Burton Sage

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2024

Stories (17)

17 Stories

288 karma pts

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“Someone Special” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #280

Someone SpecialbyBurt Sage Hello. You’ve reached Living Dolls, Inc. My name is Brad. May I have your name, please? You need my name? No, I don’t need it. It’s just that I’m much more comfortable speaking with someone who’s name I know rather than some anonymous customer. OK, Brad. My name is Alice. Thank you, Alice. How may I help you? I’d like to order a doll. Have you been to our website? Do you have a particular doll in mind? Yes. I’m interested in one of your custom dolls. It’s to be a gift for a friend. I see. As you probably...

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“Priority Number One” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #278

Priority Number OnebyBurt Sage Two brothers grew up together in a tight, strong family with deeply ingrained work ethics. James and Richard were separated in age by two years, with James as the older. Their gender was about the only thing that they had in common. They disagreed about almost everything. And they were extremely jealous of each other. Their poor mother couldn’t even cut pieces of cake without one complaining that the other’s piece was bigger. Both boys excelled in school, but in different areas. James was the more intellectual...

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“Fairy Godmothers” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #277

Fairy GodmothersbyBurt Sage “You’re a fairy godmother, aren’t you?” Ray asks. “How could you tell?” Ruby asks sarcastically. “Well, the dress and the magic wand kind of gave you away,” Ray replies. Looking Ray up and down, Ruby says, “You’re not a sorcerer. This is a sorcerer’s convention. How come they let you in?” “I really don’t know how I got here,” Ray replies. “I just suddenly found myself here. Kind of like the orchestral music you hear on TV as a detective investigates a dark alley looking for a perp. That music is just there. I’m j...

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“The Choice” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #276

The ChoicebyBurt Sage I want you to give me a very short oral biographical sketch of who you are,” Edith said to William. “How do you describe yourself?” Edith, a marriage counselor with three decades of experience, was meeting with William Randolph Pierce III and his wife, Susan, in her meeting room. Susan had requested the session, and William had reluctantly agreed. “My name is William Randolph Pierce, III, and I am a tenured Professor of Physics at Dartmouth University,” William began. “I am one of the youngest tenured professors at Dar...

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“Employee of the Year” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #273

Employee of the YearbyBurt Sage It’s the first of November, and the company is planning their annual fiscal year-end party. The team planning the party comprises Founder Ed Haskell, his son Tom, General Manager, Amy Hoskins, Tom’s administrative assistant, Phil Haskell, Tom’s son and Service Manager, and Ernie Spencer, salesman. It’s Amy’s responsibility to handle all of the details for the party, and she is told that she has pretty much carte blanche this year in terms of budget. “Go first class,” Founder Ed says. “Our employees have earn...

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“Nightmare” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #272

NightmarebyBurt Sage I awoke with a start. No, there wasn’t a bump in the night or other sharp sound that woke me. In fact, it was eerily quiet. I looked at the clock on my night stand. 3:08 am. I looked around, trying to determine why I would wake up so suddenly. But all was in order. My cat was purring on my bed beside me, pleased that I was suddenly awake. Through my window a crescent moon shone brightly in a cloudless sky. Except for a trio of dim stars keeping the moon company, the sky was empty. I closed my eyes and started to lay ba...

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“The Advocates” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #271

Thr AdvocatesbyBurt Sage I had just landed at Dulles and picked up my luggage. On my way to get a rental car, I passed the inevitable gaggle of limo drivers waiting for their riders. Each driver held up a sign with the name of the rider they were waiting for. One of the signs read ‘Derrick Bronson’. A neuron fired somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind. “I wonder if that’s the Derrick Bronson I used to know?” So I stood beside the limo driver and waited. I recognized him immediately. He’s 50 years older now, a little over 70 like me, bu...

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“The Missing Link” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #270

The Missing LinkbyBurt Sage It was June, 1963. Jobs were scarce. I had just graduated with my Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from NYU and was looking for my first job. My degree in Electrical Engineering was kind of misleading. If I had had more room on my resume, I would have described the revolutionary changes that were occurring in my field. It was no longer about motors and generators and transformers and long distance energy transmission. Now it was all about solid state physics, signal processing, both optical and electr...

