My Short Short for the Day

 Kara stared up at the structure towering above her.  This was her first stop in Pisa, and it was amazing.  Standing at the bottom and looking up, it appeared straight, at least as far up as she could see.  It seemed pretty solid, too.  So, what was the problem?  She could do this.  It was only 251 steps and they were on the inside so it’s not like she’d be climbing around the outside of the tower, with a thin rail as her only protection against a misstep and plummeting to her untimely death.  Really, Kara, get a grip. She shook her head and walked inside.

Kara took the first few steps carefully but soon found a comfortable rhythm.  There weren’t any railings so after a while, she used the walls to add a little support as she stepped.  About 50 steps in, she began to feel it a bit.  She was able to slow down a little but with others following, she couldn’t slow down too much.  It was warmer inside than she expected. She could feel her body warming up.

As she reached step 100, she felt a sudden cold chill.  Maybe she was overheating?  She paused and looked up.  Bad idea.  She felt a little dizzy but there was no stopping now.  The voices behind her got closer so she started climbing again.

Step 200.  Not much further.  The voices were louder, but she couldn’t walk any faster.  Was it supposed to be this warm?  It felt like an oven.  The dizziness threatened constantly now but she pushed it back and tried to think “happy thoughts”.  It will all be worth it, just keep going.

Kara could see the light.  She took her final few steps and came out onto the top.  Oh, ok, here’s the railing but at least there is mesh covering the gaps.  Well, whatever.  She made it!  Yay!

Kara quickly walked towards the far side away from the top of the stairs.  She spread her wings, closed her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs!

“Whoa, Mum!  Look!  It’s a turkey!”

Kara ignored the other tourists.  It was her time now. 

My Short Short for the Day

Ralph slowly sat up.  The sunlight seeping through the curtains provided some light in the room but it was still dim.  Ralph rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times.  His vision cleared enough for him to see he was on the floor of the living room.  He checked himself but didn’t feel any bumps or bruises.  He carefully stood up, brushed his glittery clothes, and checked his black, slicked back hair.  He prided himself on being the most authentic looking impersonator on the Strip.  Last night’s show was a blast.  The crowd roared; he could still hear them cheering.  He did 3 encores and still they had cheered for more.  He smiled as he walked to the window.

The smile quickly dropped as he pulled open the curtains.  This was not his room at the Bellagio.  This was not Vegas, either.  He stared at the view before him, a maze of skyscrapers and flashing lights and flying cars.  Wait, what?  Flying cars?  Ok, this must be a dream.  Ralph pinched himself.  Ouch!  This can’t be real.  Ralph started to panic.  He left the curtains open and turned to face the room.  The furniture had looked normal in the dim light but now, he could see how strange they were.  Nothing looked quite right. 

He looked at the photos, no one he knew but something nagged at him.  He looked at the magazines, they were familiar but strange at the same time.  He flipped through the papers on the kitchen counter, nothing he recognized.  However, underneath he saw what looked like a tablet.  He touched the screen and it lit up.  The date appeared and stared at it so long that the screen went into sleep mode.  He took a deep breath and touched it again.  The date was still the same, Sunday, August 30, 3020.  A thousand years had passed over night.  But how?

Just then the front door clicked and slid open.  Ralph stepped out to look down the hallway.  A man stepped through the door and froze.  The door slid shut and clicked.  The man stared at Ralph.  Ralph stared back.  It was like looking in a mirror, a slightly younger, leaner mirror. 

The man and Ralph spoke in unison, “Elvis has left the building!”

My Short Short for the Day

Being stranded on a deserted island wasn’t so bad after all, Cassie thought as she walked into the sparkling water.  The cliffs wrapped around the lagoon creating a beautiful, tropical paradise.  The trees drifted lazily in the breeze, dropping ripe fruit onto the golden sand below. She could hear birds chattering high up in the treetops as she glided into the blue green water.  The warmth enveloped her as she rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, floating gently on the surface. 

