all day
On this episode of Origins I speak with author John Fleming. A formidable player of disc golf, father, owner of cats, and instrument banger oner. He has also authored the books: Songs for the Deaf The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman Fearsome Creatures of Florida The Book I Will Write. Visit Dr. Fleming on hisContinue reading “#23 John Henry Fleming”
He was pushed from the plane and his mind screams at the unfairness of it all. The roaring wind penetrates cold while gravity grabs him by the balls and squeezes tight. His shirt flutters mad. His eyes water and his bare-feet clench hard and painful and the nails of his hands bite into the flesh of his palms.Continue reading “Oh Christ”
The place is on the water. It has little umbrellas that have frayed in the wind. The fresh salty air from the gulf can’t penetrate the smells of stale beer and greasy food that surround the plywood structure like a fugue. Gulls circle looking for morsels of food. With protesting squawks they fly off whenContinue reading “Dive Bar”
The old orc stands, turning milky-blind eyes toward the intruder. He wrinkles his nose smelling the air. “Do I know you human?’ he snarls. ‘Have I tasted your blood?” The epic of the knight’s life has lead him here. “Speak!” Grunk takes a step, a withered left leg fails him. His ancient face scrunches inContinue reading “Famous Last Words”
The tour guide stops and sighs, “this is one of my favorite exhibits in the entire museum. You’ll notice there’s an actual outside beyond that window. It’s not just a picture, this little girl’s bedroom overlooked Broadway and Sixty-Sixth street. If you listen carefully there is a soundtrack playing of long ago New York City.Continue reading “Long Ago”
With a deep bellow the mountain raises and the Earth shakes. The ground is torn. Large roots and rocks pour from the being’s undercarriage. It moves its head, swiveling it from side to side, its mouth opening and closing, bits of stone chipping off its gnashing teeth, crashing into the forest below as its tongueContinue reading “Wish Granted”
The hum of industrial strength air-conditioning keeps the insane summer heat at bay. Tristram sweats anyway. He needs this sale and has been nervous all morning for a meeting that seems to be over before it really got started. “These cups are 100% biodegradable, fossil-footprint responsible.” “Can you beat a thousand for seventy-eight,” The fat-managerContinue reading “Degradable”
She puts the black heels with the ribbon lace up next to the ancient copy of the Oxford dictionary her grandfather bought her. The dictionary smells of thrift store. Dusty and used. Since her grandfather died it reminds her of him. She put the shoes next to the giant heavy book, because one day sheContinue reading “A Work Untitled”
The losses were negligible. Two hundred and twenty-two U.S. Marines gave their souls to take Red Beach, a swath of land 3000 yards long and a 1000 deep. They killed 1300 Korean enemies claiming the Korean city of Incheon. The land earned its nickname that day. The United Nation commanders were probably real proud asContinue reading “The tale of Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez”
The executioner is dressed in white tux and carries a tray of Yakitori. He is invisible. The party guests move around him as if he were a rock in the middle of a fast moving stream. Xan moves back to where the other waiters stand and watches a fat man at the podium. He isContinue reading “The Executioner”
