Looking For Meaning

 Photo by Lane Smith on Unsplash

Prompts = Unknown, Cliff, Barbarian

I was running through city streets. I felt my heart pumping hard, my legs carrying me faster than I’d ever gone before. The wind whipped my long hair, across my bare chest, and through my loincloth; I was a barbarian carrying riches I’d plundered.

I ran and ran, knowing pursuers were close. In trying to lose them, I lost track of where I was, until suddenly I was on top of a cliff. I was left with a quandary: jump into the unknown or fight.

I leapt. As I fell, I woke up.

So, doctor, what does my dream mean?

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Sink Or Swim

 

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Prompts = Concern, Leg, Everything

First, I have to admit that I dive into things. It’s sink or swim and while I don’t like to brag, I usually swim. So I didn’t think about what could go wrong in joining an advanced yoga class; I just went for it.

The warmups were, if anything, a bit too easy. In fact, it was going fine, right up to the point where my left leg was somehow twisted around my neck and I couldn’t get free. It took everything within me to ask calmly for help.

After a two-week recovery, I’m back. In the intermediate class.

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

The Postcard Club

 Photo by Becky Phan on Unsplash

Prompts = Memorial, Step, Postcard

Longing to travel but international borders aren’t open? Looking for the best views of historic sights seen through the lenses of the world’s best photographers? Then join The Postcard Club.

For a low monthly fee, we’ll monitor what interests you for the latest in published postcards and mail them to you the old fashioned way: through the post. Whether it’s a continent, all the way down to southern views taken from the third step of a specific memorial, we’ve got you covered.

Fulfill those dreams of experiencing new places without having to walk there via Google’s Street View. Join now!

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Household Item Wrangler Gets His Start + Mary Knows (Throwback Thursday)

Prompts = Sick, Tired, Erected

Story New — Household Item Wrangler Gets His Start

G’day. When I was a lad, there was no cable; you had to wrangle with the aerial; if it wasn’t erected, all you got was white noise.

Day one moving into a new house, my folks were tired but I was sick, so me Dad went to the roof, in the middle of a storm, uphill both ways even, but he got it going.

That day, I learned about the letters S and E and the number 3. But I also learned the importance of wrangling household items, which I now pass on to you.

Household Item Wrangler, signing off.

Story Old — Mary Knows

 

Photo by René Porter on Unsplash

“When you want a baby, you find a man and he builds something.”

Mary Constallas held court with a small group of neighbourhood girls every day after school. She was an authority because she was older than us (she was seven, we were six) and had an older sister.

“You see, he gets an “erected” and that means to build something.”

Her pronouncements still ring in my ears:

“My mom says she’s “sick and tired” whenever she doesn’t want to cook dinner. When I’m older, I’m going to pick just one.”

Forty years later, her words became a story…

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Overthinker's Anonymous

 

Photo by Antenna on Unsplash

Prompts = Hesitation, Seating, Deploy

‘Hello and welcome to Overthinker’s Anonymous. Before I start, are there any questions?’

‘Where should I sit?’

‘Seating’s assigned.’

‘How is it assigned? By height? Alphabetically?’

‘We deploy AI to crawl your social media posts, categorize those results across 27 different criteria, and assign seats based on those results.’

‘Thank you.’

‘By that, are you actually thanking me? Or was that carefully constructed sarcasm?’

‘Sincere thanks.’

‘And sincere thanks to you. Ok, today’s topic: “Hesitation and Consideration are not Procrastination”. Yes?’

‘Do you mean hesitation and consideration at the same time? Or at different times?’

‘Good question. Let’s discuss it.’

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Grandma's On The Phone + Not A Spy (2 Fer Tuesday)

Prompts = Disable, Complex, Opportunity

Story 1 — Grandma’s On The Phone

Photo by Alex Harvey 🤙🏻 on Unsplash

‘Hello?’

‘Sorry. Me again.’

‘Hang on, I’ll get her.’

‘Thank you, dear.’

‘Trish!? Phone!’

‘Is it Grandma again?’

‘Yes, and remember this is an opportunity to spend some time with her.’

‘Ok. Hello Grandma.’

‘Sorry to bother you but I can’t make the computer work.’

‘How’s that possible? I disabled everything. Nothing should be complex now!’

‘It might be the cat. He laid down on the keyboard.’

‘Ok. Restart the machine and let’s see what happens.’

‘Restart?’

‘Turn it off then back on again.’

‘Can I wait until after he wakes up? He’s looks so comfortable, lying there.’

‘Sure. Bye.’

*****

Story 2 — Not A Spy

 Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash

‘National Security Agency switchboard. How may I direct your call?’

‘Ah, yes, my name is Bob and I am not enemy spy.’

‘Thank goodness you told me! Everyone’s on alert for suspicious phone calls.’

