So, I'm an old guy. I like to think that I keep up with technology, but I probably don't, at least as much as I should. But I can remember a time back when I was working when I used to get off the road and back to the office, and needed to type up reports on a Selectric typewriter. And make sure I put in some carbon paper for the office copy. And smoke about half a pack of Marlboros at the desk while getting those reports done.
Times sure change.
Anyway, I was keeping most of my writing files on a flash drive. Made it easier to write both on my home PC, and on my laptop (for on the road when I'm well and able, in the hospital when I'm not). Thought that was pretty safe. Except the flash drive went and got itself corrupted, and I apparently wasn't doing a great job of backing up my story files elsewhere.
So.
I got some recovery software, that got most of my stuff back intact. "Listening to Jack" is fine, as are most of my other stories (some I've posted, some I haven't yet). The big loser was "Playing Ball with Mom". That story should be 12 chapters when all is said and done, and I'd written bits and pieces of the remaining Chapters 6-12. Now ... Chapters 6 & 7 are totally gone (and they were the two furthest along, as you'd expect). I recovered little pieces of 8 through 12, but still a lot of that's gone up in smoke.
So.
Got some rewriting ahead of me, I guess.