Like most social media trends kangarooing seemed to come from nowhere. Suddenly videos of people doing it were unavoidable. Facebook was clogged with photos of children and adults participating in the trend. Ubiquitous news coverage warned of kangarooing dangers with examples of how it had gone wrong. “A forty-five year old man in Tulsa while … Read moreThe Opposite of Enlightenment
The porridge in the kettle bubbled like a weak fart and smelled nearly as bad. Everard poked at it with a stick, hungry but not hungry enough to scoop out a portion of the glop that endlessly cooked over the hearth. All day every day bits of food and water were added to the bottomless … Read moreStone Soup
Snobs with jobs, cluttering up the sidewalk with their little lives, chasing state-sponsored dreams that dead-end nowhere. Went to college for what? To stare at a computer and collect a paycheck? Trained monkeys could do it better and they work for peanuts. Hah. Peanuts. Pretty funny. Or use that degree to wait tables or sell … Read moreFamily Values
Pat was fingering his iPhone as he walked back to work from lunch, involved in a Twitter feud about the films of Wes Anderson. His face was squinted into a fuming pinch. He didn’t notice Charlie on the way in through the glass roundabout. Pat impatiently bumped against the glass, trying to hurry through. “Hey … Read moreRelaxation Sphere
Tony hated afternoons. All the promise of the morning had been spent and all the good TV was hours away. Something about watching TV while the sun was shining made him feel depressed. As if he should be out there, where the achievers were, finishing up whatever it is they had been doing all day–skiing, … Read moreChaos Theory
Robbie and Dane watched the kids playing soccer with a careful eye. It was fine balance between being a fan and a creep, and they wanted to stay on the good side of the equation so they could track all the games each weekend. Dane and Robbie ran a food truck and paid top dollar … Read moreDoing Well by Doing Good
Denson couldn’t put on weight. He was tall and wiry but his pie plate-sized belt buckle weighed nearly as much as he did. “My brother told me I got worms Doc,” he complained. “Maybe from the elk jerky I made last fall. It sorta tasted funny.” “How long have you been skinny?” the doctor asked. … Read moreThe Alternate Path
Kevin liked to dress sharp. He spent his limited funds on fine, handsomely tailored suits, silk ties, pocket swatches, and only the finest shoes, belts and undergarments. Still in high school he found most of his clothes at thrift stores, able to scour the racks for quality and occasional hand-made finery. He developed a skill … Read moreCivilized Living
The rocket shuddered as it inched off the launchpad. A spray of liquid fire melted the concrete, splattering molten rock in all directions. “You overloaded it with all your crap,” Dale complained from his seat pointed at the sky. “My crap? You’re the one who had to bring your motorcycle. You’re going all the way … Read moreGolfing on the Moon
The obstetrician told Gladys that her baby was too large. “Based on the scans, it’s twice the normal size. This could lead to some complications,” the doctor warned. “Like what?” a nervous Gladys asked. “The baby could be diabetic, morbidly obese, or grow so rapidly that he’ll be as tall as a man by the … Read moreStuck on You