I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
The soldiers turned abruptly, surprising Darren and causing tensions to mount.
Chris stood. “No need to start another war over little ol’ me,” he quipped weakly. The soldiers left.
“You look terrible,” Darren remarked.
“I feel worse than I look.”
“What happened?”
“I laid down; a guard poked me with a gun; I traipsed to the lobby; they paged you, but you don’t care; I laid down; the guard poked me again. I figured either you’d come or they’d haul me away. I didn’t care which.”
“What can I do?”
“Cab,” he groaned.
Chris returned to the hotel where he staggered between bed and bathroom for the rest of the trip.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Pavement Reclination
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
Reunification Palace was the last bastion of the South Vietnamese government in what had been Saigon. Darren and Chris chose it as their first destination.
Having perused the perfectly preserved sixties decor, Darren ascended to the roof where a Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, a Huey, evoked an unexpected catharsis. He had visited myriad ancient and intangible sites, but this building conjured memories of his grandparents’ house, the helicopter notwithstanding.
Upon reentry, Darren heard a faraway voice say something unintelligible; he ignored it and meandered back to meet Chris. Upon exiting, he saw Chris reclined on the pavement as two Vietnamese guards admonished him.
Darren approached and asked, “What’s going on?”
Reunification Palace was the last bastion of the South Vietnamese government in what had been Saigon. Darren and Chris chose it as their first destination.
Having perused the perfectly preserved sixties decor, Darren ascended to the roof where a Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, a Huey, evoked an unexpected catharsis. He had visited myriad ancient and intangible sites, but this building conjured memories of his grandparents’ house, the helicopter notwithstanding.
Upon reentry, Darren heard a faraway voice say something unintelligible; he ignored it and meandered back to meet Chris. Upon exiting, he saw Chris reclined on the pavement as two Vietnamese guards admonished him.
Darren approached and asked, “What’s going on?”
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Stalemate
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
Chris, Darren, and the bartender sat still as statues while the dry squid’s smell saturated the air.
“You try?” The bartender beckoned.
Chris shoved the box toward Darren, who vehemently ignored him.
“Taste good,” the bartender coaxed.
The silent stalemate subsided when Chris retrieved the box with a huff. “Fine, I’ll try some.” He tore off and tasted a tiny tentacle.
“Not bad. Your turn.”
Darren shook his head.
“You said you’d try it.”
“Did not. I said I’d eat tarantula, which I did.”
“Whatever,” Chris munched on a moistureless mantle before offering some to the bartender, who declined.
“Are you gonna eat all of it?”
“No, I’m done. Let’s go.”
Chris, Darren, and the bartender sat still as statues while the dry squid’s smell saturated the air.
“You try?” The bartender beckoned.
Chris shoved the box toward Darren, who vehemently ignored him.
“Taste good,” the bartender coaxed.
The silent stalemate subsided when Chris retrieved the box with a huff. “Fine, I’ll try some.” He tore off and tasted a tiny tentacle.
“Not bad. Your turn.”
Darren shook his head.
“You said you’d try it.”
“Did not. I said I’d eat tarantula, which I did.”
“Whatever,” Chris munched on a moistureless mantle before offering some to the bartender, who declined.
“Are you gonna eat all of it?”
“No, I’m done. Let’s go.”
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Sarcasm
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
The vendor returned, his eyes smiling at the opportunity to sell the arid cephalopod. Meanwhile, the bartender made room for the acrid remains. Chris glared at Darren, then made a “do something” face.
“Umm, I don’t... I just… No, thanks,” Darren sputtered.
The vendor extended his hand while the amused bartender enjoyed the show.
“Pay him,” Chris blurted.
“I don’t want it.”
“You called him back.”
“It was sarcasm!”
The vendor thrust his hand with an exaggerated grunt.
“Oh my God!” Chris erupted. When he saw that Darren still refused, Chris pulled a few bills and dropped them on the table. The vendor, with the bills in hand, fled the scene.
The vendor returned, his eyes smiling at the opportunity to sell the arid cephalopod. Meanwhile, the bartender made room for the acrid remains. Chris glared at Darren, then made a “do something” face.
“Umm, I don’t... I just… No, thanks,” Darren sputtered.
The vendor extended his hand while the amused bartender enjoyed the show.
