THE
JOY OF STORY
John
M. Daniel’s Blog
October
8, 2016
Greetings story fans.
Two people, A and B, have a relationship of some sort. A third person, C,
appears on the scene. B has never seen this third person before. A claims not
to know the third person, but B suspects that’s not true.
Characters.
Conflict.
Change!
Lights
Camera
Action!
Ready,
set, go!
Here are a few 99-word
stories that play with this familiar situation. They appear here for the first
time anywhere.
§§§
“Who
is that stranger?”
“What
stranger?”
DISCO DRAMA
by Madelyn Lorber
The young woman had one slender arm
draped across his shoulders. Her hips moved to the rhythm of the DJ. Her skimpy
skirt exposed shapely legs.
Hell, I’m gone ten damned minutes, stuck in a predictable
ladies room line.
He noticed I was back, disengaged himself as if surrounded by
that Little Shop of Horrors plant.
The nymphet danced in front of him.
Shoulders hiked in innocent defense he said, “I was just
standing here minding my own business...”
In hushed tones laced with acid I asked, “You trying to tell
me you never even met this person before?”
•••
by Tom Donovan
He
watched as the stranger drove his year-old car down the street.
His
wife appeared in the doorway; he told her the stranger was here to buy the car
and was taking a test drive.
The
stranger and his car never came back. The old clunker the stranger had driven
up in sat at the curb looking suspiciously like a junker with fake plates.
Knowing
what was coming, he closed his eyes, thinking of a warm beach somewhere.
Hands
on her hips his wife said “Are you trying to tell me, that you never even met this person before?”
•••
TRYING
by Jim Gallagher
It was more of a challenge to my credibility than
a question when he snarled, “Are you trying to tell me that you never even met
this person before?”
“I’m not trying to tell you anything,” I snarled
in response. “I told you very clearly that I’ve never had any contact of any
kind with that person.
If you’d been paying attention to my reply, instead
keeping your nose stuck in that iPhone, you’d have known that.
I submit to you
sir, the only one in this room who is trying
would be you. Yes, you. Very trying, indeed.”
•••
ON-LINE LEARNING
by Diane Morelli
I go on-line for local news. The best site is the
supermarket express line.
The cashier said, “The late shift driver put the
flowers and candles on her bench at the bus stop. He felt like dirt. She wouldn’t
ride along on the route with him that cold night.”
The woman buying poinsettias sighed. “I thought my
prayers were answered, she found a safe home.”
The man holding eggnog nodded. “No way. She
wouldn’t go, leave her belongings behind.”
According to what I overheard, my neighbors cared
about a woman they’d seen but never met before.
I did, too.
•••
THE
REUNION
by
Christine Viscuso
•••
“Are
you trying to tell me that you never even met this person before?”
“Helen,
I swear. I never saw her before the Smiths’ party.”
“The
way she hugged you tells me different. Is there something you’re not telling
me? She’s gorgeous, George. She has great legs; she’s maintained her figure.
I’d die for hair like hers.”
“You’ve
been my one and only for forty-five years.”
“I’ve
invited her for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. I hear the bell now. Greet your
girlfriend.”
The woman fell into George’s arms. “George,
Remember me? It’s your old friend Pat. I’m Patricia now!”
•••
BEAUTY
AND THE BEAST
by
Rosetta Stone
“You’re
going to marry some guy you never met?”
“We’ve
met. Online.”
“But
not in person?
“That’s
right. He’s shy. Claims he’s ugly and old. He’s a virgin.”
“What
does he have that I don’t?”
“Lung
cancer. Six months left.”
“Yikes.”
“Plus
seventeen million dollars in trust, which he’ll receive the day he marries.”
“But
what will he do with seventeen million and only six months—?”
“He’ll
have the time of his life, I’ll make sure of that.”
“And
you get the seventeen mil when he dies. You sure?”
“It’s
in our pre-nup. Our lawyers worked it out.”
§§§
Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories
The
deadline for November’s 99-word story submissions is November 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for November 12, and will stay posted for a week.
note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.
Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:
1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.
2. One story per writer,
per month.
3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict.
4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign.
5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.
6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights.
7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: jmd@danielpublishing.com
THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY: Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: I don’t
think we’re in Kansas anymore.…
§§§
Calling
all published authors—
I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at jmd@danielpublishing.com.
§§§
Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week.
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