE, and other leading national and international booksellers. I hope you will sample these and enjoy them as much as I did writing them. And, as always, thank you for your support.

_________________

Chapter One: Dreamers Dream Until They are Awakened

Dan peered out of his Jackson Heights second story apartment window hoping to spy the letter carrier’s cart on the sidewalk below bearing good news. He had risen as usual at 8:00 a.m., showered, dressed and was at his desk by 9:00 a.m. ready to face the world, which these days largely meant waiting for the mail to arrive or the phone to ring with an interview offer while working on a book about public domain software that he had begun writing. A classic overachiever, Dan was undaunted by the fact that he had settled into this routine two months ago and was still waiting for a reasonable job offer that he could actually accept. No matter, he would persevere and everything would be fine.

Success had always come easily to Dan. He completed middle school in two years in a special progress class, graduated from one of the best High Schools in the country, Brooklyn Technical High School, with honors, and excelled not only in the traditional college-level math, science and technical courses that formed the foundation of his pre-engineering curriculum, but also in the humanities and social sciences. College had been more of the same. He looked forward to every class, never managed his GPA by dodging hard courses or dropping courses in which he was not maintaining an A average, never cut classes, and graduated with high honors. Both his I.Q. and LSAT scores qualified him for membership in Mensa, an organization he had absolutely no interest in joining. He coasted through law school, though his grades were only average as he was frustrated and bored by the emphasis on memorization and regurgitation of facts, issues, holdings and rationales for cases in the traditional case method employed by the law school he attended (and most others for that matter both then and now).

Dan had decided to go to law school to help people, to make a difference, and to promote justice—actually believing these clichés with the fervor and innocence possible only for recent arrivals from faraway galaxies and people whose only exposure to the law and lawyers is derived from romanticized Hollywood movies, novels, and television shows. His delusions did not survive the first week of law school. He knew almost immediately that he would not practice law as a career, at least not as his primary occupation, but stubbornly decided to stick it out for no better reason than he had always completed anything he started, and law school would not be the exception. So, instead of leaving law school after a week, a month or even a semester as any rational person faced with the clear evidence that he had made a terrible mistake would have done, he plodded onward. He could have pursued a Ph.D. in political science, English, philosophy or any of the half dozen other fields that were of real interest to him in the humanities and social sciences where he could have found a fulfilling career as an academic. Instead, he chose to stay in law school and use his law degree to obtain a non-legal corporate position in human resource management, government compliance or one of the many other areas in business in which knowledge of the law and the ability to give legal advice are essential.

After graduating from law school, he took and comfortably passed the grueling New York State bar exam, though he would not receive the results until December and would not be admitted to practice until the following spring, just like everyone else who passed the bar exam. In the meantime, he had worked on Wall Street for a year hating the experience. Once admitted to practice, he prepared his resume and sent out application letters, neatly typed and appropriately listing his educational experience and competencies seeking to find more satisfying work. With no relevant work experience, however, responses were not what he had hoped for that summer. He received perhaps one interview for every ten or fifteen application letters sent out. This was actually much better than average, especially since he was not applying for work as an attorney. He should have expected three to five interviews for every 100 letters sent out, but he did not know that. Accustomed to success and with an unrealistic notion of his marketability and value, he was disappointed at getting at best a couple of interviews a month and was even less enthusiastic about the salaries offered for the entry level administrative and consulting positions for which he interviewed and which he was offered.

But this week would be different. In researching positions for which he would qualify as someone with a law degree, he had learned an interesting fact: more college deans hold a Juris Doctor degree than degrees from any other discipline. This appealed to him, and he had instantly decided that rather than accept any of the unsatisfying offers like the ones he had recently received, he would concentrate on obtaining a dean’s position at an academic institution. The fact that most college deans are highly experienced academics or accomplished professionals before their ascension to administration is something that completely escaped Dan’s less than comprehensive research into the subject. Thus, his mind made up about a career choice that would after all vindicate his decision to obtain a law degree, he readjusted his resume, developed a new cover letter, and began to apply for deans’ positions from The Chronicle of Higher Education. And, not knowing any better, he also kept reading The New York Timesclassifieds hoping to find those types of positions listed there as well.

