HARDLY EVEN RICH A Short Story

Narrator Nick Podehl's spirited style is ideal for this gritty short story. Brian Jeffries is a life insurance salesman who is working to stay ahead of his family's overspending. Podehl introduces easygoing Jeffries as he's blissfully closing a deal to sell a three-million-dollar life insurance policy to Dr. Michael Thompson and his greedy wife, Angela. Jeffries cringes at hearing that Thompson smokes pot, which vastly increases the premium. The desperate Jeffries deliberately ignores the revelation and writes the policy under normal terms, a decision that results in unforeseen repercussions. Podehl creates an intimacy that allows listeners to identify with Jeffries and remain sympathetic with his decisions. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]