Dan Taylor

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2020

Stories (8)

8 Stories

173 karma pts

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“How I Met Your Grandmother” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #186

“Dad, how did grandpa meet grandma?” “I imagine it kinda wentlike this.” *** “Hey! Are youse ok?” “No thanks to you!” “I’m sorry! It’salmost dark and with this snow still coming down I couldn’t see youse walkingthere.” “Pearl! Help get usout!” “We’re coming, Ruth!” “Miss, don’t struggleso much. Gimme a chance. You’re making it worse. Let me help ya. Youse must befreezing.” “Okay! Don’t pull myarm outta socket. Who do youse think you are, President Harding, hisself?” “No ma’am. My name isChauncey. I just work for the county. I w...

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“Chump Change” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #185

Wednesday morning, Kevin and Kent were slow as usual getting ready for the bus. I couldn’t get them to turn off the ‘Mr. Bill Show.” Kent was reading the school closings, shouting really loud, “Buncombe County, Henderson County, Transylvania Counties.” Then he’d shout, “Where are those?” How the heck do I know? We just moved here. I’d shout, “I think Western North Carolina,” like I did last time it was a little cold out. All I knew was their school wasn’t canceled or delayed. I finally got them to turn off the TV, and then Kevin says he ...

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“His and Her Buttons” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #184

The students at Bay Middle School were giddy. It was the last class on Friday. Kevin shared a lab bench with his best friend Aadesh, who sat directly behind Haley Bennett. Kevin’s seventh-grade class was paying attention to their Science Teacher Mrs. Greenlee. She was old but interesting, and in her distinguished career had won teacher-of-the-year more than a few times. But Kevin was paying more attention to Haley who was unfortunately in his line of sight to Mrs. Greenlee. Haley was the most beautiful girl Kevin could ever imagine meeting....

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“The Cursed Hitchhiker” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #183

“I’m fine.”“You don’t look fine.”She looked like she should have been walking on the Malibu boardwalk; cut-off shorts, sandals, white tank top.“No,” she paused, and then, with her voice quivering, added, “I’m fine.”“My name’s Carl.” He removed his hat with one hand and with the other wiped the dust and sweat off his weathered face with a red bandana. “Probably not another car in fifty miles,” he said looking down the road.She dropped to her knees and face, sobbing. Her dirty blond hair came over her head revealing the pale skin on her neckli...

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“Modes of Transportation” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #74

It was almost midnight, and Kevin was doing about sixty in his dad’s MG. He was in the right lane on Highway 76, a four-lane from Clemson to Anderson, South Carolina. There was a three-foot-wide asphalt median full of gravel and broken glass. The road was curving to the left as he passed Tony Patterson’s house. Their floodlight helped him see their yellow translucent glass ball on the pedestal in their front yard. People thought gazing balls kept birds away from your garden, but Kevin thought they looked tacky. They belonged in trailer parks...

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“Alexei's Pet” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #73

“Sure, Cathy, I’ll keep it while you’re gone,” Kevin said without thinking. “Thanks, he’s easy. I’ll bring him by this weekend.” What was he thinking? He had never had a bird before, much less a parrot. He had seen macaws performing in shows. Cathy said hers was a conure, which is much smaller. She said some conures could talk, but hers didn't. There was so much that Kevin had not even considered before deciding to keep a bird. First, Harborside Village Apartments in Joppa, Maryland, must have a pet policy. He was pretty sure ...

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“The Historic House” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #71

In the Mississippi Gulf Coast town of Bay St. Louis, Mardi Gras was a much bigger social time than Christmas; balls for the adults, and King Cake Parties for the kids, and parades for everyone.Elizabeth (Beth) Wilkinson was finishing the invitations to her Christmas Cookie Exchange. This was the first time she had tried to host a social event since moving here just over two years ago.Beth’s friend Helene Jourdan had been after her to be more involved in the community, but she was so busy raising two teenagers that she just didn’t have time t...

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“The Girl Next Door” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #70

Sixth-grader Kevin Barker was sound asleep in his small bedroom off the kitchen. The house on the Mississippi Gulf Coast town of Bay St. Louis was built about 1850.Kevin’s room was cold and he was not anxious to get out from his electric blanket, which was the only source of heat in his room. He lay listening to his father talking, no, arguing with someone inside their house. Having heard his name, he sat up and slid into his slippers. On his way to the living room, he saw the green stove clock read 2:04. As he entered the living room, ...

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Author bio

Former Army Officer and retired Nuclear/Chemical Engineer. I stay busy with substitute teaching math and science, teaching swimming at the YMCA, running, and maintenance projects. Active with Life Church in Cookeville, TN, maintenance team, and prison ministry. I am enjoying learning more about writing, editing, and hopefully, publishing.