Within a few days of making this new life-altering decision, he had sent out a half dozen new application letters to community colleges in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut tri-state area from the Chronicleand one to Practical Entrepreneurial Management Training Institute (PEMTI), a local business school Dan had never heard of. The cryptic ad in the classified section of The New York Timesread: Academic Dean. Leading business school with branches throughout the tri-state area is searching for an Academic Dean for its Queens campus. Competitive salary and benefits. Master’s Degree required; Doctorate preferred. The only other information was an address for PEMTI at Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens, an area not too far from Dan’s apartment.  He then waited for a call he was sure would come, oblivious to the fact that the lag time between the submission of an application for a dean’s position and the search committee selection of candidates for preliminary phone interviews and, eventually, on-campus interviews take months at traditional academic institutions, even at lower-level community colleges and baccalaureate institutions. But ignorance is bliss, and Dan eagerly expected a call or letter inviting him to an on-campus interview within a week of having sent the application.

It is said that even broken clocks are right twice a day—well, at least that’s true for the old-fashioned analog ones. And this morning, just three days after mailing his application, his phone rang.

“This is PEMTI calling. May I speak to Daniel Amor?” The woman’s husky, southern accented voice gave Dan a sudden adrenaline surge as he quickly responded, “This is he.”

“Good morning, Mr. Amor. I’m calling with regard to your application for the dean’s position. Will you please hold for the director, Mr. Lantz?”

“Yes, thank you.” Dan tried to keep his voice calm as his heart rate sped up further. A click on the line was followed almost immediately by the mellow voice of a man exuding cheerfulness.

“Dr. Amor?” The voice queried.

“Yes sir, good morning” Dan answered.

“Good morning. I’m Marvin Lantz, the school director. We received your application for the dean’s position and would like to bring you in for an interview. Are you available this week?”

“Any time this week is fine with me, Dr. Lantz,” Dan retorted without the usual response he knew he should give about having to consult his schedule in order to not appear overeager and unattractively unoccupied.

“Call me Marvin, please. I’m an MBA, not a Ph.D. or Ed.D. Can you come in tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.? We’re on Queens Boulevard about two blocks from the courthouse on the fourth floor of the Wang Office Building. Our school is actually on the fourth and fifth floors.”

“I know the area and have your address. I’ll be there at 10:00 a.m. Thank you. I look forward to meeting you, Mr. Lantz.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting you as well. See you then,” Marvin replied and hung up the phone.

Dan smiled widely. Finally, he had an interview he could really look forward to. He called his girlfriend, Linda, as soon as he got off the phone, eager to give her the good news.

“Morning babe,” he said as soon as she picked on the phone. “I have some great news!”

“Hi Dan. What is it?”

“I just got called in for an interview at a local business school for a dean’s position.”

“Yeah, and I just got crowned Miss Universe,” she scoffed.

“I’m serious!”

“You told me you sent out applications for deans’ positions a few days ago. How can they possibly be interviewing already?”

“I guess they know quality when they see it,” he quipped.

“Joke all you want, but be careful. I see a huge red flag popping up here.”

“Gosh, Linda. You’re such a damned pessimist. Why are you perpetually raining on my parade?”

“Because I love you and someone has to protect you from yourself. You always see the glass as half full, and even if someone takes the time to make you see it’s actually completely empty, you’ll point to rain clouds in the horizon and argue it will soon be full again.”

“So, shoot me for always looking at the bright side, Ms. Perpetual Party Pooper! For me the glass is always half full, true; for you it is always completely empty, dusty, cracked and lying in the middle of the Sahara Desert under six feet of sand,” Dan said with a tone of exasperation, yet knowing full well that she was right.

