Posts Tagged ‘Lawn’
Jul
On The Money Trail
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Family members need help. I oblige. I’m their doer of tasks.
Why me? I’m between jobs, behind with payments and I haven’t shopped for new clothes in ages. I guess they trust me to deliver. I’m okay with that.
No time to linger. Housebound auntie wants her groceries.
As I hasten, sunshine glues sweaty polyester to my back. I spot sparkles on the sunlit lawn along my walkway.
Coins! Many coins, strewn in a line towards the space where a car had once parked.
I gather, add up their value, sigh.
Someone’s emptied change-purse or pocket. My bit of fortune.
From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs
Krystyna writes poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction regardless of the season or location she finds herself in.
May
Oliver’s Army
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Oliver was the first to notice.
He was enjoying a day off, determined to spend it in his garden, partly to work in it, partly to relax in a folding chair.
Leaning on a rake he called out to his wife:
“Would you look at that? I have never seen this many together on a single bush.”
She was just as surprised as he was.
“Remember? Last spring we didn’t mow the lawn for a month. Could this have something to do with it?”
Thousands, even millions of butterflies gave a clear forewarning: the new rulers were on the rise.
From Guest Contributor Hervé Suys
Hervé Suys (°1968 – Ronse, Belgium) started writing short stories whilst recovering from a sports injury and he hasn’t stopped since. Generally he writes them hatless and barefooted.
Sep
Sweet Revenge
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
“Trespassers deserve to be punished,” Ralph stated. “They have no business being on property they’re not entitled to.”
He stared at his damaged lawn.
Jeremy winced. “You sure about that? Might’ve been here before you.”
Ralph scratched his chin. “Okay, they’re diligent workers but they aren’t working for me.”
“How about you forget and forgive. Better still, prepare a nice meal for them.”
“That’s what I had in mind. Got all the fixings right here in my bag.“
After mixing up the concoction and serving it, Ralph watched.
With the sweet taste of sugar, the ants entered their underground home.
From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs
Krystyna is a writer of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. She resides in Edmonton, Canada.
Oct
Queue For Killing Time
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Mow lawn with toenail clipper; count sand. Invite spiders to tea party; pretend you’re the Mad Hatter.
Adopt imaginary twins; cry when they say their first word (“quarantine”); ransack new recipes to quiet their insatiable hunger; crank open doors and windows; demonstrate how to run fingers over wild, overgrown grass; bike them to beach; build castles, mermaids, moats; inhale salty ocean air; watch fire-red sun sink into horizon.
Lift face to pale moon and marvel, “Isn’t it crazy that there are more stars in the sky than all the grains of sand on earth?”
Time killed, savor moment without end.
From Guest Contributor Michelle Wilson
Michelle’s words have appeared in 50-Word Stories, 101 Words, Literally Stories, The Miami Herald, and elsewhere. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida.
Jul
The Lottery Jackpot
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
“You know what I’d do if we ever win the Lottery Jackpot,” she says while she crumples this week’s ticket.
I’ve heard this before. She’ll start summing up wild and expensive dreams, each time leaving out some she no longer desires, but adding a few new extravaganzas.
“…south of France. An electric car, we’ve talked about this. It’s the latest fashion – we should definitely own one. Quit our jobs, obviously. And you won’t have to mow the lawn of that young widow twice a week any more.”
I sure as hell hope we never win that freaking Lottery Jackpot.
From Guest Contributor Hervé Suys
Hervé (°1968 – Ronse, Belgium) started writing short stories whilst recovering from a sports injury and hasn’t stopped since.
Nov
Speaker Blowout
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Lisa peered through the curtains, watching an unfamiliar man, presumably her neighbor, drag four heavy-duty concert speakers onto the lawn across the way.
She’d never actually seen this man before, despite her moving in twenty-two years ago. But his yard was always well maintained and trash left out every week.
She wondered why he’d appeared now. Two decades of curiosity and, if she admitted it to herself, spying, and she’d learned hardly a thing about him.
As the song, Every Breath You Take, played on repeat for the next 72 hours before a deputy arrived, Lisa never understood the irony.
Jul
Strange Happenings In Northern Pucklechurch
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
John Nithercott exited his front door to find a clutter of mushrooms in his front lawn. Nor were these ordinary mushrooms. Fantastically colored in psychedelic neon, the shortest one stood over three feet tall.
John diligently choose not to pay any mind to the unwanted visitors as he plodded by. He prided himself on his stolid demeanor in even the worst circumstances, and he refused to give his neighbor the satisfaction of seeing him disturbed.
Mr. Periwinkle was undoubtedly watching, wondering if his latest deceit would finally force John from the neighborhood. One more example of why John hated fairies.
Jan
Yard Work
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
His boots sinking in the mud, Joseph pushed the mower across the lawn. Cecile admonished him for its futility, but with the water receding today, now was his opportunity. He’d always enjoyed doing yard work. There was the sense of accomplishment, but he also liked getting out of the house for a couple of hours.
The water was getting higher every year. Cecile talked about moving, but this was where the kids had grown up and they still visited every Christmas. He refused to leave.
It made him angry to think some people were blaming all this on global warming.
Dec
Best In Show
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Charlie’s Shih-Tzu Bucky ran across the lawn fetching his favorite blue ball. He chewed and pawed at it for a few minutes and then brought it back to Charlie to throw again. Charlie threw it farther this time and Bucky ran faster as the ball rolled across the grass almost hitting the maple tree. Again, Bucky played with it and brought it back to Charlie. This time Charlie didn’t throw the ball. He placed it on the ground to see what Bucky would do. Bucky looked up at Charlie, looked at the ball laying on the ground and walked away.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher
May
The Price Of Loyalty
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Jesse saw his blood staining the grass behind him as he was dragged across the lawn. At least he thought it was his blood. He’d taken such a beating that he was starting to worry about Mr. Jordan’s fists.
Most people thought Mr. Jordan had an awful temper and they generally quit his service after only a few weeks. Those that lasted did so because they stood up for themselves.
That meant, when Mr. Jordan was in one of his moods, Jesse was the singular focus of all the boss’s anger.
Tonight, Mr. Jordan was in one of his moods.