1.
A squirrel, attempting to cross a busy street, encountered a rotating car tire with his head, and flipped twice. When the observer opened his eyes again, the squirrel had vanished.
2.
At dusk, a toad crossed the stonework sidewalk from a patio and crawled over a log into the monkey grass. The toad then reappeared, and sat immobile in the middle of the walkway.
3.
An old man, flirting with a younger neighbor, realized he had no more to say. She invited him to cross the street again sometime. He knew the suggestion was not sincere.
4.
Waking at 5 a.m., he thought about his fear of lung cancer while smoking two cigarettes in a row. He made a cup of coffee, because he especially enjoyed smoking while drinking that beverage.
5.
Mr. Spinner, Chemistry Librarian, repeatedly pulled at his nose with thumb and index finger while instructing the student worker. Later, at home, the student practiced the mannerism in front of a mirror, then went to bed alone.
6.
The pin-ups had much in common; they were nude, motionless and smiling. But everything else about them was different. This never occurred to the young man as he tacked them to the wall.
7.
The bibliophile’s books were in no apparent order. He was also out of shelf space, so had begun to stack them on the floors in front of the bookcases. These stacks inspired a continuing regret that had nothing to do with books.
8.
His wife worked in her flower gardens until dark every night. He grumbled to himself about eating dinner so late. After finishing their meal, they watched a detective show, went to bed, kissed each other goodnight, and went to sleep.
9.
Someone reached into Juan M.’s truck at an Exxon Gas Station and shot him. Juan drove to a nearby Dollar Store. He died there.
10.
The newspaper was delivered erratically. On Monday he received no paper. On Tuesday, he received Monday’s edition. On Wednesday, he again received no paper. He decided not to complain.
Rotogravure
Enjoyed the situations and interactions PPE.
Addictive behaviours and insomnia!
best
mac
Expressed the superficiality of the interaction. She seems to be polite in her reaction to his 'harmless' flirtations. His experience, with a note of regret, tells him he is no longer a 'player'. His lack of conversation, a shallowness?An old man, flirting with a younger neighbor, realized he had no more to say. She invited him to cross the street again sometime. He knew the suggestion was not sincere.
Waking at 5 a.m., he thought about his fear of lung cancer while smoking two cigarettes in a row. He made a cup of coffee, because he especially enjoyed smoking while drinking that beverage.
Addictive behaviours and insomnia!
I noticed you do not specify the gender of the student. I assume the introverted student was a male. Would there be more 'chemistry' if Spinner was female?Mr. Spinner, Chemistry Librarian, repeatedly pulled at his nose with thumb and index finger while instructing the student worker. Later, at home, the student practiced the mannerism in front of a mirror, then went to bed alone.
I was very aware of the author and moral judgement rather than male attitude to women as 'objects'.The pin-ups had much in common; they were nude, motionless and smiling. But everything else about them was different. This never occurred to the young man as he tacked them to the wall
Interesting. So the bibliophile has a sense of order as regards utilisation of space...or perhaps the place for displaying books should be shelves and the stacks are blocking that display, but then the 'regret' seems more aimed at the 'stacks'.The bibliophile’s books were in no apparent order. He was also out of shelf space, so had begun to stack them on the floors in front of the bookcases. These stacks inspired a continuing regret that had nothing to do with books.
On the positive side, I felt the recipient was becoming disconnected from the 'immediacy' and need to 'keep up with the news'. I even thought he rather liked the break in 'routine' and enjoyed the 'erratic, though the passive behaviour hints at isolation.The newspaper was delivered erratically. On Monday he received no paper. On Tuesday, he received Monday’s edition. On Wednesday, he again received no paper. He decided not to complain.
best
mac
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pomespennyeach
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- Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:55 pm
Thanks for reading Mac. These are imitations of Felix Feneon's "Novels in Three Lines" that I just finished reading. I found it interesting to try to compact certain real and imaginary experiences into the shortest space possible. Not a new idea, but new to me.
One reason I miss newspapers is that they used to be filled with stuff like this.
One reason I miss newspapers is that they used to be filled with stuff like this.
Seeing is believing! Closing ones eyes allows us to erase...to an extent...or dream up positive outcomes. This threads to your TV poem, the primacy of sight in experience, and in evaluating experience. On reflection, I wonder, in avoiding roadkill, my true motivation is to avoid cleaning the car!A squirrel, attempting to cross a busy street, encountered a rotating car tire with his head, and flipped twice. When the observer opened his eyes again, the squirrel had vanished.
mac
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pomespennyeach
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- Posts: 163
- Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:55 pm
Squirrels have more lives than a cat. I choose to believe he was just surprised and made it across the street. Otherwise when I opened my eyes, I would have seen just another roadkill. The feeling of helplessness was quite overpowering. And so I closed my eyes, even as I waited for the inevitable. When that didn't happen, it was like I'd witnessed a miracle.
I like the positive outcome!As if stone. I wondered if this was the play of light/shadow because of the dusk, the magic in the transition from light to dark where reality blurs.At dusk, a toad crossed the stonework sidewalk from a patio and crawled over a log into the monkey grass. The toad then reappeared, and sat immobile in the middle of the walkway.