Tag: flash fiction

Act One

The phone rang.

It was bound to be Maria. Only she made habit of ruining my day so early.

“It’s nice to hear from you,” I said.

(I hated that she made me lie.)

This prompted a torrent of regurgitated pleasantries. Maria was a human greeting card.

I tuned her out until a threat emerged.

“For your cousin?” I asked. “Naturally, I’d love to, but…”

I sighed.

“Three o’clock? Today? Yes, I’d be delighted to stop by.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t pretend to be busy.

(Maria could see my car from her kitchen window.)

“You too!” I enthused. “I’m really looking forward to it!”

We hung up.

I was enraged.

Now I’d be a wreck until the awful thing was over.

Continue reading “The Maria Triptych”

Act One

My neighborhood threw a block party during Mardi Gras. I showed up with lots of beads to throw around, but it turned out to be a very different type of celebration.

There were poorly maintained children’s rides, a pair of baristas who claimed to be singers, and an opportunity to speak with the mayor, who was strolling the grounds.

I caught his attention by tossing a bead necklace over his head. He grimaced when he saw me.

“Not you,” he muttered. “Not today.”

I mentioned my book and offered to serve as the town’s author laureate.

(The mayor said he would take it under advisement.)

The moment seemed right for a public speech.

Continue reading “The Bead Incident”