Fifteen Minutes (or Mismatched Socks)
A wealthy business mogul, who dealt in dark magic, had an ingenious idea to sell products faster. He cursed an entire generation of Americans with fifteen minute attention spans. This made true love and true friendship nearly impossible, for both … Continue reading
Saturday Haiku: Autumn?
September morning?
Cold, but shines like mid-July.
Take what you can get.
– Alex Schattner (9/29/12)
The Midsummer Terror
I awoke one fateful night, with many a terrible bite. The constant itching made them red. Then, on window siding…I saw a creature climbing. With it’s wings gripping…and a long needled head. “I’ll never get back to my dreaming,” I … Continue reading
Truck of Dreams
Like many little boys, trucks, especially garbage trucks, fascinated Stanley Fender. His parents attributed this to when Stanley was a baby. Every morning, he would wake up to the sound of the garbage truck pulling up outside their house. This, … Continue reading
Sweet Friends
Two best friends were trying to come up with a business plan together, but each had a very strong opinion. One wanted to open up a doughnut shop and the other an ice cream shop. Creating both would be too … Continue reading
Inspiration: “The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall” by John Kendrick Bangs
The trouble with Harrowby Hall was that it was haunted, what was worse, the ghost did not content itself with merely appearing at the bedside of the afflicted person who saw it, but persisted in remaining there for one mortal … Continue reading
The Gifts of Dog
Three Shih Tzus were present at Susanna’s birth, and each had a gift to bestow. The first dog presented her with unparalleled cuteness, the second with street smarts, and the third with good judgment of character. Her parents were surprisingly happy … Continue reading
Saturday Haiku: Dignity
When looking for love
Don’t be distracted by
The loudest talkers.
Volume does not equate
To confidence or honesty;
Merely bravado.
Hear past all the noise.
An earnest dignity
Awaits questioning.
– Alex Schattner
Forestiere
This tale started abroad, Sicily to be exact. A young man, Baldassare Forestiere, was hiking over the hills for the last time. At dawn, his ship would sail for America. Baldassare was considering turning back, when he heard a song … Continue reading
Modern American Folktales 