After a time, she felt a chill in the water which jolted her out of her daze.  She tread water as she looked around.  She had drifted past the invisible line separating her lagoon from the sea beyond.  No worries, Cassie thought starting to swim.  It’s not that far away.  She heard a strange call.  It seemed to be coming from the trees that were clinging to the sides of the cliff.  She would have to check it out later.  She kept swimming but seemed to be making slow progress.  She sensed a presence.  Her heartbeat quickened.  She swam faster.  The call was louder.  The presence in the water was getting closer.  Panic filled her as she struggled to swim even faster.  Something bumped her foot.  She tried to scream but the sound caught in her throat as she was flying through the air, looking down at a giant shark circling where she had been moments before.  She was clinging to a…man?  She stared at him in amazement.

He gently set her on the ground.  “Are you ok?”  His voice had a hint of an accent.

“Uh, yes, I…I think so.”  She stared at him.  “Are you…Tarzan?”

His laugh filled the air.  “I’m Jack.” He held out his hand.

Cassie blushed but shook his hand.  “Cassie.”

“Welcome to paradise!”  Jack said wrapping his arm around her waist.  “Shall we?”

Cassie nodded and they swung out across the lagoon.

My Short Short for the Day

 “Stop Butters!  Come back!”  Alice sprinted after her little Corgi.  He sure could run fast when he wanted to.  “Butters!”

Butters raced across the wet sand.  The waves tumbled onto shore and occasionally reached his little feet as they kicked up sand and spray.  His tongue was hanging out of his mouth and his eyes twinkled.  He smelled so many things.  The salty, ocean air.  The damp, earthy sand.  The…the…he wasn’t sure what that smell was, so he was racing to find out.  He could hear Alice following him, so he raced on.  He must know what that new smell was.

“Butters!”  Alice knew it was futile to yell but did it anyway.  She tried to speed up, but he was just too fast to catch.

Butters stopped suddenly.  The wind had shifted and so did the smell.  Where was it coming from?  He turned his head, sniffing the air.  Searching for the smell.  Ah, there it is.  He bolted towards the cliffs.

“Oh, Butters.”  Alice had almost caught him.  She bent over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.  Well, all this running should wear him out at least.  Alice straightened and walked towards the cliffs.

Butters had reached a pile of seaweed hanging over some rocks.  He sniffed the rocks and seaweed. The smell was coming from in there.  He saw the smell and barked.  He stared at the smell and kept barking.

Alice started to run as soon as Butters barked.  She quickly reached him and grabbed his collar to pull him back.

 “What did you find, boy?”  She scratched his ears and peered down at the seaweed.

Butters struggled against her hold and kept barking.  Alice knelt and reached for the seaweed.  Butters used his head to shove her hand away.

“What is it Butters?”  Alice frowned at the Corgi.  He was acting weird.

This time, Alice leaned towards the seaweed without reaching out towards it.  Butters fidgeted but stopped barking.  She stared at the seaweed and slowly something started to come into view.  She gasped and fell back.  Butters licked her face reassuringly then moved back to face the seaweed, as if guarding what was there.

Alice pulled out her phone and dialed 911.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“We’ve found something on the beach.”  Alice felt ice run through her veins.

My Short Short for the Day

 “Well, Joe.  Looks like we got ourselves a simple life now.” Jerry patted Joe on the head before straightening up.  His eyes swept the house and 10 acres of rolling hills surrounding it.  “Ah, the simple life.”

Jerry rolled up his sleeves and began to unpack the truck.  Joe followed him in and out of the house a few times before barking once, wagging his tail, and taking off to explore the fields.

“Yeah, I guess this is a great change for you, too.”  Jerry smiled then picked up another box and lugged it inside.  Hours later he decided it was time for lunch.  He sat down in a rickety, wooden chair on the front porch with his sandwich and lemonade.  Just as he was finishing up, a pickup rolled down the driveway.  There were a few scattered trees but not much cover.  Good thing because no one could sneak up on him here.  Not that that should be a problem now.  He was retired, they all knew.  He paid his dues and now he was out.  Disappeared from existence, at least as far as his old life was concerned. 