‘As you Americans say, “My word is my bond”. This isn’t suspicious.’

‘How may I direct your call?’

‘I’m trying to reach someone authorized to disable the complex security used to keep your computers safe and gullible enough to believe this will be an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with a foreign power.’

‘Oh, you must mean Carl. Hold on, I’ll connect you.’

‘Thank you, comrade receptionist.’

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

The Earth, A Frisbee

 

Photo by Braxton Apana on Unsplash

Prompts = Disc, Explore, Orbit

Sebastian listened as the newscasters chuckled. The lawsuit filed by FELT (Flat Earther Legal Team) demanding the Earth’s rotation be stopped had been tossed out.

But it got him thinking. With the Earth flat (widely acknowledged fact) and rotating (if it weren’t, what was the point of the lawsuit), it was acting like a frisbee, a disc hovering in space. With sufficient engines attached to the underside (to maintain rotational speed and establish direction of travel), the Earth could dodge incoming asteroids. Or even explore the galaxy!

Thankfully, with the Sun orbiting the Earth, there’d be sufficient light and heat.

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

A Wedding To Remember

 Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Prompts = Lettuce, Centrepiece, Cannonball

They were an unlikely couple: he — fabulously rich hedge fund manager, she — organic farmer. Their courtship was front-page tabloid fodder: mocking, insinuating, insulting. But the lovebirds were happy.

He proposed (in private); she accepted.

They began planning a public wedding.

It needed to be big, lavish, and absolutely over-the-top outrageous.

Which is why green leaves were covered in gold leaf. Everywhere. The reception featured a centrepiece of golden cabbages and lettuces stacked like cannonballs all the way to the 12-foot ceiling.

Even the after dinner “mints” were carrot-shaped. Because they were carrots. Organic, of course.

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Ordering A Caesar

Photo by Kateryna T on Unsplash

Prompts = Consequence, Stew, Mix

‘Hey Sal. How’s my favourite bartender?’

‘Hey Paul. What’ll it be?’

‘I’m feeling a little hungry, but I’d also like a drink. How about one of those elaborate Caesars you make?’

‘Which one?’

‘There’s more than one?’

‘I’ve been getting so many custom orders, I made a menu.’

‘Nice.’

‘I can mix up anything from a light snack to a cioppino stew. Did an Italian sub once.’

‘And these prices?’

‘I charge by the size of the glass.’

‘Wait… is there a salad bar back there?’

‘The consequence of making healthy drinks. Or unhealthy salads. So, what’ll it be?’

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Joining The Team

 Photo by Taya Dianna on Unsplash

Prompts = Renounce, Prance, Cusp

‘Blacktail, you are on the cusp of greatness.’

‘Yes, Dad.’

‘Being selected as a Budweiser Clydesdale is a great honour.’

‘Yes, Dad.’

‘They are symbols of what it means to be a stallion.’

‘Yes, Dad.’

‘You need to renounce everything you used to like as a foal. Put those things behind you.’

‘But…’

‘No buts. No more prancing around in your underwear singing that ridiculous Clyde, The Forgotten Reindeer song.’

‘Yes, Dad.’

‘Ok, here we go. Hello sir, this is Blacktail.’

‘Hey Blacktail, welcome to the team. Come to the clubhouse, we’ve got the new Clyde game on PS5.’

‘Sweet!’

*****

For the Clyde, The Forgotten Reindeer YouTube playlist, click here.

*****

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess

Conventional Logic + Sigmund Speaks (Throwback Thursday)

Prompts = Oblivious, Knock, Corrupt

Story New — Conventional Logic

Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash

‘Look, Dad, all I’m trying to say is…’

‘Not another word!’

‘…is don’t knock it until you try it.’

‘You, daughter, have tried my patience ever since you were born. You push boundaries that shouldn’t be pushed. Don’t think I’m oblivious to your current designs!’

‘What?’

‘You take every convention and challenge it! You corrupt! You destroy! You -‘

‘You blow everything out of proportion! I suggest one small thing and all I get is doom and gloom!’

‘It’s our traditions that keeps chaos at bay! Violate them at our peril!’

‘Cabernet with risotto will destroy the world?’

‘It… it might.’

Story Old — Sigmund Speaks

 Photo by Carl Cervantes on Unsplash

“Ze needs of ze corrupt are ze same az zoze of ze virtuous.”

Orientation for the new psychologists coming in to serve the needs of congressional staffers in Washington DC was, in a word, weird. Why did they need to listen to someone who thought he was Sigmund Freud?

“Ven zer iz za knock on za door, ve cannot be oblivious of ze needs that haz brought ze person to you. Ve are not here to judge! Ve are here to listen.

“Invite zem in. Have zem get comfortable. Offer a cocktail. And zen ask zem about zeir mudher.”

Links to other sites where I publish:

Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva

And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess