Francis Daisy

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2021

Stories (28)

28 Stories

966 karma pts

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“96%” by Francis Daisy

Driving down the highway, she passes an eighteen wheeler. It has a large yellow sign plastered to the back side: Come join our team! Customers report that they are 96% satisfied with us!“Did you just read that sign?” She asks her daughter. “They think 96% is something to brag about? They are OKAY with 96%? I don’t think I would want to work for a company where the customers aren’t 100% satisfied.”“Mom, you’re joking, right?” her daughter turns the radio back up to ear deafening, thus end...

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“You Must Be So Proud” by Francis Daisy

“You must be so proud of your husband!” my father in law wrapped me into a warm embrace. We were standing on the driveway in front of our house. The shade from the tall oak tree covering the hot summer sun, but I could still feel the heat coming from the black tar driveway. The in-laws were in town for a quick overnight visit. My father in law was referring to the fact that my husband was so active in his professional life and in the National Guard. He himself was a retired military man and was a true patriot. He felt everyone should serv...

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“Incredible” by Francis Daisy

Her:What were they thinking when they said they would host both families for Thanksgiving? Whose idea was this anyway? Didn't she say that both sets of parents could come? That was it, she is sure she said this one night over a glass of Chardonnay, or two, that wouldn't it be lovely if their moms and dads could come and spend the holiday at their house for a change. This way they wouldn't have to travel the four hours east or west to either one of their parents' homes. This way they wouldn't be forced to choose one parent over the ...

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“Hawaii and Rolling Stones” by Francis Daisy

“Excuse me, dear. I didn’t mean to be eavesdropping,” the grey haired lady interrupted.The diner was more crowded than usual this Saturday morning. Every booth and table was filled with families with young children or groups of teenagers or old senior citizen couples. Breanna and Alivia had been forced to sit at the counter. The two friends had been meeting for breakfast once a week since junior high school. College and work sometimes made the meals short and sweet, but they made time for one another....

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“Sevens” by Francis Daisy

I once read that a body goes through a major transformation every seven years. If you think about it, it's kind of true. At seven, we are wrapped up in dreams of birthday parties, Santa, sleepovers, lollipops, bike rides, candy bars, and mom can fix everything with a kiss and a hug. At fourteen, our worlds revolve around friends and weekend plans. We need our parents for rides to...

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“Give me liberty!” by Francis Daisy

My right hand raised in a tight fist, I shouted, “Give me liberty or give me death!”The sun was still shining. The sky was still blue. The birds were still singing their sweet songs. My dad’s lip quivered as he tried not to smile. But my mom’s hands were on her hips. “Young lady, you get inside and sweep! Right now!”“...unless…” my dad started, “You can tell us who originally said that quote.”I knew this. My fourth grade teacher had just exp...

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“Disjointed” by Francis Daisy

The room smelled like moth balls and lavender and it was not a good combination. Maria thought she might use the tiny waste basket in the corner as a puke bucket if the bull shit got much deeper. The room, if you could call the closet sized space one, felt claustrophobic with dark tapestries draped on the walls. Behind the woman speaking was a kaleidoscope of purples, blues, indigoes, and reds. The candle in the center o...

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“Rainy days and Mondays” by Francis Daisy

He was a small tight ball of flesh in the foyer. About the size of one of those beach balls that are tossed around concerts or sporting events. He wrapped his arms around his legs and tucked his head in between his knees and made himself as tiny and as invisible as he could. He tried to just disappear. When Mrs. Marva walked into the office the tension was high. “We have to get him on the bus,” from the secretary.“I don’t know how we’re going to get him on that bus,” said the aide.

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“Plenty of ” by Francis Daisy

Plenty of Thyme“I don’t know Dad, there’s plenty of time left on the clock. The Bills can still kick a field goal to win the game,” Michelle said to the gray haired man sitting in the worn green recliner. She was standing in the doorway holding a fistful of black plastic garbage bags. Her dad smirked but his eyes never left the screen, “One of these days, kid, one of these days. You’ll see. Our Buffalo Bills will win a Super Bowl. Just probably not this season.”“You say that every...

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“It's no day for a snow day” by Francis Daisy

Ice cold wind turned her cheeks bright red between parking her car in the lot and the front door of her office building. Snow drifts were knee deep in some places, forcing her to lift her feet a touch higher than she would have liked on the slippery pavement. But it was either that, or deal with soggy socks for the rest of the morning. This felt like a never-ending winter. The snow started early this year, a white Thanksgiving and Christmas. And now it looked like they would be having a white Easter too. Summer couldn't come fas...

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“Keeper of the Memories” by Francis Daisy

I forgot how to write the number six today. I was in a meeting with my boss and I couldn’t write the number six. Ironically, there were six people seated at the conference table in the air conditioned room. My chair swiveled on the carpeted floor as I tried to concentrate on moving my pen on sheet of paper in front of me. I knew I should be making eye contact with the person seated at the head of the table, but if only I could get this written down first. I needed to just make the lines or curves or squigg...

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“She missed the boat” by Francis Daisy

“It’ll be easy, ‘e says. I'll go ahead to set oehp ooehr 'ahme, den you can meet me dere,” Thomas is holding on to his bride's hands. They are setting at a plain wooden table with ladderback chairs drawn up around it. They are alone in the room, for once the parents and multiple siblings have made themselves scarce. A log in the hearth snaps loudly while the black pot over the fire simmers gently. Shadows dance on the log walls from the lantern on the table, the stone flag floor was swept clean. Mary had recently swe...

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“Walter” by Francis Daisy

“He pissed in his cup!” Emma says to me as she is tying off the kayak on the trailer. “I just got that line! It’s not Piston Cup! When Mater and Lightning McQueen discover all of Doc Hudson’s championship trophies, Mater says that Doc did “What in his cup?”"Pass me that rope. We need to tie the kayaks to the rack. Not to each other like we did the last time...when they fell off on our first turn," I am on the other side of the trailer tying knots. Already the sun is high in the sky and my shirt is soaked with ...

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“Homemade” by Francis Daisy

 Chlorine hangs heavy in the humid evening air. Bare footed children yell “red light! green light!” in an age-old game of you can’t get to the other side before someone yells “red light!” again at the other person. Moms chase children with towels trying to herd them towards cars. Grandmas helpfully shout out, “I’ll order the pizza!” It is another closing day at the city pool and the families are being sent out into the parking lot. The life guards can be glimpsed through the doors as they sweep, mop, emp...

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“Therapy” by Francis Daisy

Warning: language! I can edit out if needed!“Can you get me a peach pill? And you might as well get me the white one too. Grab the nitro paste while you’re in there, I’m gonna need it,” Callum says, “Don’t know what this therapy is supposed to be about anyway.” He can already feel his blood pressure rising. Maybe he should also take an extra orange pill too, just in case? Why not, he’s already taken a whole rainbow this morning.Blythe walks back into the kitchen with the pills, nitro paste and patc...

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Author bio

“If people are upset because you’ve forgotten something, console them by letting them know you didn’t forget—you just weren’t remembering.” —Winnie the Pooh Trying every day, in every way, to remember to be happy again.