A tall, lanky man unfolded out of the pickup truck.  He had a Stetson on, sunglasses and jeans.  A regular, old cowboy.  “Howdy.”

“Hello.”  Jerry eyed the man cautiously.

“New to these parts, huh?”  The man wasn’t really asking a question, just making a statement.

“Yup.”  Jerry finished off his lemonade and put the glass on the table.

“Settling in alright?”  The man took his hat off and dusted the rim.

“Yup.”  Jerry stood.

“Sheriff Johnson.”  The man held out his hand.

Jerry shook his hand.  “Jerry Oleson.”

“We’re a quiet town.”  Sheriff Johnson nodded and put his hat back on.  “We like to keep it that way.”

Jerry followed Sheriff Johnson back to his truck.

“Nice place you got here.” Sheriff Johnson said folding back into his truck.

“Yup.”  Jerry nodded.

My Short Short for the Day

 “Honey, I just think it’s a little weird.  I mean it’s a robot.  What kind of meaningful relationship can you have with a lifeless thing?” 

“I know it may seem strange to you, mom, but it’s just…nice to have someone to talk to.”  Esther began.  “And, well, it’s nice to be with someone who is taller than me, too.  Can’t you understand that?”

“We understand perfectly well, Esther.  But it’s a machine.  What will people say?” 

“I don’t care what people say, dad.”  Esther shifted in her seat.  “Besides, it’s none of their business.”

“We just don’t think it’s a good idea, honey.  It’s just not…natural.”

“I’ve gotta go.”  Esther grabbed her coat and bag.

“We’ll see you for dinner on Sunday.”

Esther drove to work with the radio blasting, but it didn’t drown out her thoughts.  Ted looked and acted like a human.  No one will be able to tell the difference, at least as far as his appearance goes.  He seemed so real.  Well, it didn’t matter what her parents said, she had fought hard for this opportunity and she was going to take it. 

“Good morning Esther.  Ready for your adventure today?”  Mark was a good guy.  He was the brains behind Ted’s electronics. 

“Yeah, can’t wait to get started.”  Esther walked over to Ted and gave him a final check.

“Where are you going today?”  Mark asked.

“I was thinking a walk to the park might be a nice start.”  Esther said.  “Maybe even try out the swings.”

“Sounds good.”  Mark typed on his computer.  “Ted’s all set and ready to go when you are.”

“Let’s do this.”  Esther stepped back as Mark hit a key on his computer with a flourish. 

“Good morning Esther.”  Ted said with a smile.

“Good morning Ted.  Would you like to go to the park today?”  Esther smiled.

“Yes, I would like that.”  Ted smiled back.

My Short Short for the Day

 “Wow, Rover, what are you gonna do?”  Sam asked.  “I mean, you can read peoples’ thoughts.  That must be good for something.”

“Well, I’m going to do what I always wanted.”  Rover paused for dramatic effect.  “Build myself a family.”

“Huh?”  Sam scratched behind his ear.

“Yes, I’m tired of living in alleyways and eating out of garbage cans.  I’m going to build a family of robots.”  Rover grinned.  “Now I just need to find the smartest person to help me.”

“Oh, there’s that weird guy who lives in his mom’s basement and blows something up at least once a week.”  Fluffy offered.

“No, I need someone who has access to all kinds of equipment.  And who knows how to build robots.”  Rover stated.  “And I think I know just who to talk to.”

“Uh, we can’t talk to humans.”  Sam said looking a little confused.

“I know, I know.  But I can read their thoughts.  So, I just need to get them to let me hang around.”  Rover stood.  “I’ll see you guys later.”

Rover found the scientist, wagged his tail enthusiastically and they became fast friends.  After months of intensive work, his family was done.  He completed the programming by copying what he had learned from the scientist and hit enter.  Now his family was complete.  It was time to show them off to his pals. 

