Slim Pickings
May 26, 2009
“Looks like beans or SPAM, Ralph.”
Jim rifled through his knapsack in search of hidden treasures.
“Pretty slim pickings, but it’ll do.” He threw the meat back in the bag. “Guess we’ll go with the beans; save the SPAM for a special occasion.”
Patting Ralph on the head he fished out his little silver can opener. The dog licked his lips as Jim spooned half the can on a used paper plate.
“I may be a bum, but I ain’t eating after no mangy mutt.” He leaned against a large log.
Gazing at the sun setting on the ocean, he smiled at Ralph. “We might be eating beans from the can, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Shadows and Dust
May 19, 2009
The shadows hung long behind the headstones as the dust whipped through the air and stung her wet face. She pulled the plaid blanket closer and brushed the hair away from her face. Laying her moist cheek against the marble she began to run her finger over the letters: A-P-R-I-L. Her darling daughter now lay cold in the ground. Alone.
She was named after the very month that had taken her life. They had all slept peacefully until their night was interrupted by the flying debris of nature’s fury. They had no warning, no time to prepare for their entire world to be torn apart in shadows and dust.
The Letter
May 5, 2009
Sarah stared at the letter: “Thank you for applying, but we are currently not hiring.” She crumpled the letter and threw it. It was the same as all the others, they’d hold her resume for six months and let her know if anything opened up. In six months they’d lose the house and be living out of the car. Her baby howled through the monitor; she turned it off.
She shoved the past due bills off her desk in disgust. He had talked her into putting their entire savings in the market, now they had nothing. This was his fault. She grabbed the life insurance policy and read it again, half a million dollars would make this all go away.
Drumming her fingers on the desk; she dialed the number. “That thing we talked about, do it. And make sure it happens on the job, we get more that way.”
