Careful How You Answer
Three Line Conversations
“Does this gray paint make me look fat?”
“Um. Not at all. You know what they say, the water adds 20 square feet.”
“Nice recovery.”
From The Archive
Time For Me To Fly
I stand on the edge of the roof. Ten floors down to the street.
Across the street on the eighth floor, I see old man Perkins sitting in his easy chair, sipping scotch and reading The New York Times. That’s his evening routine. His life is all about routine.
Two floors down, three windows to the left, Mrs. Walters is preparing dinner. More than likely one of her fabulous pasta dishes. Her kids don’t know how good they have it. Finding food on the streets is not easy.
One floor down and two windows to the right, Sarah is pounding away at her laptop. She is writing the next great American novel. She eats while she types. Dedication or obsession? Who knows?
Two windows to the right sits Lenny. He is playing video games. He looks longingly at Sarah on those warm nights when she sits on her fire escape. I don’t understand why he doesn’t talk to her. She must be lonely, too, spending all that time alone with her laptop. A city full of people can be a heartbreaking, lonely place.
One more floor down and four windows to the left is my favorite, Rachel. She always puts a plate with the leftover pieces of bread from her sandwiches on the fire escape for me.
There she is. Sweet Rachel. It looks like wheat bread this time. She’s back inside.
Time for me to fly.
[July 25, 2018. New York City. The Thoughts of Greencollar the Pigeon.]
This story originally appeared in Monday Morning Mark Issue 21 on January 18, 2021.
Happy Monday. Thanks for reading and responding. You make it fun.
Mark
I have to say, the gray paint does make him look fat, water or no water. Maybe he should add some vertical stripes.
The opening line of Time For Me To Fly was inspired. Set us up beautifully. A clever little story.
I'm glad you recycled Greencollar the Pigeon. That's a good one. I remembered it from before, so the twist didn't take me by surprise, but Greencollar's observations are still sweet. 💚