“Just be careful, Dan. Congratulations on getting the interview, but be wary.”

“I will, Linda. Have some faith in me, won’t you?”

“I have always had complete faith in you—it’s your judgment that worries me.”

“I’ve gotta go,” Dan said. “I’m off to the library to do some research. We can talk tonight,” Dan said, giving the receiver a kiss and hanging up the phone.

He knew Linda was right—she almost always was. He could be impulsive and allow his enthusiasm to cloud his judgment. Nevertheless, he felt some annoyance at Linda’s harping on the negative rather than exploring the positive. She was a realist who looked at the positive and the negative in every situation and parked herself somewhere in the middle. Dan was an idealist who had a hard time accepting any reality he found unpleasant or unfair and would look for a rainbow in the middle of a hurricane, even if it killed him.

After getting off the phone, he did what he did best: turn to the task at hand and devote his full attention to it. He needed to get as much information as possible about PEMTI in preparation for the interview with little time to do so. In the days before the Internet, a library’s holdings were the only effective way to research a prospective employer, so he headed for his car to take a quick trip to the St. John’s University library to find out anything he could about PEMTI. Unfortunately, it was a trip that would prove fruitless. The same was true of his trip to his public library.  Returning home that evening, he avoided going to see Linda as he knew she would harp on his need for caution and make him miserable. Instead, he called her, and they chatted on the phone briefly. He also called his parents who were much more enthusiastic about his good news knowing nothing about the usual process involved in a dean’s search and, therefore, offered Dan only the encouragement he craved.

____________________

Chapter 2: The Interview (Part One)

The next morning, Dan got up early, put on his best suit and gathered his leather portfolio, placing extra copies of his resume and undergraduate and graduate transcripts in it along with three glowing letters of reference from professors who knew him well and could vouch for his intellectual acumen and skill set. Rather than take his car into an area where parking would likely pose a problem, he opted to take the subway, leaving his home at 9:00 a.m. for what should be at most a half hour trip door to door. Nothing beats the NYC subway system for getting around cheaply and quickly, especially during rush hour when bumper-to-bumper traffic moves at about the same rate as the average lethargic slug. Traffic flow is further impeded by traffic lights whose timing sequence seems to be set by particularly perverse, sadistic children during breaks from biting their baby siblings, torturing puppies and singeing the tail feathers of caged songbirds on sunny windowsills with magnifying glasses when their parents are not looking.

As he neared the ten-story office building that housed what might become his first academic home, he slowed his pace as he was nearly a half hour early and knew that he should not arrive earlier than fifteen minutes before his scheduled interview. He walked slowly past a variety of small shops, that included a Chinese restaurant with about a half dozen small tables visible through the front window, a pizzeria, a check cashing place sporting a prominent “Payday Loans” neon sign in its window, a bagel shop, a tattoo parlor and several bars. He continued past the office building towards the courthouse, enjoying the glorious early fall day. As he approached the courthouse, he could see dozens of lawyers going about their business, many of them accompanied by their clients chatting on their way to court or holding impromptu conferences. He smiled at the realization that it was often hard to distinguish criminal lawyers from their clients as they moved side by side on their way to and from the criminal courthouse. The lawyers, of course, could be discerned from their ubiquitous bulging leather briefcases, but seemed every bit as shabby, shifty and untrustworthy as their charges and wearing similarly rumpled off-the-rack suits and sports jackets. Even his criminal law professor in law school fit that mold—there was too much of the streets about them, a greater affinity to their clients than to the polish and eloquence that used to be associated with the legal profession in the days when lawyers were not free to hawk their services on commercials during television shows aimed at the terminally unemployable members of society with loud, obnoxious, misleading commercials. These echoed all the finesse and professionalism of local used car salespeople hawking their wares to individuals with toxic credit histories in the wee hours of the morning.

