story 1/30

[thoreau]

so - back here - I posted asking folks to comment on a post and throw at me random ideas for short stories - and that I'd try to do one-a-week of approximately 1000 words.

I didn't want to edit things to awful much - but a little spiffing sometimes goes a long way. (so this isn't totally raw writing - thank god) So I wrote over the weekend - and edited and spiffed this evening.

I am really enjoying the challenge of staying within 1000 words - which for someone with motormouth as bad as I've got it - is a real challenge. It makes you value everything you say.

Story #1 is from a suggestion by billeyler about flu shots - "A visit to a clinic for a flu shot goes bad." It didn't 'quite' end up that way - but.... here goes nothing.

---

The sun rose quietly in the eastern sky - skimming the trees as illuminated clouds raced overhead in an unseen wind. The blue sky had let go to a brilliant white near the horizon as the sun woke up out of the heavens. Walking along the street he listened to the sounds of the city. People rushing somewhere in every direction - the faint trace of a police siren angrily barked in the background.

"Good thing we meditated this morning," he thought to himself, "Its angry out here today."

He turned down the alley - adjusting his pack up over his shoulder - and saw the crowd outside the coffee shop. He saw the same blonde-brown mutt sitting on the corner licking a chew bone while his 20something owner and friends chatted over espresso in small glass cups.

"Mocha, double." he grunted at the barista.

She smiled and said, "Coming right up."

He threw down a fiver on the counter - and the cashier picked it up - replacing it with 50 cents.

"Everything costs more. damnit.," he thought to himself.

He put the cover on his drink and shuffled on past the others, smiling as he got the first sip of caffeine in his system for the day.

Walking in the door of the cleaners the owner grabbed his weekly order and set it in the rack. They didn't speak. The shop owner simply showed him the receipt - he paid it - and he grabbed his shirts and headed for home.

Arriving at home – there was a homeless person standing in the doorway using the corner of the doorway as a urinal.

"Oh gosh, thank you." he said sarcastically opening the door behind him. "Don't let me interrupt." He looked back and the man peeing had turned his stream on the glass door behind him.

"Great! Now we'll have flies and all sorts of crap. Just beautiful."

He paused.

"No. No anger. lets just let it go. 5 4 3 2"

The elevator door pinged and opened to two very elderly Asian ladies.

"Your dog bark lots!" one said to him loudly as she saw him the doorway. "Your dog bark too much."

"Sorry 'bout that," he says, "She gets lonely."

"Take her to work. She bark too much."

"Nice to see you too." he thought to himself as he traded them places, getting in the elevator. She turned to say it again - but the door shut thankfully.

The doors opened and he walked down the hall to the apartment. He put the key in the door and she started barking. Opening the door and hanging the shirts up, got down on his knees to greet her. She whined and licked and grunted and barked.

"Now hush - or Miss Fo is going to make you into Terrier Kung Pow special at her shitty little restaurant nobody eats at. and we don't want that, do we lovey?" he said outloud as she licked his face. "No - we don't want that."

He let out a sigh - as he got up and went to the sink to refill her waterbowl. He felt his arm ached where the bandage had been from the flu shot he'd received the day before. He hated flu shots - he could almost feel the day or two of lowgrade fever and blah coming on and it had just been hours.

He went to the fridge and looked inside. Moldy Mango Chicken and milk, milk that he was pretty sure was way past its freshness date.

"Fuck." he grunted to himself. He threw the chicken and milk in a plastic garbage bag and chained her up for a walk.

"Lets go get some vittles." and she excitedly followed him out back to the street. Out front she was nose-first to the sidewalk and let out a little cough and looked up at him as if to say outloud "Jeez - who the hell pee'd here?" - He laughed and said to her quietly - "you don't want to know dearie...."

He dropped the plastic bag in the public trash can on the block and headed up towards the Metro. She could get a little bit to nosh on - as like everyone else the staff at the Metro loved her.

He walked in the cafe - and the staff erupted in greetings for his dog. They were all kind waves at him but it was babytalk and royal greetings for her, which she soaked up like a sponge. He was very used the irony of her presence in his life. Sure enough - she was soon eating a small plate of something as the cook made him the "usual.”

He and his dog were soon on their way back to the apartment. She finished her bowl of kibble as he ate the sandwich staring out the window.

He'd called into work so now he could just stop. He sat back in his easy chair - full intending to read and fell asleep.

He suddenly jolted back awake – surprised by his sudden consciousness. The dog let out a whine - looking at him, cocking her head sideways. He was sweating. In fact – he was drenched.

"Great - fucking flu shot." he glanced at the clock that said 2pm back to him. "So much for the power of coffee." he said himself chuckling.

He stripped of his clothes and walked over to the bed.

"Sorry Dear - Aunty's Hung." He said to her. She didn’t get the joke.

Chuckling, he headed to bed. Pulling the covers firmly under his underarm he fidgeted with the pillow.

“Well, your majesty?” he said.

Hearing her proper call, she trotted up the pet stairs on the bed and snuggled in next to him. Licking his chin - she let out a little grunt and went right to sleep.

"Thats right hon. thats right." he said stroking her hair.

He hated flu shots. Fucking hated them. He grumbled off to sleep.

Comments

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

You put quite a bit of ironic beauty into building a little story out of that suggestion...I can see that being you on a BAD day! My mind wouldn't have gone that direction at all, but it's a good direction.

Cheers!

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

trust me - I've had plenty of clinic visits and such - but everything I tried down the "precisely what you asked for" vein came out forced and yucky. and I don't like yucky personally - so I just went where my fingers wanted to which is the fun of the excercise in the end I guess.