“Hi guys!”  Rover barked.

“Rover, you’re back!”  Sam rushed over bouncing and wagging his tail. 

“Good to see you Rover!”  Fluffy yipped.

“Guys, I’d like you to meet my family.”  Rover stepped aside and barked at his family.  They walked forward and waved, then proceeded to scratch Sam and Fluffy behind their ears for few minutes before straightening up.

“What do you think?”  Rover asked eagerly.

“They’re so cool, Rover!”  Sam said.

“Yeah, they’re awesome.”  Fluffy yapped.

“We have a place just over on Centre Street.  And they’ve stocked it up with the best dog chow and toys and beds and even a little pool in the back yard.  Oh, and miles of space to run around in without worrying about the dog catcher.”  Rover wagged his tail excitedly as he talked.

“Wow, that sounds great.”  Sam said.  “You’ll be so happy there.”

“Yeah, Rover, you’ve got it made now.”  Fluffy agreed.

“No, guys, not just me.  All of us are going.”  Rover grinned.  “Come on!”

My Short Short for the Day

 “Uh, Vlad, is that a baby?”  Alaster kept his distance from the squirmy being.

“Yup.”

“Why is it here?”  Theadora asked leaning over the bundle.

“It’s a souvenir.”

“Why would you choose that?  What about those little statues of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or a decorative spoon or…”  Alaster moved so that Theadora was blocking his view of the infant.  “…or a tee-shirt.  You know, something normal.”

“What do you want it for?  Eww!  What is that smell?”  Theadora plugged her nose and quickly moved to the other side of the room.

“I’m starting to feel old.”  Vlad began.

“But you’re only 400, still quite young in vampire years.”  Theadora said.

“Yes, but recently I’ve started feeling old, out of touch with the youth of today.”  Vlad lifted the baby and in a few swift movements had changed the diaper, moved to his chair, and began to feed it.

“How did you learn to do that?”  Alaster asked moving slightly closer.

“Before I was turned, I used to have several younger siblings which my mother needed me to help with.  I learned all the basics.”  Vlad moved the baby to his shoulder and patted its back.  “It’s like they say with riding the bike.  I had done it so much that everything is coming back to me so quickly.”

“We can’t keep a baby here.”  Theadora pouted.  “We won’t be able to have any fun anymore.”

“That’s why we need to hire a nanny.”  Vlad stood and gently placed the baby in the crib then picked up the paper and held it out to the others.  “See, I put an ad in the paper and we should be hearing from someone soon.”

“Wait, we’ll have a human living here?”  Alaster couldn’t conceal his shock.

“Yes, and they will be off limits.  Understand?”  Vlad gave both a frightening look.

“Yes!”  Alaster and Theadora said in unison both taking a few steps back.

Just then the doorbell rang. 

“That must be our nanny!”  Vlad smiled as he swept out of the room.

“A baby?”  Alaster stared down at the squirmy being.  “What was he thinking?”

My Short Short for the Day

“Whoa Judy, trouble waking up?”  Sam laughed in his passive aggressive way.

Judy just smiled and nodded.  She was only on her 5^th cup and that’s what the coffee was there for.  He was so annoying.  Like he didn’t have anything better to do with his life than fuss about how much coffee people drank.  Besides, if he actually did any work, he might need some coffee, too. 

Judy sat down and reviewed her notes.  Not much gossip from yesterday.  Maybe someone else got some good stuff.  She browsed her usual sites looking for any new leads to follow and found a juicy tidbit about the famous actress, Stella.  Judy scribbled down the address, grabbed her coat and coffee and rushed out.  She was the first to arrive in the alley outside the office of the plastic surgeon to the stars.  Judy found a crate to sit down on and pulled out her phone.  After a long while, she heard the click of the door lock.  The actress emerged from the doorway wearing a wide brimmed hat, oversized sunglasses and a fur coat covering her from neck to ankle. 

