“Lamb chops! Teardrops of meat hugged by rinds of crispy, salty fat.” “Quiet.” “Watercress tossed in balsamic mustard dressing. Cherry tomatoes, avocado, crumbled feta cheese and candied pecans.” “Oh, lord…” “A spicy Tempranillo…” “Shut up and eat your ramen. This isn’t helping.”
Author Archives: David Hammond
The Summit
We stopped on a face of sheer rock overlooking the valley. The late fall foliage scorched the base of Mount Monadnock, and a mist filled the gaps. A storm was coming, and the wind was beginning to show its teeth. It would be bitter cold at the top. We sat down to eat our lunchContinue reading “The Summit”
Talking
ANNA: Just keep talking. DAVE: I can’t think of anything else to say. ANNA: Talk about anything. Talk about the house you grew up in. DAVE: Okay … well … we had high ceilings and a black metal fireplace. ANNA: Uh huh. DAVE: My dad put it in himself. It didn’t have a mantle, soContinue reading “Talking”
All the Lights Off
Their bare feet thudded on the wooden floor. He struck a match and lit the candles on either side of the stereo cabinet. He blew out the match and held it’s carcass in front of him, waiting for the red coals to turn to black before dropping it in the waste basket. “Why did youContinue reading “All the Lights Off”
Goodnight Pond
The tadpoles were in bed and Mike sat on his favorite lily pad looking up at the moon. “Croak.” He enjoyed that time of day. George glided over. He liked to skirt the edge of the pond looking for snails. A tuft of weeds jerked up and down in his beak as he chewed. GeorgeContinue reading “Goodnight Pond”
Cheaters
“Let me tell you a story.” The girl stared at the ceiling, and as her father sat on the edge of the bed she scooted back to keep her distance. She sighed meaningfully while her father began talking. “When I was in high school they had a big Trivial Pursuit contest out on the quad.”Continue reading “Cheaters”
A little space
A little space here which I have walked into where love resides but lies hidden, gathers dust. A quiet space where love resides but relaxes and changes its clothes. I can’t make it out. The light is uncomfortably dim, but comfortable almost in the non-knowledge that love resides, that it rests in a chair, whichContinue reading “A little space”
At the Border
Two guards: one thin and quick, the other large and impassive. The quick one leafs through my passport, asks about plans, business dealings. He pockets my passport, smiling cruelly. The big one sighs, retrieves my passport for me and lets me through. [This is my alternate answer to this week’s Yeah Write microstory challenge]
At the Party
Who is it tonight? The quiet one, all darting eyes and monosyllables? The bore, spouting barely understood scientific theories? The smiler and nodder? The nerd? Maybe, just maybe, the interesting one? Which version of myself showed up? Oh, right, the distracted one.
Broken
You can’t fix a person like you can a car. Take this fuel pump. I just went down to the auto supply store and bought it. For a car, the fuel pump is like its heart, right? And you can’t just take someone’s heart out and put in a new one. Well, yeah, nowadays youContinue reading “Broken”
David Hammond 