“Have you been injured by a slip and fall? Did the police find a kilo of heroin in your car after a traffic stop motivated by racial profiling?  Is the IRS hounding you because you’ve never paid taxes? Is your son doing poorly in school because he was slapped too hard on his fanny by the obstetrician at birth? Were you denied employment or a promotion because you are an unqualified drug user with a bad attitude, body odor and perpetual absenteeism caused by Chronic Lethargy Syndrome? You may be entitled to compensation. Call 1-800-SHEISTER and a lawyer will come to your home to discuss your case. No injury is too small or frivolous for us to pursue. The law firm of Sheister & Sheister is always on your side.” These commercials should come with the following rapidly-scrolling disclaimer in small print (but do not--a testament to the political clout bought by the very generous campaign contributions of trial lawyers in the United States):

“Disclaimer: we only take cases we know we can win with a minimum of effort, and then only on a 50-percent contingency fee basis. We routinely file cases with little or no merit knowing full well that judges will seldom throw them out on pretrial motions, and count on our ability to settle almost any claim for its nuisance value of $10,000 or less as the average litigation will cost defendants $25,000 in lawyer’s fees and it is cheaper for them to pay us $10,000 to go away than it is to win a Pyrrhic victory in court and have to pay their attorneys $25,000. After paying for court fees and some ancillary expenses off the top from the $10,000 nuisance judgment, we get about $4,500 for little or no work beyond basic motions filed by our underpaid paralegals, and you get $4,500 for any injury real or imagined that may have been caused by anyone you choose to sue. God Bless America, the only country on the planet in which lawyers have succeeded in maintaining the sanctity of the American Rule that prevents losing parties from having to pay the legal expenses of the prevailing party.”

After walking past the courthouse killing time and thinking these dangerous, subversive thoughts that would get him immediately voted off the island by his brothers and sisters of the bar, he turned around after a leisurely seven-minute stroll and slowly walked back. He made his way to the fourth floor at precisely 9:45 a.m.

“Dan Amor to see Mr. Lantz,” he told the smiling receptionist. “He’ll be with you in a moment.” She picked up the phone, punched a button and announced, “Mr. Amor is here to see you.” She then turned to Dan and said sweetly, “Please sit down. He’ll be right with you “

Before Dan had a chance to take a seat, a smiling, short, thin man in his late thirties with short hair in an almost perfect horseshoe pattern around a gleaming, bald head opened the inner door to the right of the reception area and offered Dan a broad smile. “Good morning, Dan. Please come in. I’m Marvin. It’s good to meet you.” Marvin extended his hand to Dan who shook it firmly, saying “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for seeing me.”

Marvin held the door open and asked Dan to pass through. Dan noted what appeared to be a metal detector as he walked through the threshold, while also noticing another metal detector on the wider door to the left of the reception area that must lead to the classrooms given the number of young people carrying books that he saw walking through it. Unlike today, metal detectors at a school in the 1980s was something Dan had never seen before and found curious. Marvin pointed to the end of the hallway and said, “My office is just down the hall, please follow me.” On the way to Marvin’s office, Dan saw several small offices with people busy at work at their desks, and a large office just before Marvin’s door that looked like a phone bank with a half dozen people working the phones in diminutive cubicles.

As he walked inside Marvin’s office, Dan noticed a short man with mid-length hair staring out the large picture window at the traffic below on Queens Boulevard. The man’s shirt, though clean and of apparent good quality, was rumpled and looked slept in. The man turned his attention to Marvin and to Dan when he heard them come in. Unlike Marvin’s conservative blue tie and a pressed shirt, the man’s tie sported a cacophony of discordant colors that could have been designed by a chimp of subpar intelligence on an acid trip supplied with finger paints in all the primary colors for its hands and feet. The man immediately walked towards Dan with his hand extended in the style of life insurance salesmen, car dealers and televangelists the world over.

“Good to meet you, Dan. I’m Jerry Mason, Vice President for Administration of PEMTI,” the man said, enthusiastically shaking Dan’s hand. “Marvin and I will be interviewing you today and appreciate your coming to see us on short notice.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Mason. Thank you for granting me this interview,” Dan replied meeting the man’s smile, though not quite matching it’s size or intensity.

