Effecting The Universe

 

Photo by Jocelyn Morales on Unsplash

Prompts = Affect, Dictate, Responsible

Do you ever have the feeling that what you do affects the universe, or a small portion of it? For instance, on a hot, sunny day, the act of closing the curtains to keep the sun out will cause a cloud to block the Sun’s heat, while opening the curtains will chase the cloud away.

Gloria Crumbly, or at least her curtains, dictate cloud cover in her area. Her neighbours also know when she leaves the house without an umbrella.

For everyone else who reads this story, relax — you aren’t responsible for the local weather.

Unless, of course, you are.

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

You Ready?

 Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Prompts = Spiral, Throat, Vicious

‘Good morning, class.’

‘Good morning, Mr. Crabtree.’

‘Ok class, I’d been hoping we’d be able to do our presentations with all of us together in the classroom. No dice this year; we’re all at home. But no matter where we are, someone still has to go first. Patricia, it’s your turn. Ready?’

‘I’ve got a sore throat.’

‘Load the text into the app and it’ll read it for you.’

‘It’s really bad.’

‘Patricia?’

‘Ummm… it’s a vicious spiral, sore throat, fever, blurry eyes…’

‘Do you need more time?’

‘Yeah.’

‘You just needed to say you aren’t ready. Sasha, you ready?’

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

Video Casserole

 Photo by Wahid Khene on Unsplash

Prompts = Splice, Dissension, Series

Netflix users, after months of Covid lockdown, began demanding more quality entertainment to binge-watch.

One thing executives tried was the creation of a new series, which is normal. However, because of Covid, there was no way to create new material. So they grabbed bits and pieces of film from preexisting shows that had been left on the cutting room floor, spliced them together, and called it Video Casserole.

Yes, even the name was pitifully bad. Fitting, really.

But not a word of dissension was spoken in the halls of Netflix HQ. And that’s because everyone was working from home.

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

Believe Me Now?

 Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

Prompts = YouTube, Town, Disappeared

The Great Zindano had accepted the challenge from a Twitter troll — make my town vanish.

Preparations had taken months, but the magician was now ready. The troll decided to simulcast on YouTube.

He stood on a hill overlooking his target. The challenger was there too and observed gestures made, words spoken, fires lit, symbols drawn, and songs sung. After a couple of hours, he saw the town had indeed disappeared.

‘When will the city reappear?’, the newly-convinced believer asked.

‘Reappear? No one said anything about reappearing. I can do it, but I’ll need a few months to get ready.’

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

Planning To Play + Memories Of Youth (Throwback Thursday)

Prompts = Blanket, Field, Somersault

Story New — Planning To Play

Photo by Mike Mitchell on Unsplash

‘We can go to the park! Maybe it’s a waterpark! And I can do cartwheels! And somersaults! And…’

That’s my very excited daughter answering my question of what we should do today. She looked outside and saw crystal clear air, with nary a cloud in the sky. No blankets of snow or threatening skies, which is what our hometown, a couple of hours away, has had for weeks.

She sees a field of opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and play.

But I’ve seen my weather app; the outside temperature is negative a lot — so cold it scared the clouds away.

Story Old — Memories Of Youth

 

Photo by Timotheus Fröbel on Unsplash

Memories of youth, memories of Spring. The Spring of Youth, of days gone by. Memories of somersaults and skinned knees, of picnics under the shade of a solitary apple tree, growing alone in a field of unkempt green. Memories of laughter and bright sunny days. Sweet memories of a first kiss — memories of the first blush of adulthood to come.

The tree is older, more majestic, producing ever sweeter fruit. The same can’t be said of the body housing me, cancer-ridden and dying. My last breath should be of apple blossoms and fresh grass.

And so it shall 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

Odd Science Theories - Evolution

 Photo by Sal Gh on Unsplash

Prompts = Evolution, Fallen, Dead

How does evolution work?

Let’s say there’s an orchid, living it’s orchid life rooted to a tree. Orchid babies are born and learn adult orchid ways from mature orchids; it’s Nature’s way.

But as can tragically happen, a baby orchid falls to the ground and lies there, as helpless as a baby bird that fell from the nest.

‘She’s fallen and she can’t get up!’, cries the mama plant.

‘But I’m ok! I can root here, see?’, responds the baby.

‘Roots in the dirt? Who are you?’

‘But ma! I can…’

‘You’re dead to me!’

Evolution, both beautiful and tragic.

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

Collateral Benefits + Still Paying (2 Fer Tuesday)

Prompts = Collateral, Pleasing, Discussion

Story 1 — Collateral Benefits

Photo by Antenna on Unsplash

I don’t remember where it happened, but I was involved in a discussion about “collateral damage”; “collateral” here meaning something secondary.

