Andrew Grell

“SHOSHANNA KAPLAN, GIRL DETECTIVE” by Andrew Grell

[NOTE -- NOT SURE IF THIS WAS SUBMITTED PROPELY THE FIRST TIME]Shoshanna Kaplan, Girl Detective                By Andrew Paul GrellSK detective entry, October 27, 1967“Who died? I haven’t seen this many cars in the driveway and on our street since Zedah went to Gan Eden. I still hope he had an easy time getting out of the dirt and into Paradise. But then the house was filled with trays and dishes and pots and my parents were sitting on boxes.&nbsp...

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“To Suffer For One's Art” by Andrew Grell

🏆 Winner of Contest #10

“Buy a girl a drink, Picasso?” Lucille was two-stepping on the line between being annoying and being flirtatious. Neither was effective. “I’m working.” John Jaspers was desperately attempting to maintain focus on the new style. “You know, Dali, if a man loved a woman, you’d think he’d fix her a drink, wouldn’t you?” “My hands are covered in cadmium red. There’s a bottle of Jameson’s on the breakfront between the bicycle helmet and the bobble-head dog. Glasses are in the kitchen, there’s a bottle of seltzer in the ice...

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“TWINS” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #9

TWINSBy Andrew Paul Grell“Amah, why are there holes in the world?”“Whatever do you mean, BaoBao?”“We walk on the world but then there are holes in it, some go down, some sideways, holes.”“You mean like the yaodong cave we live in? Those are holes so we can have a place to live in peace. Would you rather live in a city, in a box, with everyone knowing what you say and do, and then they try to correct you if you do or say the wrong things? That’s why there are holes in the world, Bendan. Don’t you like our television, our b...

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“CORSAIR” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #8

CORSAIR By Andrew Paul Grell “A letter of which, Thad?” Cletus Oglethorpe fancied himself considerably more informed about the peculiarities of Congress than the typical member. He looked around his office at the paintings of peaches and peach trees on the walls, which he always did when thinking, but he came up blank on his friend’s request. “Marque. A letter of Marque and Reprisal.” Thaddeus Matolek and Cletus had been friends since high school; Clete clawing his way out of a shotgun shack and kissing the Jim Crow shar...

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“RUNT” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #7

RUNTBy Andrew Paul GrellNobody knew what to do with me, except to keep me from getting underfoot. I was too young to shear, but I was pretty handy with a currycomb. Someone might hand me some canvas, a handful of grommets, and a hammer just to see if I could make or repair tents; a very useful skill for desert nomads. What I really wanted was to sail ships. Once on a journey from here to there I saw Lake Lashon and the boats on the calm surface, men pulling in nets of fish. I wanted to be the Captain, not the net peo...

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“THE OCCLUDED ROAD TO LIMITED DEVOTION” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #6

THE OCCLUDED ROAD TO LIMITED DEVOTIONBy Andrew Paul Grell“Ahoy, Horatius!”“Hail, Julian! What news of the quest, old friend?”“Marcus has told me he has found the Thing of Things. He will be at Resonator One in Brand New York at Vespers.”“Brand New York. My thrice-great grandfather told me Brand New York was not a bubo on the fundament of New York, but New York was not much compared to Old York. Meet you at the K-Hop. Do we know why Marcus couldn’t show you on the Rho what he had in mind?”“I asked him that very questi...

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“KADDISH FOR THE TROGLODYTES” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #5

KADDISH FOR THE TROGLODYTESBy Andrew Paul Grell“You must take the ‘A’ Train.” Sophia, as usual, made the practical suggestion. The group was occupying their customary real estate near the west end of Stiffy’s polished oak bar, enjoying the freedom of 1970s Upper West Side New York. Jacob prepared for other people trying to help him by punching in the code for a DUI—a Drinking Under the Influence; a very dry martini, eight parts gin and one part vermouth. Stiffy’s cousin poured the ingredients, gave it a ride on the paint-...

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“A GENERATION FOUND ITS SPACE” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #4

A GENERATION FOUND ITS SPACEPrompt: My GenerationBy Andrew Paul Grell“You’re just not getting it. We can do anything because we’re all different, but we’re all connected. Like the Borg.” Betty Bliss looked at her interlocutor, trying to see if her reference lit up any neurons. She played it safe, waiting for a response.“The Borg?”“From Star Trek, The Next Generation. Now that was a generation. When Captain Kirk hosted a performance of Hamlet on the Enterprise, he wound up killing the lead. But Captain ...

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“A MOMENT OF PERFECT CONTEMPLATION” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #3

A MOMENT OF PERFECT CONTEMPLATION  By Andrew Paul Grell    “It was a dark and stormy night?”  “I think Snoopy owns that by now. Try again.”  “It was the Jest of Times, it was the Wurst of Times: Mustard, Kraut, and Schtick?”  “You’re not even making an attempt. Parody titles are beneath contempt in such a competition. You have to be part of this. I can’t just snap-snap-snap and make you a prize-winning author. I mean, I can, but that wouldn’t do anyone any good at all, at all. ...

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“PHALANGIST” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #2

PHALANGISTBy Andrew Paul GrellPrompt: Someone experiences discrimination "That’s 16. Three in a row, 17, 18, 19, 20. George. Twenty! Someone took the trouble to paint the letter Phi twenty times between here and 22nd Street. And then put a red no-no slash through each one. Twenty, George.” “Helen, please. It lets people vent a little steam. And you’re a fine one to talk. You tagged your way through high school. HELL-N was famous, you were one borough short of going All-City before you le...

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“HU WANG” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #1

HU WANGBy Andrew Paul GrellPrompt: Perfect Birthday Gift“Kyle’s turning 50 this year. I have no idea what to get him,” Pat failed to get across a tone of lamentation.“Why do you have to get him anything? He’s got everything he needs and could get anything he wants. He’s got a trust fund! Wanna get him something? Get him a pad and pencil to take inventory. Jesus.” Brenda ran into Pat at The Goblin’s Head, a bar popular with science fiction nerds and graduates of Dewey High. “Old people like reminders of...

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