It’s getting close to the 70s and the sun’s going down. I make a detour past an electricals shop catching a bit of the Moon landing on the window display of TV sets and instantly fancy a bowl of Shreddies. Ignoring this Pavlovian conditioning I take the 15 bus back to 1967, getting off atContinue reading “Keep Music Live”
Tag Archives: flash fiction
cactus
Peter was an unloved child: impossible to cuddle, his body covered in thorns. That’s not natural, right? Psychiatrists said it was a defence mechanism but no one really knew for sure. He’s since been adopted by Maria, the cactus gardener, she’ll know how to look after him.
Spotlight on Mr McGovern
Worse than the cane, out came the dreaded phrase: “Illuminate me, please do,” along with the trademark condescending smile; Mr McGovern towered over the twelve-year-old me. Caught in the shadow of this self-proclaimed genius, I’d drawn attention to myself. I should’ve kept quiet like everyone else, not expressed my ‘radical’ political theories in class. TheContinue reading “Spotlight on Mr McGovern”
The Joke That Bombed
Moonlight cast a blue glow over the desolate quarry. The chain-link fence had been cut, dusty footprints formed a path leading into the disused mine, now a forgotten storage facility. ‘There it is!’ Jed and Sam’s phone lights rested on the unexploded bomb rumoured to be stored here. Sam’s beam picked out the stencil writingContinue reading “The Joke That Bombed”
A Diluted Idea
It couldn’t get any better, or worse: maverick scientist, Ron Archimedes, had won the World Esoteric Science Fair’s Innovation Award, the Indie equivalent to a Nobel Prize, except without the cash. He therefore couldn’t afford to fly halfway round the world to accept the honour. Unless, he found an alternative to regular travel. Think! Concentrate!Continue reading “A Diluted Idea”
The Nature of Government
The government tackle trees, is it foul play?
Web-based Artist (another Drabble)
I was getting fed up of working at my desk and looking out the window to see the dump of a garden we inherited with this house. So, I took some time off, got lucky with the weather, and took up the decking that covered almost the entire garden. Disappointingly I found only concrete and spiders underneath – no treasure, butContinue reading “Web-based Artist (another Drabble)”
Zest For Life
A beautiful family walk serenely towards a perfect horizon where a wonderful new day dawns. A soft disembodied voice fills the sky: “Zest, everything you’ve ever wanted. Zest for life.” A crumpled beer can hit the television screen.‘Life’s not like that!’ said Davey opening another beer.‘You mean our life’s not like that.’ Rosie hoovered noisily,Continue reading “Zest For Life”
A New Vision
‘Hello, New Age Opticians…’ ‘Oh hi, I’m having trouble with the contact lens you supplied me this morning.’ ‘I thought we’d sorted this out?’ ‘It’s still not right.’ ‘So what seems to be the problem now?’ ‘It’s making my eye water. A lot.’ ‘I see…’ ‘No actually, it’s more of an ocean. In fact there’sContinue reading “A New Vision”
The Blur of Celebrity
‘Have you done a lot of these?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘This is my first, as a stand-alone out-of-focus person.’ ‘It’s ‘background artiste’.’ ‘Do you ever get recognised?’ ‘No, I’m a professional.’ ‘Oh. Easy job though, isn’t it? Just stand at the back and look fuzzy.’ ‘Hardly! This isn’t crowd work, my dear.’ ‘No, you’re right. I usedContinue reading “The Blur of Celebrity”
absurd 