For this month’s 99-word story
feature, I challenged writers to make up a story about a fight
or argument that changed or threatened to end their relationship with their
best friend. I received three contributions, and here they are:
•••
HEAVENLY
MINDED
by Jill Evans
The Devil sat on one
shoulder, the Angel on the other. Ten pounds away from goal and that cupcake
was staring me in the face.
“Eat it, then work out.
Five hundred calories is nothing,” the Devil whispered.
“Eat it and your hips will
look like a shelf. Trust me, I’m you’re best friend,” the Angel pleaded.
“I love cupcakes,” I said
to the Angel.
“You never take my advice.
Remember Dan’s party?”
“Don’t listen,” the Devil
reiterated.
“I know,” I said and went
into the bakery, emerging moments later with—of all things—angel food cake.
The
Angel sighed.
•••
I AM NOT A CROOK!
by Jerry Giammatteo
“Why are you so ticked?” Pete confronted Mike, his erstwhile best
friend.
“New Year’s Eve,” Mike responded.
“What about it?”
“Remember our party?”
“Of course; at least until about one a.m. After that, I don’t remember
anything.”
“You bugged me about our vintage coin collection. You wanted to get a
closer look.”
“You wouldn’t,” Pete protested. “You said it was worth too much.”
“It disappeared that night. I think you stole it.”
“How dare you accuse me?”
“Then who?”
“Macklin.”
“Macklin?” Haven’t seen him since New Year’s. I’ll call him.”
“Don’t bother Mike. He’s upstate doing fifteen to twenty.”
•••
THE MAN’S NOT WORTH IT
by Christine Viscuso
My best friend and I found each other on Classmates and she confessed
as to why she never wanted to see me.
“Eliz, I can’t believe you didn’t talk to me for forty years because
I dated Steve.”
Finally we agreed to meet over coffee. I gave the waitress my order
and sat.
“I asked your permission before I started a relationship. You had
broken off with him.”
“I know.” Eliz sipped her latte.
“After three months he broke up with me. Told me I wasn’t smart
enough. That I didn’t graduate college. Was he worth our lost relationship?”
•••
And now,
friends, it’s time to say adieu. This is the last posting of 99-word stories on
my blog until further notice. In fact, because of pressing work obligations, I
have decided I must take a break from blogging for a while. I’ll still
occasionally post an announcement or a few ideas or opinions about the Joy of
Story, and I am scheduled to host a few guest bloggers to help them promote
their new books. But as of now I am no longer committing to posting regularly
on my blog each Saturday, as I have done for more than three years.
At this time I
wish to thank all who have read my blog, and I especially want to thank all of
you who have contributed to The Joy of Story, either by leaving friendly
comments or by sending me stories to post.
Keep writing,
writers, and keep reading, readers. And may all of you continue to find and
celebrate the joy of story.
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