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“I'll Never Do That Again” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #269

I’ll Never Do That AgainbyBurt Sage “You want my most embarrassing moment?” I ask. “Yeah,” Fred says. “I thought it would be a good way to get us going tonight.” Our next door neighbors, Fred and Susan, are over for our regular Saturday night get together. Every other Saturday night they come over here; on alternating nights Karen and I go over to their place. We have dinner and then talk about the old days, current events, etc., but never politics. The visiting couple gets to choose the initial topic of conversation, and for tonight Fred a...

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“Play by the Rules” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #268

Play by the RulesbyBurt Sage “My Doctor says I’d be a fool to try,” Grandpa says. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to find someone to fill in for me.” That’s my Grandpa, Ed Haskell, founder of Ed Haskell Cadillac. He sprained his ankle three weeks ago and, at 85 years of age, the healing has been slow. The thing he would be a fool to try is playing in the Annual Chamber of Commerce four man best ball charity golf tournament scheduled in three weeks. In a four man best ball format each of the four golfers plays their own ball on each hole, b...

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“The Natural” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #267

The NaturalbyBurt Sage “Phil Haskell to Reception, Phil Haskell to Reception,” the loudspeaker blares. That’s me. I’m service manager here at Ed Haskell Cadillac. “Not again,” I think. It’s been like this all morning. I was hoping for a break this year. It’s Tuesday, the morning after our annual Labor Day sale. It’s the biggest sales event of the year for us. Customers wait all year to get their new Cadillac at clearance prices. The new models will be arriving in a few weeks and we need to reduce our inventory. I don’t blame them, though....

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“Grandpa's Dream Vacation” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #266

Grandpa’s Dream VacationbyBurt Sage It’s a bright and warm (for February) afternoon and the Haskell foursome of Dad, my golf professional brother Tim, my ten year old son Jim, and I have finished a rare round of golf together at the Eagle Valley Country Club. Tim has missed a tournament cut down south and come home. He wouldn’t miss the opportunity of a family round—Haskell’s just didn’t do that. Grandpa’s here, too, in his custom golf cart. But he doesn’t play anymore; he rides along and applauds as we play. “When you can’t hit your driv...

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“From Russia with Love” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #265

From Russia with LovebyBurt Sage “You’re going where?” Dave asks, astonished. “Minsk, the capital of Belarus,” I reply. “Never heard of it,” Dave says. “What in the world would take you there?” “Work,” I say. “You know, the skin patch for kid’s injections.” “Oh,” Dave says. “Yeah. I know the situation.” It’s the summer of 1993. Dave and I are sitting in the company cafeteria having our usual sandwich and Coke. Earlier I had finished a meeting with our research director about strategy to invalidate a patent that was preventing us from going ...

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“Maybe Later” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #264

Maybe LaterbyBurt Sage As usual, I am sitting on my favorite bench overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Carlsbad. It’s a little after 9 am; the surfers have already packed up and gone, but the tourists haven’t arrived yet. Bill will be joining me soon as he always does these mornings—we both have been retired for about 20 years and we love talking about the good old days and spinning yarns. He was a fire fighter, I was a medical device research guy; we enjoy sharing the things that happened on the job. Speaking of Bill, here he is now. “Hi, ...

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“Six Feet, Uphill” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #263

Six Feet, Uphill by Burt Sage I’m standing on the 18th tee of the Eagle Hill Country Club. It’s the final round of our golf championship. It’s match play, and it’s down to two guys—me and Stan. We’re all even; whoever wins the next hole wins the championship. We shouldn’t be here. It shouldn’t be me and Stan. It should be Tim and Frank. Stan and I are also-rans, like the horses in a horse race that don’t win, place, or show. But here we are. As usual for these matches, a small group of spectators follow us around the course. There’s my fam...

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Author bio

84 year old Biomedical entrepreneur with over 50 patents. 60 years in the private sector. Published in peer review scientific and patent literature.