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Joe Swanson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2020

Stories (284)

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260 Followers

1 Following

284 Stories

4019 karma pts

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It Could Have Been Worse

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #294

It Could Have Been Worse “It could have been worse.” “How? I just don’t see it.” They’d go on like that for hours if sleep didn’t make them quit competing with one another and communicate like normal people, if there are such ...

3 likes

I lost my mind

Joe Swanson

I Lost My Mind “Why are you crying?” “I don’t see why that is any of your business.” “I don’t want to intrude, ...

0 likes

Time and Circumstance

Joe Swanson

Time and Circumstance “How long are we supposed to wait?” He anxiously whispers over my shoulder. “We’ve only been here for twenty minutes,” I whisper my response without turning to see to whom I’m speaking. “You k...

0 likes

My Girl in Blue

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #292

My Girl in Blue We bought a house not long ago. It is old and in need of care. Care costs money which we don’t have, so I have been put in charge of doing more with less, unless some unknown person bequeaths a generous contribution to my befriend me site. I have some experience with the basic needs of a hous...

5 likes

Lunch Box Incident

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #290

The Lunch Box Incident Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to; such was the case with Jane. Walking home from school was always more stimulating than on the way there. It wasn’t that I didn’t like school, I had negotiated a truce; I would tolerate it, it would tolerate me. So far it has been working pretty well. There are times when I’m disappointed, but my bar is high and the school seems to...

5 likes

Lost

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #289

Lost “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.” “You don’t know how you got here? That is unbelievable. You don’t remember me p...

4 likes

You Taught Me to Never Lie

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #289

You Taught Me to Never Lie “Where are you off to?” “Out!” That is the kind of answer I expect from him. His response to all questions is precise and to the point; it is in deciding which point, that the problem lies. I believe that I had something to do with his decisiveness. I began reading to him before he was born. I’d heard it was supposed to enhance fetus...

6 likes

It Never Rains, It?

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #288

It Never Rains, It…? “Why are you so wet?” “It’s raining!” “I hadn’t noticed.” “What are they predicting?” “Who?” “The weather people of course. Earlier they were predicting rain in excess of six inches. Six inches used to be a catastrophe, now it takes twelve inches and ...

5 likes

Tokyo Rows Cafe

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #287

Tokyo Rows Café William Abbey killed Milford Small after a poolroom fight in nineteen sixty-eight. It was a brief altercation in the pool room; each taking a turn practicing headlocks and left-hand jabs. Milford was poked in the eye with a pool cue belonging to a patron of Dixie’s Pool Hall, who was observing their weekly tussle. Milf...

4 likes

Flying High

Joe Swanson

I had a brother who was 18 months younger than me. When you are close, but not quite in the same sphere of maturity, you remain in the atmosphere of a nature’s trick, competition. Survival of the fittest, even though you know nothing about it, has its hand up your shirt and you are unable to do little but become its puppet. My parents both had jobs that removed them from the responsibility of being able to care for their children. The duty fell to my grandmother, who although she ...

6 likes

A Shot in the Dark

Joe Swanson

“Why am I wearing this shirt?” “I thought maybe it reminded you something important, birthday, anniversary. It has a certain sentimentality attached to it; it suits you. ” “Nice of you, but it really isn’t my style. Chartreuse? I haven’t seen one like this since the eighties.” “Everything that goes around come around. I’m sure you’ve heard that. And besides its your color.” &n...

3 likes

Negative's Negative

Joe Swanson

The old Pentax camera was at the bottom of a box of odds and ends. Apparently someone cleaned out the bureau and just threw everything in the box, its value marginal, its presence a nuisance. The camera like so many things have become obsolete as they have been dwarfed by technology. We no longer need many of the things once necessary in capturing images, making phone calls, flying across the country, the world. Many of the things that have claimed to be an improvemen...

1 like

Laughter and Tears

Joe Swanson

“I want to thank you all for coming. I offer these one night stands to hopefully increase your ability to provide the best photos possible for one of the most memorable moments in people’s lives that they wish to preserve for the rest of their lives.” Oscar’s one and only introduction to Photography 101. Oscar Brand taught photography at the U of M for over thirty years. He retired several years ago; semi-retired actually. He was never one to sit around doing nothing. ...

1 like

Grand Canyons

Joe Swanson

“Take a step back. A little to the left. Bee, would you mind moving to your left, and Roger, to your right. Will those in front stoop slightly and those in the rear stand on your toes and take a step back. Christmas pictures only come once a year, let’s get this right.” I don’t remember what was said after that. Screaming, crying, people begging God for an instant replay in hopes of reversing what had just happened. Apparently God wasn’t listening, because Be...

1 like

Black Whole

Joe Swanson

“Where you goin?” “Does it matter?” “Probably not, but then I’m not the one that’s leavin.” That question that nags us as if it were a pimple on our soul we don’t want anyone to see. When you feel you’ve got nothing, and worse nothing left to lose, all you can do is throw up your hands and say…what? I’m done, I’m going to quit, drop out, all those things have been tried before, and it changed nothing. ...

1 like