“Call me Jerry. We Don’t stand on ceremony here, plus I don’t hold a doctorate, just an MS in Marketing. Please, sit down,” he added, pointing to one of two padded leather chairs in front of a massive mahogany desk. ”You too, Marvin. I’ll just stand if you don’t mind.” Marvin smiled and took the seat, but not before offering Dan a cup of coffee or tea, pointing to an elegant side table with freshly brewed coffee, china cups and saucers, a matching sugar bowl, and silver spoons. The office smelled pleasantly of vanilla and fresh brewed French roast coffee. Dan waved off the offer with thanks and sat down, opening his leather portfolio on his lap.

“Would either of you like a copy of my resume or letters of reference?” He asked, looking at both men. “No thank you,” Marvin replied. “We both have a copy and have reviewed it carefully,” he added. Jerry leaned back on the windowsill behind Marvin’s desk and studied Dan while Marvin spoke. “Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself and why you want this job,” Marvin added with a pleasant smile.

Dan covered the basics about his education, training and commitment to higher education. He emphasized his ability to learn almost anything quickly, his legal training and adaptability. He touched on his academic credentials and eclectic competencies as well as his ability to work well both in groups and in self-directed projects.  He closed by explaining that he was a young attorney who did not wish to practice law but instead had chosen to pursue a career in higher education, preferring the intangible rewards and self-satisfaction that career offered over the pecuniary rewards available to a competent young lawyer, with native-language proficiency in Spanish in a city with an insufficient number of attorneys that could effectively serve the needs of a growing Latin American community.  Dan knew but did not mention the insultingly deficient “bilingual attorneys “ whose inability to effectively communicate orally or in writing in Spanish was at once amusing , dangerous and insulting to the clients they targeted through the Spanish-language media.

Dan did not try to address what he anticipated the interviewers would ask as his weakness—lack of experience—was obvious, and he preferred not to raise any negative issue until he was asked about it. The second question, however, he did not anticipate, and it came from Jerry.

“How do you feel about for-profit education?”

Dan answered honestly and immediately. “I really have not given the matter much thought. However, I believe that college is not for everyone, and that there is a very real gap in career training that community colleges are increasingly failing to meet. Most have turned away from their original job-training mission and become feeders for four-year schools. A majority of graduates with associate degrees lack any real marketable skills and are prepared almost exclusively to transfer to a four-year institution that too often will offer similar bachelor’s degrees of little use for those seeking employment.” Both Jerry and Marvin nodded, smiled, and looked at each other as Dan said this.

“I have an uncle who learned typing skills from one business institute or other in Manhattan that saved him from an infantry position when he volunteered to serve in Korea” Dan continued. “He served very near to the front lines, but in a clerical position that kept him out of the infantry because of his office skills. He is a writer now and a retired high school teacher. I envy him the touch-typing skill which served him well and could have earned him a living as a clerk in any number of companies if the G.I. Bill had not allowed him to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees through the City University of New York and NYU. I also have two very good married friends who trained as beauticians and own their own salon. He is a construction worker who helps out during the winter off season, and she is someone who survived radical cancer surgery in her late teens that left her with physical disabilities that would have precluded her from holding many jobs for which she was otherwise qualified. Both are successful, productive and very happy in their work which would not have been possible other than by attending a proprietary school in NYC. I support for-profit education because I have seen it work, as long as it is offered at a reasonable cost and provides good practical training for individuals that for whatever reason cannot or choose not to go to college.” All of this was true, and it was very well received by both Jerry and Marvin.

“You would be surprised to learn how many people disagree with that point of view,” Jerry said, smiling broadly once again. “But of course we completely agree with you, and we do provide an excellent education at a fair price. We also provide graduates with job placement assistance when they graduate, free of charge and for as long as they need it, not just help in getting their first job after completing their training.”

