A Conversation “You’re yella’.” “I’m not yellow. I just don’t want to fight you.” “Yella’, yella’, yella’” “I’m just going to ignore you.” “Like you could, you yellow-bellied marmot.” “I saw one of those once.” “What?” “A yellow-bellied marmot. Just standing there on a rock.” “Probably looked a lot like you.” “Not really.” “All pudgy-faced and full of fear.” “Actually, it yawned.” “You probably bored it with your pudgy face.” “I think it had better…
I’ve got a tiger by the tail Its plain to see came a Buck Owens wail From the jukebox hidden near the bar In a West Texas dance hall far Away on a farm-to-market road Near a cotton bale load Hammer man tuned the piano, sunlight gave way to moon Barmaid dried the glasses, as twilight settled around the Texas Spoon A Post cowboy and a Hale Center mill man Rushed inside to find a…
The lieutenant’s horse swung in close to the Scout. He pulled up and stopped. Dust blew behind him. The Scout chewed on a blade of grass. “Report Scout. What are we chasing?” Scout twisted the grass in his mouth moving it from one side to the other. He paused and pointed. “See that butte?” The lieutenant covered his eyes from the sun. “Yes. Is that the hideout?” “No.” A silence hung between the men. Scout…
A Conversation “Let me draw it out for you.” “Careful, I used a Sharpie on the whiteboard.” “Let me try it.” “I’m just warning you.” “Yep, it’s an erasable pen.” “Are you sure?” “I just wiped it clean.” “Okay, but it’s a pain in the ass to get off.” “It’ll be fine.” “If you say so.” “We have this big pie.” “Yes.” “And we’ll color this slice red.” “Uh huh.” “And the rest blue.” “There’s…
A bead of sweat fell off his forehead onto the inside of the glass face shield as he reached for the red button. He pressed it. A whoosh of air bounced him toward the open airlock and blew him out in the vacuum of space. Then silence as he drifted out and away from the space ship. Strips of glass and debris flew away from the station as pieces of the asteroid broke it apart.…
A Conversation “I picked it fresh myself.” “It looks too red.” “The best things often look better than they are.” “And it seems a bit too shiny.” “I polished it up.” “Plus, I don’t see an apple tree around here.” “I found it at the apple tree outside the church.” “You were at church?” “I made confessional.” “And your swore off your sins?” “Most of them. A few I kept to myself.” “The priest let…
I forgot it was pie day. When I was 8, we visited my grandmother’s ranch for a big reunion. All of the cousins were there. In the middle of a table a huge strawberry pie took center stage surrounded by apple, cherry, and pumpkin pies. The strawberry one made my mouth water. My cousin wanted me to eat the pumpkin and suggested a pact. We could eat the pumpkin first, then the strawberry. I relented…