by Bluestem It must have been like Howard Carter breaking into King Tut’s tomb, albeit on the scale of a flea compared to a blue whale, but nevertheless an exciting moment. When the first shafts of light and the fresh 21st Century breeze met the stale 1980s air and mingled—sending dust wheeling and moving for…
Category: Vignette
Three Centimeters From A Spider
by Bluestem Depending on the source, studies of such things estimate that one is between 3 centimeters and ten feet away from a spider at any given time. Location matters. The odds of brushing up against an eight-legged creature are low if you are hanging out in a parking lot. But if you are standing…
Noticing (Misty Mornings)
by Bluestem Walk through the pastures on misty fall mornings and distant shapes that the logical mind knows to be simply tufts of tall grass take on ghostly forms that spoof the shapes of man or beast. One chilly morning as I walked with Ike across the field, I saw in the distance a man…
Embrace the Power of “We’ll See”
by KPP – Jesus is King Introduction by Cactus Eater Bear: A story can have a happy ending or a sad ending- it all depends on where the story-teller chooses to end the story. An event that feels like a curse today may end up as a blessing tomorrow. Avoid the pointless and frustrating rollercoaster…
The Accidental Moderator
by Slapford J. Weasel So, I’m watching this comedian on YouTube and people are writing lyrics to tunes, as well as set-ups for jokes and punchlines. I have no idea what I am doing, as “Chats” aren’t something, within, I am used to participating. I was just trying to write Funny Stuff. I am just a guy…
Utah State Route 159
by Bluestem Standing on the rock-strewn slopes of Wheeler Peak at 11,000 feet, the road we were to take was too small to see, but other roads, threadlike, rolled out into the basin and disappeared. Below were deep green circles that glowed against the native brown, nourished by the sweep of giant sprinklers that turned…
Number 43
by Bluestem Her body lay at the very edge of the shallow ravine that cleaves the western pasture, tail pointing south, head facing north. A strong wind ruffled the thick, soft fur that covered her bony hips. There were deep half circles cut into the ground underneath her hooves, evidence of her struggle to stand….
The Monkey Sycophants: A True Story About Volunteering at the National Zoo
by Bluestem A group of us shuffled along the hall, picked up our t-shirts, then made our way past those still waiting, and returned to the small conference room painted a bright Jolly Rancher Sour Apple candy green. Those who received a permanent volunteer time slot found their shift partners and talked excitedly together while…
Sitting In
by Silent Draco That old chair didn’t fit the decorating or my shop space any more, and needed to go. It was good but a little worn, so it went out front on a warm day with a small sign: “$20 OBO”. No one gave it a second glance. After noon, an older gentleman hobbled…
Helen and the Five and Dime
by Liberta1784 Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. Or not really; it just seems like that. I know that oh-so-grownup girl-child that I was better than she knew herself, and her memories are mine, and immediate, and somehow ever so distant. But this only obliquely involves her; this story is about Helen. Let…