Innocent Fantasy

Written November 2006.
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There's a new girl named Missy. She's tall and blonde, with long wavy hair and hips that are sloppy but not overly large. She's pretty in an imperfect way, and her smile is genuine. With other professionals around, she matches suit, but face to face she's adoringly shy.

I couldn't tell Missy liked me right away, but I did like her. We did our business and shook hands. We met later for an appointment, and we were alone. She only occasionally met my gaze. Her almost flirty nature, that one I'd become so comfortable with before, was gone. Her voice was quieter, and her smile more girlish. It was only then I detected an attraction.

Some of her appeal was gone, but only that part that goes with forward women that aren't afraid of anyone. In its place, something new took over. It felt like a secret that only her and I shared, and that made it sweet. Soon I will go to her office and steal glances at her over a magazine, knowing she will steal them at me via the mirror.

55: Anonymity Not Included

(Republished 6 January 2016)

I was in town on business and we’d met in a bar. Her perfume and eyes were intoxicating. “Gotta go; work tomorrow,” she said while dressing.

Next morning, I waited for the plant manager. I heard the click of shoes behind me, caught a familiar scent, and turned to look into those familiar blue eyes.
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FFF-55 Vol. LXIII. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: First Love

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The first time I saw her, I was atop the geodesic dome. Her perfect caramel skin and flowing black hair enthralled me, even across the playground. An unfamiliar lightness swirled in my stomach. I turned to my friend to inquire, “Who’s that new kid?”

Her name was Sonora. Suddenly the wood-chip air turned lovely sweet.
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FFF-55 Vol. LXII. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: The Love of the Beautiful

Image credit: This is kind of gross.

When I was done, I smiled and looked at my work. The detail was exquisite: every finely crafted wheel and cog shone brilliantly as it turned. I carefully wound the spring and held my creation aloft, and it lit gently into the air, fluttering on rice paper wings.

“Strength,” I said, “is an earthly monster.”
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FFF-55 Vol. LX. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man. An ode to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Artist of the Beautiful, a short story that changed my life. (Also relevent: A Life Without Beauty.)

55: Culture Shock

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They sway in and out of the classroom, and I sit amazed. Being back in school is fun, it’s true, and certainly useful, but doing it as a 40 year old presents certain challenges: family, work schedule, kids’ sports…

And right now, the twenty-something girl who just walked in wearing yoga pants. 

Just shoot me.

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FFF-55 Vol. LIX. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: Emergence

Image Source: sethskim.com

I’m not sure what changed; I became aware of it all almost suddenly: unpaid bills, perpetual arguments, corners of the house buried in clutter, unfinished grief. Not that I hadn’t had my hands on it all every day for the last twenty years…

Now there was a new sensation as I cleared the rubble: daylight.
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FFF-55 Vol. LVIII. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: Best Served Cold

He had no idea I’d be there; the look on his face was priceless.

Later, when his wife was questioned, she’d report that he’d failed to meet her, that she thought he’d missed his flight, since that had happened before.

But in reality, he was becoming a permanent part of the new terminal’s concrete foundation.
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FFF-55 Vol. LVII. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: Climax

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Lightning—and your face lit up above me. A half second later, thunder crashed like artillery outside, and we met at our destination, bursting into each other in both body and spirit.

Several long seconds passed in the clouds overhead as the rumbling faded away into the miles, and you leaned down to kiss me.
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FFF-55 Vol. LVII. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Discovery

Image source: Moriah Cemetary

We never thought anything of it, usually. Cars came and went through those woods all the time. But last night something was different.

This morning my brother and I walked through there and discovered why: a freshly dug mound a hundred yards off the road in a gully, with human hair visible on one end.
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FFF-55 Vol. LVI. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Castilleja

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The day she passed, I walked out of the house into a vast field of Indian paintbrush. The sun and the warm Missouri wind went swept into and through me, pulling out the broken pieces of jagged years. My whole world focused bright orange as the prairie fire took hold, and I've never gone back.

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FFF-55 Vol. LV. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

This 55 is dedicated to my grandmother, who was in hospice care when I wrote it. She passed a few days after. Rest in peace, Grama Hobgood, 11 March 1924-13 May 2013.

