I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
“Cover?” Darren texted. But no response came.
Darren splashed his face with water, descended in the elevator, and stepped into the frigid night. After a short walk, he spied, between an orthodontics office and a vacant retail shop, a misplaced two-story house with a rainbow flag hanging between the centermost Ionic columns.
A grizzled young man stood in the foyer.
“Five dollars,” he drawled.
Darren wanted to walk away. Instead, he opted for an eye roll and forked over the five.
He sat beside Chris, the only other person at the bar.
“Tequila!” Chris proclaimed.
“What the hell is this?” Darren asked.
The approaching bartender remarked disdainfully, “A converted funeral home.”
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Unwelcome Adventure
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
When they reached the room, Chris declared, “I need a drink!” He lofted his bag onto the bed, squawked, “I’ll text you,” and fled.
Darren called his family assuring them that all was well, then waited. Tracking down Chris, even in a small, abandoned city like Charleston, could become an unwelcome adventure.
Almost asleep, Darren heard his phone. A text inquired, “Are you coming?”
Darren had accepted that Chris lived in a universe in which everyone should be able to read his mind. “Where?”
“Broadway. This place is a hoot!” Chris included a blurry picture showing an incoherent mixture of decor. “Come!” After a pause, he added, “Oh, and bring cover.”
When they reached the room, Chris declared, “I need a drink!” He lofted his bag onto the bed, squawked, “I’ll text you,” and fled.
Darren called his family assuring them that all was well, then waited. Tracking down Chris, even in a small, abandoned city like Charleston, could become an unwelcome adventure.
Almost asleep, Darren heard his phone. A text inquired, “Are you coming?”
Darren had accepted that Chris lived in a universe in which everyone should be able to read his mind. “Where?”
“Broadway. This place is a hoot!” Chris included a blurry picture showing an incoherent mixture of decor. “Come!” After a pause, he added, “Oh, and bring cover.”
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Charleston, WV
I give to you a story in eleventy-one words...
“Well, that’s bad,” Darren replied. “Want me to drive?”
“Nah, let’s see how the crab settles.”
It was a false alarm, Chris’ odorous emanations notwithstanding.
The car wound through the hills west of the Appalachians as Chris’ travel playlist started its second loop.
They entered the abandoned state capital after eight and checked in at the Quality Inn. Chris reiterated that it was the only stop on their journey at a chain hotel.
Well-traveled and moderately adventurous, Chris prided himself on finding local gems in order to appreciate quirky regional culture. When Darren asked why Chris hadn’t sought out a West Virginian gem, Chris responded, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
“Well, that’s bad,” Darren replied. “Want me to drive?”
“Nah, let’s see how the crab settles.”
It was a false alarm, Chris’ odorous emanations notwithstanding.
The car wound through the hills west of the Appalachians as Chris’ travel playlist started its second loop.
They entered the abandoned state capital after eight and checked in at the Quality Inn. Chris reiterated that it was the only stop on their journey at a chain hotel.
Well-traveled and moderately adventurous, Chris prided himself on finding local gems in order to appreciate quirky regional culture. When Darren asked why Chris hadn’t sought out a West Virginian gem, Chris responded, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Cab
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.
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.
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.
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