Life in progress

Yearly Archives: 2017


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66. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Sunday, November 5th, 10:00am
Moses (and Hannah)

 

(Moses sits at the window. Hannah takes the seat behind him.)

Moses: (mumbling to himself and bouncing in his seat) Hurry up, hurry up.

Hannah: (taps him on the shoulder) Are you okay?

Moses: I’m going to be late for work!

Hannah: This bus only goes to the mall …

Moses: (eyes wide) Yeah! I know! I work at the mall.

Hannah: But it doesn’t open for another hour.

Moses: There was a time change last night! Didn’t you know? (mumbles) Stupid bitch.

Hannah: (frowning) Yes. I do know. I changed my clock.

Moses: (beside himself with agitation) Then why do you think the mall’s not open? How stupid are you?!

Hannah: (changes seats, mumbling) I’m smart enough to know what time of year it is.

 

Next stop: Monday, November 6th, 8:00am

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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65. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Adult theme.

Saturday, November 4th, 4:00pm
Drommen (and Lena)

 

Drommen sits at the window. Lena takes the seat beside him.

Drommen: Hi.

Lena: Hi.

Drommen: Nice day today.

Lena: It’s a bit chilly.

Drommen: Do you mind if I masturbate?

Lena: Not at all.

Drommen smiles, opening his fly.

Lena: Do you mind if I knit?

Drommen: Not at all!

Lena smiles and pulls out a large pair of shears.

Drommen: (grimaces, doing up his fly) Maybe another day.

 

Next stop: Sunday, November 5th, 10:00am

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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#SoCS – Shortcut of my Youth

In what was the little town of Newmarket, Ontario, where I grew up (it’s a city now, so don’t go there looking for something quaint) there is a small lake, called Fairy Lake. It really was never much more than a place where the river got wider, I realize now, but something tells me it used to be much more.

Every day, I walked to school from my house on Lundy’s Lane, up Red Deer Street to Patterson Street where both my primary and secondary schools were approximately situated. I walked that way except when I took the shortcut. You see, there is (or probably was, now) a large storm sewer under Red Deer with a teeny tiny creek running through it. I used to catch crayfish there and keep them in a bucket on the front steps of my house until they died. (I was a horrible child, looking back.) But back to the shortcut.

I can only think that storm sewer existed for when Fairy Lake flooded, because it was the only body of water around. Farther down from the storm sewer was a swamp (now has baseball fields on it) and a lock for boats that dried up long before I became a teenager. I digress yet again.

One day, I think I may have been in Grade 2, I was late for school so I took the shortcut. Something I never did at the time. I was a responsible 8 year old, after all. But this day I decided to dawdle. They had the police looking for me by the time I arrived at school with not a clue what the big deal was. Because of course, when they went to look for me on Lundy’s Lane, Red Deer, and Patterson Street, I was no where to be found.

I understand now the terror that I must have caused by stopping to pick weeds along the path behind the houses. And I suppose I must have kept my shortcut hidden from the adults, because they didn’t go there to look for me.

I’ve never told anyone this story before. There are no adults left who would remember it, nor any children of that time who I associate now with who would.

Thanks for the memories, stream of consciousness. And thank you to you, who have read my story. 🙂

Google map satellite picture of my walk to school. The creek is still there.

The locks, part of what is now the Global Pet Foods Dog Park.

This post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Join in, and maybe you’ll take your own trip down memory lane! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2017/11/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-417/


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Nov. 4/17

It’s Friday and I almost forgot about SoCS! How did that happen?! Anyway, it’s time now for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. There are so many things I’ve wanted to blog about recently, but I haven’t had any time. Hopefully that will change soon. In the meantime, here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “shortcut/cut short.” Use one, use both, whatever strikes your fancy. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our new SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

 

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


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64. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Friday, November 3rd, 2:00pm
Sammy and Leroy (and Zoey)

 

Sammy sits at the window. Leroy is in the aisle seat.

Sammy: I bet you can’t go five minutes without saying something.

Leroy: Of course I can.

Sammy: Okay, try it.

Leroy: When do you want me to start?

Sammy: Now.

…

Leroy: I can do this, you know.

Sammy: That was a whole 30 seconds.

Leroy: I wasn’t ready.

Sammy: You’ll never be ready.

Zoey approaches.

Zoey: (to Sammy, pointing at the aisle seat) Do you mind if I sit here?

Sammy: My friend is sitting here.

Zoey: (frowns) That’s a ventriloquist’s dummy.

Leroy: Hey! Who are you calling a dummy?

Zoey: (to Leroy) You! (shakes head and looks at Sammy) Would you mind moving your doll so I can sit?

Sammy: Leroy’s not a doll. He can’t even shut up for five minutes!

Zoey: You mean you can’t shut up for five minutes.

Leroy: Of all the nerve! You can’t talk to him like that!

Zoey: I’m not talking to you, I’m … (mumbles) Oh never mind. (moves to the back of the bus)

Leroy: (to Sammy) Do you believe that? Some people!

 

Next stop: Saturday, November 4th, 4:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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63. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Thursday, November 2nd, 3:00pm
Jordan and Brandon

 

Brandon: How’d your date with Marissa go Tuesday night?

Jordan: We did the whole dress-up thing and walked around the block with her little sister.

Brandon: And? Was it fun?

Jordan: Other than the fact I had to walk around on crutches?

Brandon: Kinda gets in the way of holding hands, I guess.

Jordan: Uh … yeah.

Brandon: What’d you dress up as?

Jordan: An injured basketball player, what else? Went well with the cast.

Brandon: And Marissa?

