microstories

The last few weeks I've written several microstories and I've emailed them to Hugo. I'll just put the best of the best here.

1. microstory: the bus.
I was on the bus this afternoon. A woman sat in front of me. She was along the side of the bus, and I faced the front. She sat very still. Her eyes half-mast. Large, thick blue sweater - it seemed too much for today, 65 and partly cloudy, scattered storms. After awhile, she said, "Excuse me, driver." Not a question, a statement. He said yeah. She said, "Where's Burger King?" He paused. Most people ride the bus with a destination, but her question seemed to insinuate that she did not. She wasn't unkempt (read: homeless), so it was a surprise to think she might be riding the bus aimlessly. After a few moments, the bus driver said there's one on west 7th and did she mean that one? She said, "That'll do. You let me know when."

A few moments went by. Nothing changed. She stared into nothing, it seemed. Where my focus was drawn, she did not dart her eyes. I think she was looking beyond where I was looking.

She said, "What about a place called Poppy's." The bus driver said he'd heard of it. She said, "take me there." He told her the 65 would take her there, that he couldn't. She said, "ok, Burger King."

When we got to Arcade and Maryland, he stopped and said there's a Burger King over there. She said, "no thank you."

I got off.

2. microstory: the yard sale
Once a year our neighborhood has a yard sale. Today's the day.

I just walked around some. The yard sale is sparse and a little sad compared to last year. I wonder if other people like it. The American families have tons of crap. The Asian families have a few things out. One Asian family was selling bottles of shampoo, laundry detergent, body wash, etc. I wonder where they got it.

Right before I walked out of the house an old Asian man had just purchased a cowboy hat. he was fitting it to his head and smiling.

3. microstory: spring
Within 3 seconds I saw:

A buff, grown man crouched on the ground making all sorts of squeaking, cooing, schnazmuffleing noises at a puppy. The puppy started jumping. The puppy started bearing its teeth from sheer, intense excitement. The puppy spun in circles. The man squeaked on. The puppy jumped on his face.

A woman suddenly pulled her green convertible over onto the shoulder of the street. She pushed a button. Down went the soft top! Zheeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Now she had air in her hair. She ran her fingers through her curls and pulled away from the curb, coasting down the hill at 25 mph.

It's spring in Minnesota.

4. the white squirrels
I went for a run.

A white squirrel ran so close to me I thought I was going to step on it. I haven't seen a white squirrel for a year. Last year when I saw one, it was the first I'd ever seen and I'm sure I blogged about it. I totally freaked my shit.

5 MINUTES LATER I was running still and I saw a 2nd white squirrel! I freaked my shit again.