What a terrible thing for the words “collateral” and “damage” to roll off the tongue like they’re Siamese twins. It’d be far more pleasing, for me anyway, to talk about “collateral benefits”.

Consider that for a second: good things arising from something else happening. It’s so “a rising tide lifts all boats”, which is another euphemism I don’t hear nearly enough.

And it applies here too — I’ve written a story and perhaps, as a side benefit, planted a seed.

*****

Story 2 — Still Paying

 

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Have you ever accidentally walked into a restaurant that was wildly beyond your ability to afford but you decided to stay anyway?

You haven’t? Really? Yeah — me neither.

I certainly wasn’t engaged by the extremely pleasing waitstaff into a discussion about what I do for a living, which bank I’m with, or asked for my broker’s phone number.

I also wasn’t asked for a preprint of my credit card or handed a several-page document which assigned my worldly possessions to the restaurant as collateral.

The glass of water I drank before leaving will take me months to pay off.

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

Experimental Latitude

 

Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash

Prompts = Latitude, Research, Curmudgeon

‘It’s so unfair! You’d expect we’d be given a degree of latitude when doing our research at this supposedly prestigious school for wizards, but not when Old Man Stickman is overseeing our work.

‘“Is that fourteen drops of vampire blood you put into that potion? I told you one! Now we need to evacuate the entire wing and call in the hazardous substances unit. Don’t touch that vessel!”

‘What a curmudgeon! I don’t even know why he’s still teaching.

‘Oh well. Maybe this forced two week break while the school is decontaminated will help him be in a better mood.’

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

Dreary Erie

 Photo by Anant Jain on Unsplash

Prompts = Banner, Confiscate, Dreary

Erie, Pennsylvania is known by its residents as Dreary Erie, The Mistake On The Lake (the lake-effect weather being non-stop).

Imagine my surprise when I saw a large banner declaring A Revitalization Of The City while also Honouring Our Heritage.

I wondered what the locals thought. Would Erie stay dreary? Would brightness be forbidden? Happiness confiscated? How exactly was the local mayor going to keep Erie dreary?

As if in answer, I looked up and saw a bright yellow helium balloon float off to the heavens. A forlorn young child watched it go.

Good start, Erie. Good start.

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

Lucid Daydreaming

 Photo by Luke Marshall on Unsplash

Prompts = Lucid, Root, Sensation

I want to get to the root of my anxiety, so I went to Psychic Goddess Cassidy for help. She suggested we try lucid daydreaming. She explained that it’s like lucid dreaming, except it’s not.

She had me sit back to better let my mind wander. It did — into a pond. I was standing waist-deep in this stuff. It was thicker than ordinary water… the sensation was more like oil. Or maybe tapioca. Not quite pudding. Sort of like jello.

Cassidy told me to pick one. I went with vanilla because I like vanilla.

We’ll try again next week.

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

Hyenas?

 Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash

Prompts = Overwhelming, Wicked, Exotic

‘You done wicked good, Frankie. Let me get you another beer.’

It was the end of an overwhelming good day: the bicycle patrol was instrumental in closing down an exotic animal trafficking ring and Frank Cappuccino had been in a high-speed chase (downhill) that resulted in the apprehension of the ringleaders along with cash, weapons, and contraband.

And for it all, everyone was buying him rounds. There was talk of a commendation, maybe even a medal. All in all, a good day.

As Frank and his fellow officers drank, they wondered who in the world wanted hyenas as pets.

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

Defeating Poverty + Cargo (Throwback Thursday)

Prompts = Blessed, Poverty, Cargo

Story New — Defeating Poverty

Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

The Blessed Sisters of Saint Portnoy were resolved to solve the poverty crisis using the latest discoveries in Quantum Multiplication.

You know the effect — place a small item, like a mustard packet, into a dark drawer and shortly after you can start harvesting them. They never run out.

Same goes for change under sofa cushions.

The sisters theorized that under the right conditions — the appropriate placement of the correct monetary denomination — a small but meaningful income could be harvested.

That research explains the cargo container full of small change and secondhand furniture pulled up in front of a rented warehouse.

Story Old — Cargo

 Photo by SHARE NOW on Unsplash

The city was faced with a decision — invest in public transit? Or invest in an alternative?

After a long and contentious debate, the decision was made to set up a program for group-share automobiles. The reasoning was that having the ability to transport stuff was vital, thus the program’s name “Cargo”.

Millennials embraced the decision, but those in poverty weren’t so happy. They complained that unlike Yuppies, they aren’t blessed with the ability to rent the cars, either not having credit cards, or they’re being prohibitively expensive.

Despite the complaints, the city council doubled down by buying more cars.

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