Judy stood up and snapped a few pictures.  “Hi Stella, you look fantastic.  Can I get a few pictures?”

“Oh, I don’t know Judy.  I’m a little tired.”  Stella forced a pout.

“But my readers would love to see how wonderful you are looking.”  Judy said.  “It won’t take long.”

“Well, alright, I guess I can spare a few minutes.”  Stella posed, adjusted her hat, and posed again.

“How about with your sunglasses off?”  Judy said.  “You know how your fans love those baby blues.”

Stella smiled and took off her hat and sunglasses.  She fluffed her hair and posed again.

“Hey, Stella, over here.”  Jake strutted down the alleyway.

Stella turned and smiled posing.

“I was here first.”  Judy glared at Jake then stepped in front of his camera.  She quickly snapped a few more pictures.

“It’s a free country.”  Jake sidestepped her and snapped another photo.

Just then a limo pulled up at the end of the alley and Stella’s 6’5”, 250 lb. bodyguard stepped out.  I stepped back.

“Thank you so much Stella.  You look fantastic!”  Judy smiled her most winning smile.

Stella smiled casually and slipped into the back seat. 

As the limo drove away, Judy turned on Jake.  “How dare you butt in on my story!”

“Like I said, it’s a free country.”  Jake’s face was so smug.

Something in Judy just snapped.  Maybe it was too much coffee.  Or maybe she was tired of Jake constantly swooping in on her stories.  Whatever the reason, she’d had enough.  She walked over to Jake, stared him in the eye and slapped his face. 

“I challenge you to a duel!”  She blurted out.  “Tomorrow, on the Cliffs, at dawn!”  She stared him down then walked away.

My Short Short for the Day

“Well folks, get out your sunscreen and shades as we’ll be hitting record temperatures throughout the area today.  In Wiscasset, it’ll be in the high 90s.  Over in Woolwich, we’re looking at a high of 100.  And down at Bailey Island you can expect a high of 95.  So, stay cool folks and keep the ice box well stocked.  Back to you Bryant.”

Roger smiled until the camera panned away, then he took his mic off and headed to his office to get a bottled water.  Whew!  I sure hope my air conditioner is working.  He said between sips.  The air conditioner in his office was blasting a chilly stream of cool air in his face.  Of course the studio had to have a solid air conditioning system to protect the equipment.  Maybe they wouldn’t mind if he hung out here all day.  It might not be so bad.  He smiled and leaned back in his chair putting his feet on the edge of his desk.  Ah, this isn’t bad at all.  But then he suddenly felt a weird itchy like tingle in his side.  He scratched at it assuming it was a bug bite, but he felt a good size lump there.  He sat upright and ran his hand over the area again.  The bump was bigger.  It hadn’t been there this morning.  It hadn’t been there a few minutes ago.  What was going on?

The itchy tingle grew and so did the bump.  He stood up and tried to push the bump back in.  Within seconds the itchy tingle was gone but in its place was a new, adult sized, flesh and bone arm just below his right arm.  He stared at it for an exceedingly long time, finally uttering, “What the heck!?!”

My Short Short for the Day

Tom slumped into his chair dropping the empty cash box onto his desk.  “That was a fail.” Tom grumbled running his hands through his hair and sighing loudly.  It was such a solid plan, especially because he looked much older than 15, or at least he thought so.  But the Dean caught wind of his scheme and ended it.  Fortunately, he was able to avoid getting expelled.  Being a child prodigy had its perks, sometimes.  Well, now he was flat broke and no way was he going to call his parents to ask for money.  Then he’d have to explain what happened and that would not end well.  So, maybe he could borrow from Jeff, the only guy he actually considered a friend.  Or maybe…

The phone rang breaking into Tom’s wallowing.  “Yeah?”

“Is this Thomas Sampson?”  The voice was deep and very business like.

“Yeah, this is Tom.”  He said with mild curiosity.

“We have a job for you.”  The voice stated.

