The water flows both ways through the tunnel of love, depending on which rusty lever I force! Like life, this tacky carnival ride with its soggy boats bobbing in a curving trough is not a circle but a figure-eight, or an eighty-eight, that doubles back and gives us second chances Read the rest of this entry »
Tunnel of Love
August 25, 2010 in 299 Words, Destiny, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Love, Monologue, Relationships, Short stories, Stories, Very Short Novels, Writing | by davidbdale | 28 comments
Our Littler Town
August 15, 2010 in 299 Words, Culture, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Justice, novels, Politics, Short stories, Society, Stories, Very Short Novels, writers, Writing | Tags: Equity, Fairness, Ownership, Property | by davidbdale | 14 comments
Although I could be fired for asking out loud, your city council have all been wondering if other towns are shrinking too, and if so, what’s being done to stop the trend or reverse it. Read the rest of this entry »
Shadow Brother
August 5, 2010 in 299 Words, Adoption, Childhood, Culture, Danger, Family, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Fugitive, Immigrant, Literature, novels, Orphans, Parent, Refugee, Runaway, Short stories, Society, Very Short Novels, Violence, writers, Writing | by davidbdale | 25 comments
He’s not always easy to see. I can be talking to him in my room on a rainy afternoon with the radio playing and sharing a blueberry pie, and my dad will open the bedroom door and Deuce’ll be gone and it looks like I’m eating a pie by myself and talking to the radio. Read the rest of this entry »
First Will and Testament
July 15, 2010 in 299 Words, Adoption, Child, Childhood, Death, Destiny, Family, Fiction, Haunting, Health, Life, Love, Medicine, Nuclear Family, Short stories, Stories, Very Short Novels, Writing | Tags: Bequest, inheritance, medicine, will | by davidbdale | 27 comments
Some of my stuff I want to keep after I’m dead, but Ariel can pick out three things from my toy-box, not three of the same things, like not three ponies, or not even two insects, but a pony and an insect and a piece of furniture would be good, and she can ride my bike when she’s big enough. Read the rest of this entry »
Tan Lines
July 9, 2010 in 299 Words, Childhood, Family, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short stories, Very Short Novels, Writing | Tags: Club, Dancer, Family, Guilt, Memory, Secret, Sex | by davidbdale | 8 comments
We boys had a club in the attic of Mitchell’s garage, the whole time I knew him and until he disappeared. We had handshakes and irrelevant passwords to guard against infiltration attempts that sadly never occurred. Read the rest of this entry »
Night Doctors
July 5, 2010 in 299 Words, Childhood, Culture, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Health, Medicine, Memory, novels, Politics, Race, Science, Short stories, Society, Stories, Survivor, Very Short Novels, Writing | Tags: Abuse, Doctors, Experiments, Hope | by davidbdale | 12 comments
Before it grew too big to lift, the hospital could have moved to a better neighborhood or invested in its neighbors. Instead it pushed out handymen and cleaning ladies and street hawkers like my uncles Read the rest of this entry »
Neighbors Forever
May 2, 2010 in 299 Words, Childhood, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Love, Short stories, Stories, Very Short Novels, Writing | Tags: Adolescence, Neighbor, neighborhood | by davidbdale | 35 comments
Our shabby little houses look like conjoined twins inexpertly separated. Her family’s house got the worst of the porch, ours got the sagging gutters. Read the rest of this entry »
Machete Smile
March 28, 2010 in 299 Words, Business, Culture, Danger, Destiny, Fable, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Short stories, Stories, Travel, Very Short Novels, Violence, Writing | Tags: machete island vacation | by davidbdale | 8 comments
I picked it up on a minor island, the one with the grimy harborfront, I think, and the spine of useless mountains like a broken back along its northern coast as if it had been stepped on. Read the rest of this entry »
Money Box
March 11, 2010 in 299 Words, Crime, Danger, Family, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memory, Stories, Very Short Novels, Violence, Writing | Tags: kidnap, ransom | by davidbdale | 9 comments
My dear wife, the gentlemen who detain me do not understand why you neglect to send what they ask for my release. Try to appreciate that when they saw us get out of your patron’s car at the embassy, they took us to be valuable. Read the rest of this entry »
Very Early Retirement
March 5, 2010 in 299 Words, Business, Crime, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Money, Relationships, Short stories, Stories, Very Short Novels, Writing | Tags: Blackmail, retirement, severance | by davidbdale | 4 comments
You’re right. Management is at fault, not your hard work. The board of directors should lose their jobs; hell, they should probably spend time in jail, but we both know that won’t happen. Read the rest of this entry »
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