The Humans Of Steemit is back this week with an enthralling story shared by a very good friend of mine 
,I met him through the Fifty word Story contest I run on 
.
He is a very talented writer and the judging process was always hard whenever he participated, he is one of the few fiction writers on Steemit who entertained me, and even though the contest required only Fifty words, he had a way of illustrating a full novel with just Fifty words.
Without much ado, Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you
My intro:
Hi, I'm Henry Gant, Man About Town!
I'm here for news . . . the big news the kind of news you don't find in a small town.
Big news . . . hard facts . . . big hard facts.
I have an ear, nose, and foot for facts!
If it's a fact . . . I have heard it, smelled it, and stepped in it.
But, I'm just like you. I put my pants on one leg at a time . . . because I only have one leg . . . shark bit the other one off.
We were clubbing sharks at the Ernest Hemingway Shark Clubing Contest off the coast of Florida.
The rules were simple: Drag a sword fish along side a saleboat and club the ensuing sharks . . . it was kind of a hobby with the old man. He even wrote a book about it, Old Man and the Sea.
I was there with "one eyed Dan." (nicknamed "Lucky") He was having a hard time clubbing sharks . . . because like many of the contestants he only had one arm. He was using his left arm, the one scarred by fire, and I was helping.
The rules said you can only use a club. Well, at the time I had a club foot . . . and technically we should have won.
But it was worth it . . . because the only way that you can a get memory like this and write about it . . . is to be a creative writer.
And that's where Steem.it comes in.
I am a creative writer.
I came to Steem.it by way of investing in cryptocurrencies. I saw Steem rise suddenly from its ICO price, and kicked myself for not investing when I knew I should. Should have, could have, would have. These are good words to erase from your mind.
I researched Steem.it and thought it would be an interesting place to join.
I like most other newcomers calculated how much I would earn in my new dream job.
Would it be enough to allow me to quit my day job and write full time?
I put it to the test and wrote my first article.
I put on my conspiracy guy-hat and threw in the Dashel Hammet inspired persona of Henry Gant and went to town as they say.
I got 4 upvotes and earned . . . nothing.
Being the type who never gives up . . . I quit.
Well, I really just sat back, read and watched the rest of Steem.it.
This was during the time when posts that made some money were regularly down voted. No need to go into that here, but I think it pulled that early group together as a community.
Reading regular contributors gave me a sense of belonging.
Steem.it became less about making money/steem and more about what can I do to be a part of this Brave New World.
Then came the contests!
I won meme contest #5 with an irreverent edgy post, befitting of my alter ego.
Then my first 50 words contest.
That was fun, and I was hooked.
Since then it's just been fun. I enjoy the odd perspective that my writing brings. Steemit has given me the creative outlook that I have alway wanted/needed in order to progress as a writer. A few votes, some laughs . . . several dollars now and then, and a whole lot of learning have shaped my aproach to posting.
Most important I have found a voice.
Previously unknown to me is my community activism -- actually reporting on issues surrounding our members.
Finding a place to be of use: Whether that be donating a few Steem or just calling out (here we go) injustice.
( I say injustice as two separate words . . . and then slowly look toward the sky.)
And then there are the people
Friends for sure . . . my chosen family . . . brothers and sisters.
I mention these few-of-many because this is how Steemit will grow, and how the new user will find their place:
People whom you may never meet, give comment to or even agree with: Developing a bond and a love for their appearance in your world. You will find a place in Steemit, the same way you find a place in the world. It will come to you slowly, unperceptable, “in common hours.”
We become part of that world . . . that town, our town, Steem.it.
Thank you, for your kind attention.
H. G.
Epilogue:
I’m taking extended time away from work to write, comment, play and generally be a gadfly; because, yes . . . Steemit can be a dream job.