“That sounds terrific,” Dan said, again meaning it.

Destined for the Abyss is a supernatural suspense and drama novel that follows the story of José Atilano Bonillas Rojas, an ordinary man whose life changes radically after an encounter with dark forces. Accompanied by his wife Eliana, José becomes involved in a divine mission that leads them to face far greater evil forces than they ever imagined. As darkness looms over them, love, vengeance, and redemption intertwine in a journey filled with sacrifices and decisions that will test their faith and humanity. A tale that explores internal struggles, destiny, and the clash between light and shadow as the characters navigate an unpredictable and dangerous path.

The love of Jesus is unbreakable. The dove of Jesus is unforsakable. I ain't rocking with y'all. The saints is locking the wall. Worship God in spirit and in truth. Watch the earth shift now they fear it cause the game is bluetooth.

The Lord won't fail. Tryna destroy me in the war with the jail. Jesus really took the nail. You can't give the devil an opportunity. You got to live on the level with copper immunity. I ain't joining the game. The saints is coining the same.

You need the holy spirit in Jesus Christ to overcome the world. I been freed and now they fear it cause I know the price of where I'm from in the Word. My citizenship is in heaven. I ain't getting the realest sin of chip they can't win in seven.

Please listen to God cause the beast is glitching truth hard. They lease the distance cause most is switching the card. Hope it's a royal flush. I can cope cause my soul can't be touched. The world is naked. The Word is sacred. I'm real no fake cred.

Humble as a dove and wise as serpents. Can't crumble my love the skies is merging. Bragging rights cause lagging nights. All over they tagging rights. Submit to God and resist the devil. Some get the heart's plan and won't 6ix on any level.

The angels keep me company. I'mma lion if the bengals come for me. Something like Mufasa. Dance with the rhythm like salsa. They said I wouldn't make it. Now that I'm paid they couldn't fake it. I'm talking spiritual currency. This is a biblical emergency.

I'm in the Body of Christ. They got the sim in the Audi of rights. I don't do no Illuminati. I been known I wasn't the body. Heart bigger than the ocean. From the start y'all were triggered by the devotion. Listen within. They kissing the myth of sin.

If you know it all then why you tryna ball when the world about to fall. Why didn't you pickup the call. Y'all put God on voicemail. Break the wall of the heart's noise bail. Now folk ain't sure of their faith. Jesus said endure until the end to be saved.

Our Creator who is God loves you. Grinding Ike a skater my heart flying the sky above you. I don't seek no vengeance. The meek glow in repentance.  Foolishness and nonsense. True kiss I was blessed by her conscience. They throwing up the 6ix folk nauseous.

The world is ending and that ain't trending. When you got the juice that ain't gon be on the news. Jesus Christ gave me my rights. What version is buried. Katy Perry. Texas is the hot spot. Got a Lexus right out the lot. Easter is for Caesar. NWO teaser.

The Gospel I amplify. My soul ain't camouflaged. Hell mission is being broadcast on television. God told me the prayer. It's odd how they sold the Mayor. Open up the Bible. Hoping for the title. The war is spiritual not atomic. The Lord is universal karmic.

My jersey is number 144. They tryna curse me with the jumper but they can't even score. Iso mode like Luka. The advice is gold no mudra. They throwing the 6ix. I'm knowing the Knicks. New World Order is on the arrival. Truth like mortar in survival.

Knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Been to college mind my business talked about UFOS landing. Show love. Glow like a dove. God above. I don't bluff. Haven't the world had enough. Ain't nothing made up. Holy spirit is why they want me in cuffs.

My heart is lavish no time for savage. Bread and cabbage I ain't famished. Cup of suffering. What's up with the buffering. Listen to God whether pleasant or unpleasant. Keep your distance the devil ain't new by my heart just know I'm heaven sent.

Align the vibe of the sign. See thru the game. Free thru Jesus name. The war turns on when the door burns on. My energy is like an earthquake. The enemy want my worth on a stake. Like our Savior Christ. Can't waiver in the nights. New day. I don't play.

