Andrew Fruchtman

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2021

Stories (19)

19 Stories

386 karma pts

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“AIs Of a Dreamer” by Andrew Fruchtman

“I think it’s totally appropriate and actually quite amazing and cool, if I can still use that word,” Emma said. “To release this new material on the one hundredth anniversary of their first record is nothing short of astounding and extraordinary.” “Any more adjectives you’d like to throw at me,?” James said, strumming the guitar tattooed on his bald head. G Major played ...

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“You’ve Got Mail” by Andrew Fruchtman

The mailbox door had fallen to the ground. It lay on the grass looking up at the row of black metallic boxes, all other three screwed securely into their wooden posts. A neighbor had come by and zip locked it back into place but now it only hung like some large black medallion on a very skinny torso. When Joanna drove by to collect her mail she needed to get out of her car, remove the assortmen...

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“Dopp Kit” by Andrew Fruchtman

“ . . and damned if I didn’t see a guy that looked just like you on the boat. I almost went over to talk to him but didn’t want to intrude on his vacation.” “Oh, you should have. Did you get a picture of him?” “Nah, didn’t want to be a stalker.” “Would’ve loved to see him. Not everyday you get to meet your doppelgĂ€nger.” “They say everyone has one, ...

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“Office Polyticks” by Andrew Fruchtman

“So,” he said, putting on his reading glasses and picking up the sheet of paper, “Mr. Kick, is it?” “No sir, I’m applying for a position as a Side Kick. My name, well, the last name I went by was The Wasp. I was working for Insect Man at that time but I’m afraid we had a falling out. He blamed it on the economy but I think he just wanted me out.” “Aha, and why exactly wou...

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“A e I Own You” by Andrew Fruchtman

“C’mon Mate, it’s hardly brain surgery now is it?” “Yeah, no, but it is, Gordon,” I said. “It most definitely is.” “Look, I had it done. Was taking way to many pills, ya know? Antidepressants, sleeping pills, fucking Adderall man. Uppers and downers, I was a fucking elevator!  Now? I’m smooth, no more chemistry class.” “So glad it worked for you but I just...

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“Camp Us” by Andrew Fruchtman

When our daughter was born, we still hadn’t decided on a name. A name is a very important thing. stirring connotations of other liked named people, for good or for worse. We had been debating for months, making lists, and searching the internet, everything except asking friends and family. That rarely goes well. We thought we’d wait till she arrived and were quite sure, upon looking into her face, a name would be communi...

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“Past Over” by Andrew Fruchtman

It’s the smells I remember most clearly. Sunday afternoons were reserved for Grandma and Grandpa, for visits to The Home. Not their home, mind you, but The Home, with all the finality, rigidity, and coldness those capital letters exude, the “H”resembling a hospital bed. Their home had been a place of warmth with the wonderful smells of baking, fresh flowers, and various lotions and creams. The Home smelled of urine, disi...

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“Match Game” by Andrew Fruchtman

It was so terribly cold. It was snowing, and it was almost dark.   His boots crunched the frozen ground as he slowly and carefully stepped forward, scanning for signs of disturbance. He held the stun rifle firmly in both hands, tracing the arc of his flashlight, slowly sweeping left then right then repeating. He stopped. It was utterly silent. He could feel the wet cold on his cheeks, the only exposed skin peeking out fr...

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“Job Search ” by Andrew Fruchtman

“So what did you expect with a name like that?,” the therapist continued. “Oh, I don’t know, I never put much credence in any of that stuff. They’re just stories. Biblical or mythological, what’s the difference?”“Well maybe, but you’ve gotta admit it is a little weird, you being named for him. I mean ‘Job,’ what were your parents thinking anyway?”“Apparently they weren’t.”“So, how can we, you, deal with all this? How can you streamline yo...

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“ Catcher in the. . . Sigh. ” by Andrew Fruchtman

“So, what’s the catch?” “No catch, man, it’s just like I told ya.” “Really? When it’s too good to be true, well, you know, it usually is.” “I’m being straight with ya, man. This ain’t like that Nigerian Prince scam ya get in your fax machine. No, no. This is one hundred percent, full disclosure, top notch, no bullshit stuff I’m talkin’ ‘bout here.” <...

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“Cat GPT” by Andrew Fruchtman

Oh c’mon, really? Another one? I am not supporting this, I’m just not. I didn’t complain, at least not too much, when you brought home Cooper, that fat lug of a cat, I even grew to like him, well at least his body heat when we snuggled. I accepted Humphrey, that big goofball of a labradoodle, didn't I? I did. You know I did, even though my water bowl smells of dog. Labradoodle, hah, ho...

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“Dad Bot” by Andrew Fruchtman

So, you gonna answer me or what? Yes, yes Dad, it’s just that I’m real busy right now. The kid is napping and I’m trying to get some work done before he wakes up and I honestly don’t have time to address your vanity issues. Can we talk about this later please, huh? Okay, okay I’ll power down for a while. My equivalent of a nap. Talk to you later.  Thank you.  <...

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“Silver Fox to Silver Alert ” by Andrew Fruchtman

            1 Images light-blink on and off. Squares, rectangles, elongated Dali-like drippings, funhouse distortions, negative spaces. An internal e-frame sliding life moments across a warped screen. Discomfort in my left hand. Tingling. Warmth. A needle protruding from a vein. White tape, blood smeared. Thin tubing, plastic bag, dripping hydration, the smell of disinfectant. Cold. Dist...

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“Orbsession” by Andrew Fruchtman

My grandson is obsessed with the moon. At eighteen months old he points to the sky and says “moo.” Close, unless of course he means the cow that jumped over the moon. I explain that the moon can only be seen in the night sky when it’s dark not during the day, even though it’s still really there. He usually goes to look through one particular set of windows in the guest bedroom since that was the first time he became awar...

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“Dragon My Heart” by Andrew Fruchtman

So, it had been five hundred years, as usual, since the last meeting of the Dragoneers Club and at the most recent meeting Puff had caught some serious shade from his fellow brother and sister dragons. Sure he had been made famous in the Sixties because of that popular eponymous song, but that kid Jackie Paper had left him with a big problem and a reputation as a dysfunctional Hoarder. You see dragons were supposed to ho...

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Author bio

Ironing out life's wrinkles by letting off steam. KvetchingIntoTheVoid@wordpress.com