“Pay him,” Chris blurted.
“I don’t want it.”
“You called him back.”
“It was sarcasm!”
The vendor thrust his hand with an exaggerated grunt.
“Oh my God!” Chris erupted. When he saw that Darren still refused, Chris pulled a few bills and dropped them on the table. The vendor, with the bills in hand, fled the scene.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Dried Squid
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
They sat outside drinking cocktails at a place named, The Pub. It was their first day back in Ho Chi Minh City after adventures across Cambodia and Darren’s 72-hour marriage in Bangkok. The bored bartender invited himself to sit and chat with Chris and Darren.
Soon after, a vendor appeared. Chris, a sucker for weird foods, asked what the vendor was selling. Dried squid; the bartender smirked at Darren’s reaction, then waved the vendor over. The duo gagged at the smell; the bartender laughed. As the vendor returned to his cart, Darren waved and sarcastically declared, “Thank you, come again.” The vendor turned and the bartender paused. Chris shook his head.
They sat outside drinking cocktails at a place named, The Pub. It was their first day back in Ho Chi Minh City after adventures across Cambodia and Darren’s 72-hour marriage in Bangkok. The bored bartender invited himself to sit and chat with Chris and Darren.
Soon after, a vendor appeared. Chris, a sucker for weird foods, asked what the vendor was selling. Dried squid; the bartender smirked at Darren’s reaction, then waved the vendor over. The duo gagged at the smell; the bartender laughed. As the vendor returned to his cart, Darren waved and sarcastically declared, “Thank you, come again.” The vendor turned and the bartender paused. Chris shook his head.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
The Crabby Pig
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
Jersey was a blip. Then came the litany of burgs and villes in southern Pennsylvania.
They reached the Mason-Dixon line around noon, their stomachs grumbling at the dearth of food. But they persisted, eager to earn more mileage toward their first day’s goal.
As the late December day waned, they decided to stop in Cumberland, Maryland at the Crabby Pig. Chris, who always ordered the weirdest item on the menu, chose the soft shell crab sandwich. Darren opted for the burger.
They departed the restaurant at dusk with Chris driving. As they wound through the West Virginian hills Chris announced, “My stomach’s not great. It feels like it did in Vietnam.”
Jersey was a blip. Then came the litany of burgs and villes in southern Pennsylvania.
They reached the Mason-Dixon line around noon, their stomachs grumbling at the dearth of food. But they persisted, eager to earn more mileage toward their first day’s goal.
As the late December day waned, they decided to stop in Cumberland, Maryland at the Crabby Pig. Chris, who always ordered the weirdest item on the menu, chose the soft shell crab sandwich. Darren opted for the burger.
They departed the restaurant at dusk with Chris driving. As they wound through the West Virginian hills Chris announced, “My stomach’s not great. It feels like it did in Vietnam.”
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Right or Left
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
They hit traffic on Varick as they waited to get into the Holland Tunnel.
“What am I doing?” Darren blurted.
“Driving? Well, no, sitting in traffic,” Chris quipped.
Darren ignored him. “Is this the dumbest thing I’ve ever done?”
“Nope, you’ve done dumber.”
Darren side-eyed him before continuing. “Am I making a big mistake?”
“Of course. You’re leaving the best city in the world.” He paused for effect. “And me with it!”
Hairline fractures formed in Darren’s stoic exterior. They sat in strained silence.
“Listen, Tequila,” Chris used the nickname he had given Darren years earlier. “There’s no mistake to make. There’s no right or wrong. There’s only right or left.”
They hit traffic on Varick as they waited to get into the Holland Tunnel.
“What am I doing?” Darren blurted.
“Driving? Well, no, sitting in traffic,” Chris quipped.
Darren ignored him. “Is this the dumbest thing I’ve ever done?”
“Nope, you’ve done dumber.”
Darren side-eyed him before continuing. “Am I making a big mistake?”
“Of course. You’re leaving the best city in the world.” He paused for effect. “And me with it!”
Hairline fractures formed in Darren’s stoic exterior. They sat in strained silence.
“Listen, Tequila,” Chris used the nickname he had given Darren years earlier. “There’s no mistake to make. There’s no right or wrong. There’s only right or left.”
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