Sit here and wait and don’t move. I’m tired of telling you. Good, now stop squirming. Good, and stop whimpering. I need a moment’s peace. Are those your feet on the furniture? What do we say about that? Good, there’s hope for you. Now use your brain. We’ll have a pleasant day if you can behave. We can make sandwiches and after dinner we’ll walk to the corner and meet Mommy’s bus and, if she’s alone, she might take us to the playground. It happens. Not so much now, but it used to, I’m telling you. Now listen. I was a little doll like you, you don’t believe it but I was. I didn’t listen either, I had stuffing for brains. See where it got me: all alone in the world with you to talk to. Drink that. It takes the edge off. Why do you look at me like that? Something’s going on in that head of yours but I don’t want to hear it. Nothing to say? Fine, I’ll do the talking, you sit there and judge me with those big plastic eyes that never close. Come on, now, bottoms up, this is a party. God, this is boring. Is there anybody in this whole town left to play with besides you and me or did you scare away everybody? I’m sure I used to have friends. I’m about to go out and invite in some strangers. See if I don’t. Sure, I’ll have another. You should too; we have a couple of hours to kill. Maybe Mommy will bring home someone nice. It happens. Sometimes they get off the bus and you just want to hug them, they seem so gentle and kind. That’s too much ice. You want to taste it right to the bottom.
Copyright © June 22, 2008 David Hodges
Very Short Novels 
8 comments
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June 22, 2008 at 10:39 pm
cedarstreetwriter
Your 299 word stories are interesting; someone asked Hemingway to write a six-word story. He wrote a very sad one. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn”.
Sad indeed, cedarstreetwriter. Thank you, and welcome to Very Short Novels.
–David
June 23, 2008 at 4:49 am
paisley
this is kinda scary .. i have to wonder exactly who the narrator is…..
If it’s scary, you’ve probably figured out exactly who the narrator is, paisley. Good to hear from you again! Thanks.
–David
June 23, 2008 at 8:42 am
grantman
..wow this one has a dark side, and a sadness all its own..you definitely did not go out and take the kids for ice cream after this one…and the line, “Maybe Mommy will bring home someone nice” gave me a chill….Very, very good.
Grantman
Yeah, I spent the whole day wishing I could stop thinking about this one. Thanks, Grantman.
–David
June 23, 2008 at 8:43 am
Emily
That was phenomenal. Depressing, but fantastic.
Thank you, Emily. Thank you very much.
–David
June 23, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wizzer
Wow, a troubled person is never troubled by just one issue! This touches on so many – Now I’m troubled with the thought of who the narrator has “modelled” — a less than satisfactory nanny perhaps.
She’s clearly picked up the attitudes of a troubled adult, Wizzer. Thanks.
–David
June 23, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Jannie Sue "Funster"
I’m not sure who the narrator is either and I’m not that crazy about hanging out with them on a regular basis but hanging out with your mind is always a treat!
Thank you, Jannie Sue. I’m happy to see you’ve quickly joined the ranks of regular readers and, better yet, contributors!
–David
June 23, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Wizzer at Guru fodder
This one has troubled me. I read it from a different perspective – that of an “adult” recounting scenes from the past to an “imaginary” drinking companion.
I guess that’ll teach me to read your work even more carefully in future. How you can create so many possibilities is outstanding.
You’re generous to consider it a virtue, Wizzer. You could just as easily call it impenetrable murkiness. Thanks!
–David
June 25, 2008 at 10:20 am
lolarusa
Harsh.
Reminds me of the old country song “I Don’t Want To Play House”.
I didn’t know the song, lolarusa, but I always follow your leads. Tammy Wynette! “I’ve watched Mommy and Daddy, and if that’s the way it’s done, I don’t want to play house!” Good stuff. Not to mention, the entire song runs to just 120 words. Thanks!
–David