“Yeah?  What kind of job?”  Tom responded wondering which guy might be pranking him.

“We will discuss that in person.”  The voice said.

“Well, I don’t know.  I’m kind of busy right now.”  Tom thought that maybe it was Allen from his Psych class.

“No you aren’t.  You’ve completed your exams and will be starting winter break tomorrow.” The voice stated matter of factly.

“Oh, yeah, well.  I’m not looking for a job.”  Tom pushed the nervousness from his voice.

“You are broke and have no money to buy a cup of coffee let alone a ticket home.”  The voice sounded cold.

“How do you know that?”  Tom blurted out.  This was no joke.

“We have been watching you Thomas and we feel you are the right person for this job.”  The voice paused for a moment.  “Be out front of your dorm in 5 minutes.  A limo will be there to pick you up.”

“I don’t know…”

“We will pay you $10,000 to meet with us.”  The voice said.  “If you don’t want the job, then we bring you back to the dorm.  You keep the $10,000 and never hear from us again.”

“Ok.”  Tom said trying to sound casual.

“Good.”  The voice said.  “Be out front in 5 minutes.”

The phone clicked in Tom’s ear.  He sat for a minute with too many thoughts running through his head but then kicked himself into action.  He texted Jeff about the meeting and hurried downstairs.  Little did he know that this meeting would change the course of his life forever.

My Short Short for the Day

It was New Year’s Eve and George was in his dressing room putting on his jacket getting ready to leave for the restaurant.  All the comedians had to share the same tiny, cramped room, except for Al, the star of the show.  Or so he always says. 

“Hey, George.  So, about next week’s show…”  Lou, the manager, was fidgeting with his tie, which was never a good sign.

“Yeah, Lou.  Looking forward to it.”  George forced a smile.

“Well, you see George, we got too many comedians, so…”  Lou fidgeted with his tie some more.

“Oh, yeah.  I heard Al has some other possibilities.  Maybe you could cut him?”  George asked with what he hoped was a winning smile.

“Yeah, well, no, we’re gonna have to cut you.”  Lou dropped his tie and looked at George with pity.  “Sorry man.”

“Oh, hey, no problem Lou.”  George walked over to him.  “Don’t worry.  I’ve got other things lined up.”

“Yeah?  Great!  Good luck to you George.”  Lou held out his hand.

George shook his hand with a smile and walked into the hallway.  “Thanks Lou.  I’ve got big things coming.  Don’t you worry.”

George kept smiling all the way out of the building and down the street.  His ex, Karen, always said he wasn’t funny, and she even said that’s why she divorced him.  What did she know?  She was about as funny as a rock.  Anyway, he still had a blind date to make it through tonight, so he’d better get comfortable with this smile.  Can’t be depressed on a first date.  He must make a good impression, or he’d never hear the end of from his mother.  Her closest friend was a ‘matchmaker extraordinaire’. 

Oh, well, just because his dreams of being a comedian were completely shattered, stomped on, and kicked into the gutter, doesn’t mean the rest of his life is a mess.  Maybe tonight he’ll meet the love of his life.  The woman who will inspire him to become the next great surgeon, or maybe the next hot shot attorney or even better, a flashy movie star with millions of adoring fans and homes in every romantic country of the world.  This could be the moment that changes his whole life.  The start of a new path lined with roses and sunshine and all the wonders of the world….

“Karen…?”

My Short Short for the Day

“How did you keep this hidden for so long?”  Mandy asked.

“Well, when you tell people you work with bees, it’s not a big leap for them to believe that you see them everywhere you go.”  Ally explained.  “So, when I have a hallucination, I just pass it off as me talking to or looking at some bees.”

“Wow.  That’s crazy.”  Mandy shook her head.  “You sure did a good job of hiding it.”

“Years of practice.”  Ally smiled but her eyes were tinged with sadness.  “Ok, here goes.  Wish me luck.”

