Groundhog Day -A Short Story

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and enjoy my  Groundhog Day story below.

     It was Groundhog Day. And all Georgia could think about was that Bill Murray movie; you know the one where ' Phil Connors' repeats his day over and over until he gets right? Georgia could think of a few people she wished this would happen to. It seemed that all she worked with was self-absorbed jerks. She had been fighting her way up the reporter chain for a few of years now. Was it too much to want an anchor spot? Now she too had to cover a groundhog spot again, during the winter that barely was. I mean one day it snowed, the next day it rained; what kind of winter was that? And how hokey was it that people actually believed that groundhogs predicted the weather anyway? Now she was getting as cynical as Phil Connors. But if only people realized how these animals were not cuddly. The handler last year had told her about scars from the animal’s nasty bites despite his gloves.

     So her she was about to take part in this year’s Royal Robert’s predictions. She would interview the Mayor Andrea Tremblay who would announce the rodent’s prediction yet again. Then she’d interview some people for local colour and head home to edit and get it ready for the six o’clock news. Such was her job .Just once she would like to do the anchor job where someone else provided all the stories. Georgia stepped up and started interviewing people.

     The sun was streaming down and caught the rain puddles with shimmering light. Georgia managed to juxtapose this with the snarling groundhog, as he was coaxed out his cage with an ear of corn. Stepping forward Georgia saw Royal Robert nip at his trainer. She continued filmed as Mayor Tremblay announced that Royal Robert had seen his shadow. Did any of this really matter? Tomorrow it would snow and in three days they were predicting rain followed by snow the next day. That wasn’t winter this was global warming. She stepped forward to get in the shot and felt herself tripping. Sprawling head first in mud then knocked out cold.

    Georgia awoke in her hotel room. Now she was having nightmares related to her filming today. She looked out and was surprised to see it raining maybe Royal Robert wouldn’t see his shadow today. She advanced to the park traipsing through the mud and rain and saw Mayor Tremblay wearing the same outfit as her dream. She asked some people some questions which she managed to get them on camera. Then on cue the sun came out, Royal Robert came out of his cage biting the trainer, and the mayor announced six more weeks of winter. What was going on had she entered into the same realm “Phil Connors had in Groundhog Day”? No that was impossible. It was just a coincidence wasn’t it? Or was someone playing a joke on her? But how would they know about her dream? Georgia took a huge breath after dismissing the idea and stepped forward to get in the shot and felt herself tripping. Sprawling head first in mud then knocked out cold.

     Georgia awoke in her hotel room again. This was ridiculous. What a stupid dream that had been. Then it repeated itself like she was really awake, that’s what she got for watching 'Groundhog Day' on the television before she went to bed. She felt her head no bumps. It was a dream she reassured herself. She got up and traipsed through the rain and puddles to the park where Royal Robert would come out of his cage. Georgia asked some people in the gathering some questions getting them on camera and started to feel a sense of deja. She noted with deepening fear that the sun suddenly was streaming down and caught the rain puddles with shimmering light. Georgia saw the snarling groundhog, the bite that took a piece of skin from the trainers arm and then the mayor stepping forward to announce that Royal Robert had seen his shadow. What the heck this couldn’t be happening could it? Was she dreaming? If she was dreaming she wanted to wake up now. This wasn’t fun not like the movie this was just repetitive. Why did she think it would be fun to live that life for years? Was she crazy? She took a step forward camera still in hand and tripped falling into the mud and hit her head on a rock submerged there knocking herself out cold.

       She woke and was afraid to open her eyes. She didn’t want to wake up to Groundhog Day again. Wait a minute what was that music. She opened her eyes and saw a television suspended over her bed playing Groundhog Day with Bill Murray.

“Oh good you’re finally awake. I thought I’d have to watch the movie without you.” said Georgia’s boyfriend Alex. “How’s the head? I got your video to the station in time. My buddy Paul took it after I rushed her Paula said she edited it for you. It’s almost six want to see your report sleeping beauty?”

Georgia sat up and watched her report, something she never did once it was edited.

“Gee Georgia that was a pretty interesting report.” Alex said as they finished watching.

Georgia found she had enjoyed the flow of the piece and thought 

"Hmm Alex liked it who needs to be an anchor? I like being a reporter. Maybe she had learned something during her Groundhog Day." she thought as she laid back in her hospital bed smiling.

" the character of Phil Connors and Groundhog Day  the movie belongs to Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin"



© Sheilagh Lee February 2, 2012