in 1000 Stories

not going to Oz – 31/1000

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She went up like Dorothy would have, had she not gone to Oz.

Up up up into the sky, into the place where angels live in the clouds, that’s what Dad taught her, that the people we love will always be there watching over us.

Well, who was watching over her when she rose up only to come crashing back to the earth and be buried under a pile of awful?

She didn’t see anyone in the clouds, and she didn’t think anyone was watching over anyone.

It felt empty up there, like the inside of her heart always did.… Read the rest

in 1000 Stories

no news is good news – 30/1000

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Getting ready for work, I have a smile on my face and a lightness in my step and in my heart that is unusual for this time of morning.

I have coffee, get dressed, get to the office early and have a great day.

I go home, have dinner, chill with the people I love, and get into my nice, warm bed.

There’s nothing amiss, there’s nothing to complain or worry about or fear.

I am able to slide between the sheets and fall asleep without being scared for anyone at all.

Cable news went off the air this week.… Read the rest

in 1000 Stories

Yeah, No – 29/1000

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“Well, you’re not what I expected.”

“Bow to me!”

“Yeah, no, I don’t think I’m gonna do that.”

“You are a servant of God!”

“Yeah, no, I’m actually not.”

“You mock me?”

“Yeah. Are you the one in charge around here?”

“I rule the land and seas and sky.”

“Okay, well, you’re doing a really shit job of it. The air is polluted, the seas are filling with garbage, and the land is either flooding or on fire at any given time. Plus, we have millions of people fighting in wars over land… or God.”

“I need a fucking vacation.”… Read the rest

in 1000 Stories

jump, grandpa, jump – 28/1000

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“I can’t believe you agreed to do this, grandpa!”

“I have the time now, sweetheart.”

“You sure you’re up for this?”

“Well, I won’t let you go it alone, kiddo.”

“Who’s first?”

She stepped right up to the door and gave me the thumbs up before she jumped and was out of sight.

The man strapped to my back started pushing me toward the door.

“Now that she’s out, I don’t really have to go, I’m fine,” I said.

“You’re fine? Let’s rock and roll!”

I didn’t jump out of a plane, he did.

I was along for the ride.… Read the rest

in 1000 Stories

The Cannonall – 27/1000

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We walk up to the paddock and he waves his arm toward his stock.

“They’re all purebreds, straight from Xygoth.”

“They look… disgusting, and they smell… what even is that?”

“That’s their natural musk, it’s fine.”

“Don’t you have anything smaller, and faster?”

“Oh, you don’t want anything but this. The Canonalls are the best to ride across the desert. They don’t need much water at all.”

“Right, but…” I didn’t know what to say. The monster hulked before me with it’s scaly, elephant thick skin with long ropes of droll dropping from it’s dopey face.

“Okay. I’ll take her.”… Read the rest

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the forsaken – 26/1000

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She called me and I didn’t answer. I didn’t answer the first time, or the third, or the tenth.

I didn’t want to hear from her, ever.

I hadn’t talked to my sister in years and was doing good work forgetting the sound of her voice.

She abandoned our family, thinking she didn’t need us. We weren’t good enough, or rich enough, or interesting enough for her.

I used to say she wouldn’t piss on me if I were on fire, and maybe that’s true, but finally I answer:

“WHAT?!”

“Please, I need you, I’m sorry.”

“Well, that’s too bad.”… Read the rest

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putzing around online

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What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

Something like this.

I’m always putzing around in my leisure time. I’m on my laptop picking away at something or reading what someone else has written, I’m scribbling in a notebook, I’m reading on my Kindle, listening to an audio book, or holding a paper one in my hands, which is too infrequent these days.

But I enjoy putting words on screens and papers, I enjoy getting them out of my head and my hands and making them into something someone can use, even just me.

I want more than … Read the rest