Muriel Fights Back

“What was that noise?” Muriel whispered these words glancing around for her husband’s response. But Jock was not there, and she recalled he’d made a trip to the supermarket for her. She was so used to having him around to talk with in their retirement that even when he was off golfing or pottering around the yard, she still had little one-way conversations with him … Continue reading Muriel Fights Back

The Day the Bull Ran

Jean Stradshaw sat on the top railing of the cattle tick spray enclosure watching her father chase the young bull down a slope toward the dam. He had an axe in his upraised arm and he meant business. She’s heard him threaten to have those horns removed but knew he’d eventually cool his anger, and have it done mercifully by the district vet. The bull … Continue reading The Day the Bull Ran

Trust Tested

Romain sat at his desk trying to process what he’d just heard. He’d made a quick trip to the office fountain to refill the desk water bottle and emerging from the corridor entered the staff room. He’d overheard Julie talking to a small knot of office workers gathered around her. It was their scheduled office break. Wherever Julie went she was accompanied by her retinue … Continue reading Trust Tested

Old Southern Ma Brinkworth

  Peggy Sue wiped hands on her apron in irritation and headed from the kitchen to the front door. Why were they so impatient, that was the second time in just seconds they’d hit that button and every time someone did that chimes in the hallway played a monotonous song she found to be annoying. She’d asked her husband Dennis Brinkworth to change the tune … Continue reading Old Southern Ma Brinkworth

The Consultation

Ester stood in front of the bank of elevators flashing green signals as each floor was visited. Most of the people waiting were dressed in suits and were probably heading for the upper floors where the giants of industry had their offices but there were a few who were dressed down and she wondered where they’d be going in a place like this which was … Continue reading The Consultation

The Drinking Fountain

It was vacation and the boys around town were looking for something to occupy their time. With pocket money already spent there was no use hanging around Main Street so after checking out shop windows for a while and discussing emerging fashions of the 1960’s it was time to retreat to the park on their bicycles and stand around discussing possible things to do. John … Continue reading The Drinking Fountain

Naomi

Roger glanced furtively toward the fence at the back of their two-storey home. The house had been constructed on a steep allotment which had been levelled at the bottom end creating a cliff strengthened against slippage by a slanting stone retaining wall. The house had been constructed with top storey, being the main living area of the home, neatly tucked into the top of the … Continue reading Naomi

The Scammer

  It was one of those steamy summer nights when daylight lingers until late bedtime and friends gather to sit around the patio and talk while watching the sun paint clouds in pastel colours before going to its rest. Annette went back and forth between guests and her kitchen now exposed with sliding glass door panels pushed to their extremity. Theirs was the most expansive … Continue reading The Scammer

Helga

John lingered with his friend Brian as high school students fled from classes for the day on their bikes. They were heading for pleasures of sports grounds in other parts of town or just hanging around Main Street to sample assorted delicacies before tackling homework in the evening at home. But in John’s case there was the eleven-kilometre hard slog up and down hills until … Continue reading Helga