The Red Balloon

Margaret awoke on a spring morning, a morning that would prove to be a most memorable one. “Good morning, Monroe. Hello Sam," she said, grabbing her cane from her bedside. Her cats followed her into the kitchen and jumped on the counter as she started a pot of tea. “Oh my, you two must be...

Oh…How I Miss That Smell

Below is a story I wrote using nothing but dialogue. There are only three characters. I couldn’t use them to describe their surroundings in any way. This was a fun exercise that made me think of creative ways to convey setting. “Hey Nate. I didn’t think I’d see you here today.” “Oh, hi Dick! Yeah,...

My Circus Talent

I had spent my entire childhood trying to accomplish a dream: work in the circus. I fell in the love the first time I heard the creepy music and saw the ringmaster with his dazzling hat introduce a sword swallower. There was one thing missing from the circus, though. So at age seven, I practiced...

The Coronavirus Chronicles: 2020-2022

January 4, 2020 Happy New Year! This is my first journal entry of the decade. Time is flying by. I can't believe I've been married for ten years. And I can't believe the twins are already seven. Goodness. 2020 used to seem so far away. I always imagined myself as an old man in my...

Parquet Floors to the Past

I wake up, surprised to find myself on the floor at my grandma’s house. Excited to be home, though, I dust myself off and follow the parquet floors up three steps to the kitchen. My body feels unusually sore. “Mom?” She isn’t in her chair by the window, coloring with her favorite set of colored...

A Day in the Life of Mike the Mirror

This is the first story that I ever wrote (that I can think of). I was ten-years-old and very proud I received an "A." Below is the transcription of the scanned copy with the grammar and spelling EXACTLY how it appears in my 4th grade creation. Enjoy! A day in the life of Mike the...