A. Opening React

     A Freeport merchant, Russell Rothkrug, owner of Russ's Market, which is across the street from the Mallory College campus, calls your city editor with a complaint. The editor turns the call over to you. He says it is a complaint about the new campus grocery store whose opening was recently described in the newspaper. (See Chapter 6, Exercises, A. Opening.)

     "No, it's not the story I don't like," says Rothkrug. "It's the college encouraging the kids to compete with private merchants. We have to operate at a profit, but these kids don't have families to support or rent to pay. I think it's unfair."
     You ask if his business has been affected.
     "Sure it has. Since that store opened 10 days ago, my business has fallen off about 20 percent."
     Has he done anything?
     "Yeah, I called the provost, Thomas Palmer, and complained, but all he would say is that he would look into it. He wasn't very encouraging."
     You check with another merchant near the campus, Aaron Elston, owner of A-1 Shopping Center, and he says that he, too, has been disturbed, but that he has not yet noticed any appreciable downturn.
     "Maybe 10 percent. But I am worried what it may be like when word spreads around the campus. They certainly don't have any costs, like hiring a guard here to keep those college kids from stealing everything off the shelves.
     "They won't do that to the campus store. Well, maybe they will. Maybe those junior businessmen will learn what it's like to be a small merchant. Oh, the worries and the taxes and the rip-offs and the lousy quality of goods. You know, now that I think of it, I hope they stick around for a while. Those kids who talk so much about how private enterprise is exploitative may learn something.
     "Tell that kid running the store I'll be happy to give him the name of my doctor. He has some good stuff for the nerves."

     Write a story of 250 words for The Freeport News or Channel 7.

B. Waiter

     A Freeport woman, Mrs. Arthur Katzen, telephones the newsroom to say she wants to describe a pleasant experience she had in New York City on a recent trip. She had read a piece in your newspaper about a honeymooning couple whose luggage was stolen by a taxi driver on their arrival in New York. She says:

     I was staying at the Waldorf Astoria this weekend and had breakfast in the Peacock Alley. I left what I thought was a $1 tip. During the day I noticed that I was short of money and couldn't figure out why.
     The next morning I went back for breakfast in the Peacock Alley. A waiter came over to me and handed me a $20 bill. He said I'd left it as a tip.
     So you see, not everyone there is a thief. He was such a pleasant young man. I gave him a reward of $5 for returning the $20.

     Write a brief story.

C. No Baby

     You are looking at some old clips and your eye catches a story about Baby, an African elephant in the local zoo whose pregnancy was reported by the zoo director, Cyrus Tucek, five months ago. You wonder how Baby is faring and you call the zoo.
Tucek is not there but his assistant, Bayard Parker, fills you in with a few words.

     "She isn't," he tells you.
     "Isn't what?" you ask.
     "Pregnant," he replies.
     "What happened?" you ask.
     "False pregnancy, I guess," he says.
     Sensing that Parker is a man of few words, but hoping to draw him out, you say you never heard of such a thing.
     "Well, you have now," he says.
     "How's she doing generally?" you ask.
     "OK."
     "When did you find out about Baby's false pregnancy?"
     "Two days ago."
     "When will Mr. Tucek be back?"
     "Two weeks."

     You decide you can't wait that long. Anyway, you see that you have the basic information, and you decide to write a short story.