“Are you sure this is the best thing?  I mean it is the…Devil.”  Mandy paused and touched Ally’s hand.  “I can’t believe this is even possible.”

“It’s the only way, Mandy.  I just can’t do this anymore and maybe, maybe he can fix it.”  Ally slipped her hand away and got out of the car.  She waved and turned away.  She could hear the car drive off as she walked into the building.  She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she walked down the hallway.  It seemed cheerful and inviting.  A little weird considering where she was going, but I guess it made this easier.  If the hallway had been dark and scary, she probably would have changed her mind and ran out.

She reached the door at the far end of the hall and stopped.  Again, she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.  She raised her fist to the door and knocked.  Almost instantly, the door opened and a voice floated out to her.  “Come in, Ally.  I’ve been expecting you.”

The voice did not sound particularly frightening, just kind of deep with a bit of a lilt to it.  She walked into the room and the door closed quietly behind her.

“Come, sit down.”  The voice came from across the room.

Ally sat down on the soft, red velvet chair nearest the desk.

“As you probably guessed, I’m the Devil.”  A figure stepped from the shadows, reaching his hand out towards Ally.  “Shall we begin?” 

She shook his hand and nodded.

“Excellent.”  The grin that spread across his face was wickedly mesmerizing.

My Short Short for the Day

Today is going to be great, Ed thought as he carefully trimmed his superb mustachio.  A little wax and perfecto!  He smiled in triumph.  He put on his suit coat, straightened his tie, and picked up his briefcase.  As he strolled down the sidewalk he waved and smiled at everyone.  The sun was shining, the skies were clear, and he had finally solved his case.  His private detective business had been doing alright, but now, with this case solved, his reputation would be set.  Everyone would turn to him for help.  He would probably have to hire an assistant.  He smiled to himself as he walked through the door of his client’s skyscraper building. 

“I’m here to see Mr. Banner.”  Ed said to the secretary.

“Yes, of course.  Have a seat and I’ll let him know you are here.”  She smiled and picked up the phone.

Ed nodded and sat down.  He pulled out his puzzle book and started working on Logic problem #4.  He had just about finished writing out the solution when the secretary motioned for him to go in.  He hurriedly tucked the puzzle book and paper into his briefcase and stood up. 

“Ah, Mr. Jones.”  Mr. Banner motioned to a seat across the desk from him.  “Thank you for coming in.”

“Thank you.  Well, as I said on the phone, the case is solved.  I have all the information you need right here.”  Ed opened his briefcase, pushing the puzzle book aside and pulling out a manilla folder.  “Here you go sir.”

Mr. Banner took the file and flipped through pausing to read the pages.  He was about to close the file when he pulled another page from underneath it.  “What’s this?”  He skimmed the page and paled.  He pushed a button on his phone and barked for his secretary to send in Ray immediately.

Ed sat up, caught off guard by the sudden attitude change.  “Uh, sir.  Is everything ok?”

Mr. Banner was about to talk when Ray burst through the door.  “Ray, look at this.”

Ray skimmed the paper and looked at Mr. Banner then at Ed and back to the page.  “Is this accurate, sir?”

“Yes, call the Secretary of Defense right away.”  Mr. Banner stood.  “If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Jones.”

Ed stood.  “But sir, I…I...”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.  My secretary has your payment.”  Mr. Banner was walking Ed towards the door.

Ed looked back at Ray who had set the paper on the desk to dial the phone.  He could see boxes on it with names, times, and lunch orders in columns.  It was his Logic problem #4 solution.  “Uh, sir, I just…”

He tried to move back to the desk, but Mr. Banner blocked his way.  “Thank you, Mr. Jones.  You have served your country well.”

“Thank you, but that paper is my…”  Ed reached out towards the desk, but Mr. Banner was strong and guided him out the door.  “That’s my puzzle…”

“Good day Mr. Jones!”  Mr. Banner said with a curt smile then shut the door.

Ed stood still, trying to decide what he should do when he overheard Mr. Banner speak.  “Yes, we have confirmation of the impending invasion.  Contact the President immediately.  There’s no time to waste!”