I testify that God blessed my eyes. Now I rest in the skies. Heavenly thoughts. Bought that Cadillac from the Seventies out the lot. Been a threat like the atomic. They been had dread cause folk is demonic. What's outer space. Holy spirit is saving grace.

The Lord God is with you at all times. Spiritual war go hard cause the victory is in your prime. Folk got a target on my head. Pray you woke only God I dread. The decision of love is what I envision in the dove. Break the television it's all made up.

Put the world on voicemail. Diamonds and pearls ain't noise bail. You got a choice heaven or hell. So many secrets folk won't tell. No regrets my soul I ain't sell. I stand with Jesus cause lucifer fell. God fearing my heart will prevail.

I'm on a shifting difference. Time ain't gone we all need living deliverance. I'm in the Bible. The lime wash the sin it's vital. In my prime I rebuke the idol. So much crime read Luke I glow. The world gon be nuked with snow. Holy spirit is how I know.

It breaks my heart to see they been snakes from the start. They were with the devil. The Word is a gift on any level. They thought I wouldn't wake up. They fought to see me lake up. Lamb's Book of Life. They shook cause I really survived.

Trust in the Highest Power who is God the Alpha and Omega. Babylon won't blush in the wireless flower of the heart where the lava is like balling for the Lakers. Had to get traded to the Saints. At times I'm sad but it faded cause I'm dunking in the paint.

We got to holy spirit the world. A lot fear it cause the truth is love's pearl. I know they hear it I'm in the booth the news is bluetooth. I'm breaking the legacy of what the letters see. I don't sign deals. I won't loan to find wheels. My grind is real.

Heart of a lamb in wisdom of peace so it's heaven or hell. The problem is the system of the beast which is being upheld. Destroyed Frankenstein with Frankincense. This intense like the smell of incense. But I don't burn it. A blind eye I won't turn it.

Chosen destiny. They posing next to me.  Keep your distance. Peep the score for instance. The game ain't honey. I don't care about fame or money. I'm content with what I have. You don't want to play and feel God's wrath. Only truth left in the aftermath.

Take heart and faint not. They fake since the start been want you to rot. That was expected. On the cross Jesus was disrespected. God woke me up so the world wouldn't choke me up. What happened to the Body of Christ. Folk capping for Illuminati rights.

Once you get in the Scriptures the world is triggered. Everyday the streets is mourning. Better pray cause Mark of the Beast warning. I'm not playing with anybody. The earth gon rot cause y'all praying to Illuminati.

The prophecy is for this generation. They got a policy for the 6ix revelation. Don't get caught in the crossfire. What they thought was lost in the wire. Immaculate conception. The fact you made it without their connection. Watch out for the deception.

The blessing of a lifetime. I'm confessing my primetime. The meek attract. Watch out for the sneak attack. The Gospel is authority over the earth. Every soul is accordingly sober with worth. Trust in Jesus by the spirit. You in a rush not to hear it.

Think on a heavenly tip. Drink on a heavenly sip. The game and matrix is merging. Jesus name is the ancient version. They know Christ is within me. Pray for my soul the silence listen to me. I went through the fire so my truth wouldn't expire.

You know what I mean. Glow in any scene. I was instructed carry your cross or get destructed. Watch what you doing. In Galatians I'm fluent. I been beaming in my prime what an improvement. Demon time is a movement. I ain't on it. Holy spirit got me wanted.

I awakened to my heart. A star in the making from the start. The vision of love. I'm on a mission like a dove. Now folk scared. Cause they know salvation is rare. The truth hits like bluetooth with grits. The world shifted when I found out I was gifted.

Hypothetically. Prophetically. Got the game on ice. Jesus name is the Christ. The outer is mixed with powder. Within I always listen. Her rose I'm kissing. How many souls in prison. On all levels. I don't ball with devils. God is awake. They heart is fake.

