It was a long day and you were the only thing I was looking forward to. There was an empty place where you were sitting so recently. My disappointment crushed down on me as I couldn't believe you were gone. I stood there my arms at my side, my fists clenched as the reality nailed me right between the eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like this, it was totally unexpected. I tried to think of the clues I might have missed, but...

The bathroom at my office is this narrow affair.  Along one wall are sinks, then four urinals, and then six toilet stalls.  The other wall was paper towels, trash containers, and dryers.  The arrangement matters for this story. One day I was in the second stall when suddenly the earth shook.  No, not an earthquake, but someone let loose a gaseous emission that shook the stall walls.  It was absolutely phenomenal! From the...

If you could, you would see deserted streets, buildings, and whole towns.  Cars stopped and rusting along unused roads.  Nature was reclaiming the world, one that got a science lesson. Regardless of your religious beliefs, the lesson proved evolution to be true in the worst possible way.  One country developed a genetic weapon that targeted a certain group, one prevalent in a specific part of the world. It turned out to b...

She smiled at many of her memories, including her childhood adventures even her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren only believed when they are very young.  Her brothers understood, since they shared those adventures, and often the three of them laughed about it. The wind blew the dormer window open suddenly, startling the old woman.  Then she chuckled at her reaction.  So much had happened in her life.  The w...

My friend drives a small Sonoma pick-up, it's about eighteen-years-old and in great shape.  One day we were going to lunch and she parked next to a huge Ford F-250.  The owner looked at my friend's truck and made a comment to his wife, who snickered.   Then he looked over and said to us, "Nice, but couldn't you get a real truck!" My friend didn't bat an eye and shot back, "Sorry, I guess I don't have to compensate for any...

When she awoke, she was alone except for the cats.  She sat there and tried to capture the essence of what had to be the most marvelous of dreams.  Incredible characters, a fanciful story, danger, and friendships galore that felt remarkably real.  She looked in the mirror hanging on the wall for a clue as the black cat purred loudly in her lap while the white cat curled around her feet.  As she got up, she kicked a tiny b...

"I'm sorry Marge, I can't drive with you any longer." "Why not, Lois?  I thought we were friends?  Is it my driving?" "Yes, we are friends, good friends.  And no, it's not your driving." "Then what's the problem?" "You just had your car fixed, right?" "Yes!" "You went to the brake place down on Main St.?" "Sure, you even recommended them.  I got a very good deal" "I know, I know, but now every time you hit your brakes, I...

The town mourned when he passed away and held a very large funeral.  He was survived by his wife, three children, and many grandchildren.  The officiant told his long life and the many changes he had brought to their town.  Suddenly a  dark shadow passed over the ceremony, the crowd stepped back as a large green dragon landed close-by.  The officiant told everyone to remain calm.  The dragon made no threatening moves and...

She wiped a smudge off her porcelain cheek. Her husband clapped her shoulder. "You were supposed to stay out of it." "I would have if the witch hadn't sent that dragon!" The neighboring Queendom thought the death of her step-mother was an opening to invade, she thought ruefully. "The men are starting to get used to you leading from the front! Your small friends were a huge help." "The witch never saw that coming, the grou...

She sat on the beach watching her children playing in the surf.  She knew they were perfectly safe but also knew the dangers of the water all too well.  Her husband sat on the sand next to her, his arm around her shoulder comforting her and making her feel secure. "Do you ever miss it?" She looked a little wistfully as one of her sisters rose high in the water with her older daughter on her shoulders.  "No, Eric.  I can't...

He opened the door to his old hut. It had been years since he’d been here. He never could bring himself to sell it, even after his mother passed on. So much had happened since that one day. His name became famous throughout the land and opened so many opportunities. He made some mistakes, but he learned who he could trust and who he could not. He found himself successful beyond his dreams and he and his mother never had t...

The Queen Mother sat quietly as her daughter, the newly crowned monarch, presided over her first meeting of Parliament. She remembered her own first time, following the death of her husband the King. She knew her daughter was nervous, but also saw that she was doing well. She smiled to herself as she watched her daughter shut down one very conservative Lord with grace and tact, without letting go of her rightful authority...

His joints ached, his vision wasn't great, and say nothing about his hearing because he won't hear you.  The stooped-over old man looked like a gnarled oak, but always had a smile for everyone.  Once there was a time he could have lived forever, barring an accident or a firewood shortage. He lived more within his memories than reality nowadays.  She re-appeared before him, as beautiful as when he was a boy.  She held out...

This year, amid multiple tragedies such as the Corona pandemic, record-breaking hurricanes and tropical storms, and an outrageous election — the entire airline industry was grounded. No, it wasn’t COVID-19, although that played a role in the many struggles by that industry. Even the grounding of Boeing’s 737 fleet didn’t have the reach of this latest disaster. This came from a completely unexpected source and blindsided e...