Story

Laughter From The Curb A passenger in a bright yellow convertible leaned out over the door frame and tossed a handful of crumpled white paper straight at the elderly man’s chest. The paper bounced off his worn brown jacket and scattered across the sidewalk around his metal walker. The two young men inside the open … Read more

Stopping Traffic on the Open Road Two palms pressed flat against the humid air as rubber tires screeched against the hot asphalt. A blue SUV skidded to a halt inches away, its driver leaning forward with both hands gripping the wheel. Between the painted white crosswalk stripes, a large turtle crawled across the lane, carrying … Read more

A Sudden Struggle In The Mud The eagle’s yellow talons clawed violently against the wet soil as rusty wire cinched tightly around its leg. Its dark wings beat against the marsh surface, kicking up water and silt with every desperate pull against the wooden piling. Above the tideline, several other eagles circled low through the … Read more

Turned Away at the Grand Entrance An elderly man in a frayed vest took a quiet step across the polished marble floor of the grand ballroom entrance, his partner holding his arm. A man in a dark tailored suit stepped directly into their path, extending an open palm to halt their movement. “Stop, you two … Read more

An Unexpected Confrontation on the Showroom Floor A salesman in a tailored black suit marched across the polished tile floor toward a quiet visitor inspecting a black luxury sedan. The visitor, an older man with graying hair wearing a worn work jacket and faded denim, rested his fingers lightly against the glossy finish of the … Read more

An Unexpected Arrival At The Host Stand An elderly woman with gray hair gripped the strap of her handbag and stepped toward the wooden podium. Her layered, frayed knit cardigan hung loosely over a worn dress as she stopped before the host stand. “Excuse me,” she said softly. “I believe I have a reservation.” The … Read more

A Moment on the Sidewalk A hotel worker stepped out onto the concrete pavement and lowered a warm plate of food into the calloused hands of an older man resting against the exterior wall. He sat beside his dark backpack, his graying beard unkempt and his jacket worn at the seams. He looked up, his … Read more

An Unexpected Test A young woman walked through a grocery aisle as a white envelope dropped onto the linoleum floor behind her. A man in a dark jacket picked up the paper and stepped toward her. He caught up to her side and offered the envelope, telling her she had dropped it. She took the … Read more

A Sudden Dilemma at the Dinner Table The waiter placed a leather bill holder onto the polished wooden table. A gentleman sitting in a beige blazer patted down his jacket pockets before reaching for a black briefcase resting beside his seat. He unlatched the leather briefcase and searched inside the dark compartments. He sifted through … Read more

A Smoking Engine On The Shoulder Thick white smoke rolled off the hood of the black Mercedes stopped on the shoulder of the busy highway. A gray-bearded driver in a dark work jacket stood beside the open hood with a black binder under his arm. A mechanic wearing a navy work shirt with a name … Read more

A Request at the Counter The elderly man walked up to the glass deli counter, his graying beard trim and his dark work coveralls dusted with grease. He stood before the worker behind the counter, keeping his shoulders straight as he met her gaze. “Ma’am, I don’t want a handout,” he said, pointing slightly toward … Read more

A Sudden Interruption at the Table The waitress leaned over the white tablecloth and pulled the porcelain coffee cup away from the man’s hand. She placed her fingers around the saucer and lifted it off the table before he could take a sip. The man sat back, his brows furrowing as his eyes followed the … Read more