Ed eased himself away from the door.  This can’t be good, he thought.  Well, he’d better get his check to the bank before they figure out that it was only a solution to Logic problem #4. 

My Short Short for the Day

Spot knew he could never show his face in public again.  What a disgrace!  He dropped his doggy bed into the bathtub and walked back to the living room to retrieve his chew toys.  But worse, it wasn’t even his fault.  He was an innocent in all of this.  It was that new dog, Rufus, who caused all the problems.  Spot dropped his favorite chew toys into the tub then went to the kitchen to retrieve his food and water dishes.  He set them on the bathmat.  Rufus should have been fired!  He was the one who tripped the craft service person, who then tumbled into the extra, who stepped on the foot of the camera man, who yelped and jostled the camera hitting the boom operator, who swung around and hit the  spotlight with the mic, which crashed to the floor scaring the daylights out of the lead actress.

It was chaos on the set and Spot had been patiently sitting off camera next to the craft service table waiting for his daily treat from Alice when this all happened.  Rufus had tripped the craft service person and kept running so by the time things settled down, he was all the way across the stage.  Spot immediately went to Alice to lick her face and check to see if she was ok.  Unfortunately, everyone looked over and saw Spot there and assumed he had caused it all.

Spot was scolded and his trainer quickly took him off set.  Spot was so ashamed, but it truly hadn’t been his fault.  No one would believe him, though.  So now he was going to live in the bathtub forever.  He would never leave it again!  Ever!

“Spot?  Where are you?”  Lilly called out to him.  Spot’s tail started to wag but he quickly remembered that he was a bad boy.  His tail drooped and he put his head down on his bed.

“Spot?  Oh, there you are.”  Lilly came in and paused for a moment looking at all of Spot’s items around the bathroom.  “I know you’ve had a rough day, sweetie, but it’ll be ok.” 

Lilly sat by the tub and stroked his head.  “I just got off the phone with the director and he wants you to come back tomorrow.  Alice told everyone what happened.  They know it wasn’t your fault.”

Spot lifted his head and stared at Lilly.  Did she mean it?  He was a good boy now?

“Yes, Spot, you are a good boy!”  She gave him a hug and Spot let his tail wag super fast.

My Short Short for the Day

“As your Mayor I vow to…”  No, no, that doesn’t sound right.  How about “I am honored…” No, no.  Maybe “I vow to earn…”  No, no, no!  John slammed his notepad on his desk.

“How’s the book coming along?”  Alice asked with a smile walking over to her husband and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. 

“I can’t seem to find the right tone.”  John fidgeted with his pencil.

“Well, maybe you should take a little break and come back to it.”  Alice sat casually on the soft, leather sofa.  “Your brother’s still in town for another day.  Go spend some time with him.”

“Maybe your right.  Tommy’s always good for a laugh.”  John had barely finished his sentence when his office door flung open.

“Sorry Mayor, but I thought…oh, Mrs. Carte, I didn’t know you were here.”  Bill stopped short and nervously looked from Mrs. Carte back to the mayor. 

“Oh, don’t worry dear.  I was just leaving.”  Alice stood gracefully, glided over to her husband giving him a kiss on the cheek before flashing Bill one of her dazzling smiles.

Bill blushed but quickly regained his composure.  “Sir, you should see this.”  He held out a large manilla envelope.

John opened the envelope and pulled out the papers inside.  He quickly skimmed the pages, then looked at Bill.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ve checked and rechecked the records as well as doing some research online.”  Bill stated.

“But it’s impossible.  How can it be?”  John started to pace.

“I don’t know, but there’s no other explanation.”  Bill fidgeted where he stood.

“That would make him over 100 years old!”  John stopped and stared at Bill.

“Actually sir, according to these records, he would be over 350 years old.”  Bill held out another sheet of paper.

John took the page and turned as white as the paper.  “350…but how?”