Jordan: (smiles) A nurse.

 

Next stop: Friday, November 3rd, 2:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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62. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Strong language

Wednesday, November 1st, 7:00pm
Andrea and Lacey

 

Andrea: So you’ll never guess what I heard at work.

Lacey: What?

Andrea: Christmas music. One fucking day after Hallowe’en. Can you believe it?

Lacey: No way!

Andrea: I wouldn’t have even noticed it if this guy hadn’t been whistling to it when he came in.

Lacey: Like he …

Andrea: … liked it or something. Exactly! I mean, who likes Christmas music the day after Hallowe’en? Like, we haven’t even got all the decorations down. But at least the guy was hot.

Lacey: Pfft. Too bad.

Andrea: What do you mean “too bad”? (shrugs) I flirted with him a bit.

Lacey: No!

Andrea: Yep. And I asked him out. We’re getting together next week.

Lacey: Seriously? What are you gonna do if …

Andrea: If he starts whistling Christmas music again? What do you think? Dump his ass!

 

Next stop: Thursday, November 2nd, 3:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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One-Liner Wednesday – Charlie Brown’s Pumpkin?

I know I’m a day late for pumpkin day, but this thing is still sitting in my kitchen and I figured if I’ve got to keep looking at it, you should too. Alex HAD to have it, so for $1, it came home with him. The pictures are actually flattering.

It weighs about twice as much as the orange pumpkin
It’s the Frankenstein of pumpkins
The colour of a zombie
What do I do with it now?

___________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

#1linerWeds badge by Dan Antion


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61. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Tuesday, October 31st, 10:00pm
Mortimer (and Hillary)

 

Mortimer sits at the window. Hillary takes the seat beside him.

Mortimer: I used to drive this bus.

Hillary: I beg your pardon?

Mortimer: I was a bus driver. This used to be my bus.

Hillary: That’s nice.

Mortimer: Yes, back in nineteen-seventy-three.

Hillary: I didn’t think the bus was that old.

Mortimer: (smiles) She looks good for her age, doesn’t she?

Hillary: I guess.

Mortimer: A girl died on this bus. Right in the seat across the aisle, as a matter of fact.

Hillary: Huh.

Mortimer: Her boyfriend stabbed her seventeen times.

Hillary: That’s awful. Were you driving the bus that day?

Mortimer: I was. It was a horrible thing indeed. In fact it was Hallowe’en night. Forty-four years ago today.

Hillary: (stares over at the second seat on the left) Creepy. You must have nightmares. (turns back to look at him) I …

Mortimer is gone.

 

Next stop: Wednesday, November 1st, 7:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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ON FIRE – Burn, Baby, Burn

THE FLAME OF LICK’S ISLAND

~an excerpt from my short ghost story in the ON FIRE Anthology from Transmundane Press.

Once upon a time, there was a flame on a candle, in a window, of a house, on an island, on a lake, on the Earth, in the universe…
Flashback to the flame.

Marissa

Mike and I sat holding hands across the desk from our lawyer and best friend, Jeremy, when we got the news. The crisply burnt edges of the will should have told me something was weird. I didn’t say anything—I guess I was too excited.

Jeremy shook his head as he dotted the last “I” on the page. “I’ve heard about long-lost relatives coming out of the woodwork before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it happen.”

He stood and extended his hand across the desk. “Mike, Marissa, congratulations. You’re the proud owners of an island with a house and two sheds.”

“Thank you, Uncle Hubert, whoever you were,” Mike said.

“Will you move out there right away?”

“Yeah, we’ve decided.” Mike smiled at me. “We’re going to sell the condo. Assuming the place is livable…”

“I’ve been assured that it’s in great condition. Electricity, water… It’s even got great satellite service.”

“That’s perfect then,” I said. “Dibs on one of the sheds for my art studio.”

“Done. I’ll use the other one for my woodworking shop.” Mike smiled and squeezed my hand. He kissed my forehead with a sigh, and I let out one of my own, already mentally packing my art supplies.

***
Our trip to Lick’s Island began as an adventure. We were both twenty-four, had known each other for a year, had been in love for three-quarters of that time and married for half of it. We arrived in a speed boat, our guide a sun-browned old man with wild, straw-like hair and teeth that would rival a picket fence. When he dropped us off with the canoe he’d towed along behind us, he seemed nervous, his eyes shifty and his laugh like the rusty springs on a beaten-up car. He kept asking us if we were sure we wanted to spend the night.

“Sure as the sun’s going to come up tomorrow,” Mike told him.

So off he went, leaving us behind.

 

***

ON FIRE

Capable of creation and destruction, fire burns within us.
Behind the thick, black smoke of our lives, we blaze with our own unique flame.
While love compels some, others feed greed and lust into their hearths.
A tool for the deft hand, used with magic or as a weapon, but irresponsibility leaves deep burns and promises dreadful consequences.

ON FIRE brings to light twenty-six tales that explore this unpredictable yet beautiful element.
Handle with care.

Coming out 12.01.17!

Contact Information:
Website: http://www.transmundanepress.com/
Blog: https://www.transmundanepressblog.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TransmundanePress/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TransmundnePres
Newsletter sign up: http://eepurl.com/bYiL2r

Visit our author pages to learn more about the contributors here.

Enter Transmundane’s Giveaways!

Links:

Giveaway One:
$25 Amazon gift card giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5ea998ae8/?

Giveaway Two:

Win one of five copies of Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild and Other Stories by following Transmundane Press on Amazon. Only available for US participants.

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/242689e142393cd4#ts-en

And don’t forget to buy your copy of ON FIRE on December 1st, 2017!