For righteousness sake. The Word is sure how is it fake. I won't cross over. Even in the frost my mind sober. Suffering cause the world is a lover of sin. They couldn't mold me so they almost sold me. They don't care. The way I feel is so rare.

Touchdown to heaven like a Saints running back. I can't hush now like a reverend that won't faint when they summon the pack. Free safety like I played for Auburn. Can't flee eternity the devil pray we all burn. The game is cooked. You in the Lamb's Book.

Smile with purity. Holy spirit is my security. The game is like closed caption. In Jesus name I rose with a passion. I can't be tamed that's why they gnashing. I'm in God's hands. So much crime on God's land. My time is in God's plans.

When it comes to The Gospel I won't budge. Repent wherever you from dear soul I can't judge. Jesus was really sent the miracle why you hold a grudge. The game is bent with mold that's why that filth is smudge. Power like Clark Kent my heart feel that nudge.

Submit to God. Love is not a myth of the heart. Resist the devil cause they in the 6ix on any level. Be strengthened in the Lord. The key is ancient in the war. This is spiritual through the biblical. Stay present. The world lost it's essence.

My heart is tapped into peace. It been start they capped into the beast. I rather be in ministry than the industry. Nothing ain't gon make me switch up on God. They fronting cause I won't fake up in the glitch up when it's hard.

We know the protocol. I glow like a star. Diamond tough. They can't sign me up. No deals allowed. My heart is real so they like how. They took a satanic vow. The world got me like wow. God with me. The devil tryna sift me. The Word lift me.

Wake up in the Word. Shake up the world. Endurance I don't need insurance. I love God with all my heart. Life is hard not a myth this the start. Gird up my loins. Bird up the coins. Biblically tapped in. They spiritually capped in. Now typically mapped in.

Look at the situation. The Book is for the generation. It's not about the money. It's about clout that's why they act funny. Biblical my life is a miracle. Imperishable seed. The sim is a searchable feed. I awaken. Soon they ain't gon be no faking.

My heart getting bigger. They starting to get triggered. God makes no mistake that's why Jesus was on the stake. Let the holy spirit use you 100. They fear it I could see the dread. The Lord has so much compassion. In this war I'm clutch what they asking.

Tap into the holy ghost. They cap the world is toast. Learned my lesson. They yearn for my stressing. My vibration was muddied up. My hydration is studied up. God works in mystery. It hurts what happened in history. Just know that Jesus got the victory.

I'm walking in the century. They talking injury. MVP ain't no benching me. In my family they was lynching me. My soul heavenly that's why I'm transcending the streets. I ain't taking no kiss of the beast. I'mma saint waking all with peace.

Heard the truth. Spit the Word in the booth. Protect the youth. Shift the world like caps lock. It ain't a myth that the earth is tapped in the Rock. Which is God. They done switch how odd. The game glitch when I pulled the card. Homerun the pitch at heart.

I pray to my Maker. I don't play for the Lakers. Spiritually attuned. Biblically immuned. My energy is explosive. My enemy sold me like Joseph. The game is cold. Jesus name is gold. The devil got them wild. Every level I'm able to smile.

Currently in silence. Urgently they sin off violence. It's an emergency cause the earth is love's balance. The pure in heart shall see God. Be sure it already start that's why it's hard. We need to repent. Buried as a seed with intent.

What I symbolize even the lions know I'm the truth. If you didn't catch that you hypnotized by the glow in the booth. Roaring in the jungle. Touring where the sun go. Trust God in Jesus. The world crushed in the thesis. The Lord won't leave us.

My heartbeat is powered by the holy spirit. When I start to meet the Father they fear it. I'm talking the true and living God. I'm walking brand new forgiven from my dark. Glow like the stars of the nights. To know then read the Bible for your rights.

Pay attention. I don't need your mention. Can't relate we got different fate. I was destined to be great. It's a blessing for your mind to be in the right state. Got the Word of God on my plate. The whole point is to walk thru the gates.