55: Dreamgirl

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Our bodies fit perfectly together, inside and out. Hands and mouths explored, found soft and hard places, caressed and groped, tenderly and hungrily. She was familiar but I didn't know why; dreams have a way of concealing some truths, and also revealing others.

When I woke, I could still feel the softness of her lips.

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FFF-55 Vol. LIV. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Fantasy Story Excerpt

Image credit: Max Gabl & Niel Wray, via Michael & Denise Okuda

Dropping out of the clouds, we could see the palace and surrounding waters. It was truly breathtaking: the whole of it could not possibly have been seen from the ground. The entire cabin fell silent as we descended, each of us wondering anew what was in store during the next few years of our apprenticeships.
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FFF-55 Vol. LI. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

“Idiots,” I mumbled under my breath as I saw yet another math-themed meme on my Facebook feed. This one read: “3+3x0+1=? ‘Like’ if 7! Comment if 4!” I mourned the wane of human intelligence and considered the simplicity of the order of operations and the beauty of the only pure science in the universe. The answer to this question wasn’t—would never be—either multiple choice or up for discussion!

“This’ll show them,” I thought as I entered the answer and prepared a tirade for anyone who might have considered themselves bright for doing anything other than dismissing this ridiculous game, especially those who engaged in arguments over why different answers might be correct. I took particular pleasure in insulting one person couldn’t even be bothered to type the full words “you” or “your.” After a smug and self-satisfying click of the post button, I went about my day.

It took less than an hour: throughout the higher functions of my morning, a thin doubt forced its way into my esoteric superiority and crumbled my confidence. In a panic, I went back to the comment to delete it, only to find that someone else had used it in their own tirade against my apparent ignorance. He took particular pleasure in using my words against me. His last insult to me was appropriately blistering: he called me an idiot.
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This was meant to be a 55, but grew into something a little bigger. Enjoy!

55: My Bloody Valentine

What matters in life is books, and beer, and laughter, and sex. And hugs goodnight and walks in the woods. And everything else is just movement between all those things. Having that conversation was hard, but without it, I was just fooling both of us. That’s when she pulled out the machete. Oh my g-----
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FFF-55 Vol. XLIX. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Priorities

She took entirely too long in the bathroom. As she slid into bed, looking gorgeous, smelling lovely, wearing her new lingerie, she began lightly touching my shoulder and neck. “I have a headache,” I lied. We kissed goodnight and she rolled over.

Finally, I thought, I could focus on my real interest: my Facebook games!
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FFF-55 Vol. XLVIII. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Day of Infamy

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As the sun rose on the bow, the salty waves threw themselves onto the deck and splintered into the air, refracting the golden rays into a million specks of rainbow glitter. On every side, the fleet could be seen to an unending distance.

Standing on the bridge, Admiral Nagumo checked his watch. It was time.
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FFF-55 Vol. XLVII. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Risk Management

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At the bar, my hands shook uncontrollably. Despite efforts to portray my anxiety as job stress or  personal dilemma, I was a wreck. Each combination of potential consequences hit me with a renewed sense of panic.

Finally, the phone rang. She said yes. As I drained my glass, the whole world turned fresh and new.
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FFF-55 Vol. XLVI. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.

55: Revenge

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Sometimes, things just work out this way… that’s what I told myself as I slipped the last round into the clip, popped it into place, and pulled back the slide. It returned with the satisfying sound of aggression. After a final look, I carefully turned his photo face down. 

Revenge would finally be mine. Tonight.

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FFF-55 Vol. XLV. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: New Deal

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It was obviously sent to the wrong number: “Brian its savannah vlad told me to text u so I could get a bag.” I stared at the message a long time, first in confusion, then in devious thought as to how I should respond.

That was two hours ago. Savannah should be here any minute.
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FFF-55 Vol. XLIV. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.

55: Satisfaction

Sweaty and deliciously filthy, we finally lay still in the grass. “Oh my god,” she cooed, taking a long breath, “I haven’t been worked that hard in ages.” She smiled and closed her eyes, and I could almost see a golden orange glow lifting softly from her body like glorious steam.

Yardwork: sexiest chore EVER!
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FFF-55 Vol. XLV. Tell a story in exactly fifty-five words. Go see G-Man.