Humor
Oh, those poor duckies
Erica was a wary adult. She made her way carefully around her life and world. She had been tricked or lied to so many times that - although she still believed everything anyone she didn't know said - still. She was well aware that the look on her face said, "Soft, kind, empathetic, just plain nice person who believes anything anyone says to her." Or maybe there was a large N for Naïve flashing in neon pink on her forehead that everyone but her could see. This nice expression or pink flashing N attracted all kinds of people to Erica.
By Patricia Magdalena Redlin5 years ago in Fiction
The Old Man's Jazzy Trip
The Old Man's Jazzy Trip—A Tribute to American Music and Music People "Well now, Sonny (Rollins), after I won that Oscar (Petersen), I was sure enough (Buddy) Rich, thanks to the music Art (Blakey), I learned as soon as I could Count (Basie). Yeah, it was the real McCoy (Tyner) and I felt royal like a Duke (Ellington). I felt so Dexter-ous (Gordon) and important. I was so glad from all the attention, I thought I might get a case of (Eddie)Lockjaw (Davis) from smiling so much. It wore me out, so I decided to go off on a (Billie) Holiday with a sweet Chick (Corea) named Sarah (Vaughn), since Mary Lou (Williams) was too busy.
By Stephen Vernarelli5 years ago in Fiction
Caged
The jeep shook with enthusiasm when Kae and her two brothers piled in. Kae normally didn’t drive because she was the youngest, but today it was her responsibility - August didn’t feel like it, choosing instead to nap in the backseat, and Ace couldn’t. Clouds floated overhead as the jeep full of siblings made their way across the bay. Ace stared above him, watching the clouds pass, taking in the cool breeze and appreciating it for all it symbolized: freedom. He was only on month six of life after prison, and week two of no house arrest. Kae wanted to celebrate her brother’s milestone, and nothing said celebrating freedom like voluntarily sharing a cell submerged underwater (and being scared for your life). She looked over at Ace, his head tilted watching the sky with a smile on his face. Ace’s soft countenance contrasted against the tattoos that covered his body, and the scar across his lip. He had been in and out of trouble since he was young, but the only side Kae ever saw was her kind and loving big brother. She smiled and turned the music up.
By Rose Silva5 years ago in Fiction
Great Waste
I never really knew my father. My first memories of my siblings are fraught with conflict. And mom? She was so busy with her own life, we were left to fend for ourselves at a pretty young age. Perhaps that’s why swimming in the ocean alone feels like home to me. I find solidarity in the solitude of the deep, blue waves. With years of practice, I’ve learned to listen to the waters around me, noticing the subtle shifts of currents carrying relief in the form of warm patches. My warm blood can only do so much as the water conducts heat from my body at a rate 25 times faster than in air. I take a breath and dive deeper.
By Bethany Gaffey5 years ago in Fiction
Astral Man of La Mancha
Nicole looked at me and asked, “Are you coming tonight?” I fidgeted about in the recliner that I had just sat down in, giving a blatant display of discomfort in the question, knowing that what I would say could cause a bit of resentment. I picked up the book lying on the nightstand next to the chair and held it up.
By Chris Rohe5 years ago in Fiction
