Jubilee Forbess

“The Biggest Shoes to Fill ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #238

Maritza had quite the reputation around the taco truck, Tacos Andrés, that she frequented after work. It was hard not to, when her work uniform consisted of a brilliant pink pigtail wig, a multicolored tulle tutu, bright red nose, pink cheeks and eyelids, sparkling shirt, and a smile that lasted for hours as she beamed and twirled amidst children. As a clown, she had the opportunity to make many children (and their parents) smile and laugh at her silliness. Her bag was full of prizes and tricks, little blooming feather flowers and magic foam...

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“Beach Trip ” by Jubilee Forbess

Alem and Tasmin weren’t a new couple. The people in the Tiki bar could tell by the way they sat gently apart from each other, opting to loop a finger or two around the other’s hand instead of draping across each other like so many of the honeymoon couples were doing, becoming more curtains than people. Alem and Tasmin were fading from their marriage, becoming a bit too drawn into themselves to notice how much time they spent apart. At least, they didn’t notice until about a month ago, when Alem sat down in the kitchen and told Tasmin he miss...

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“Midium ” by Jubilee Forbess

“Clarice! Make me a sandwich! The game’s picking up and I’m getting antsy!”  From the kitchen, Clarice said nothing. She opened the fridge and pulled out the lettuce, the tomatoes, the ham, and the cheese. She laid them all out on the counter before sliding open the breadbox and taking two slices of bread. They weren’t the heels, of course, though she often wished she could make her husband’s sandwiches as low quality as she could. But not today, she thought, as she slapped the sandwich together. It wasn’t the act of making a sandwich ...

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“true that ” by Jubilee Forbess

I told my sister she was lying when she said she saw you at the grocery store that day. I said, “Stop lying,” and she blinked at me like I’d smacked her in the head. She pressed her sticky hands across my arm and pushed her nails into my skin and she said, “No, it’s true! It’s true!” And even though out loud I said, “Oh, shut up,” in my head I said to myself, “Oh, please be true.” I went to bed that night with my hands shaking around a picture that we took together one morning when it was lightly drizzling and it was also icy, icy cold. I’m ...

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“Kesi Diya” by Jubilee Forbess

Kesi Diya was tired of people thinking she was named after a cheese meal. “No,” she’d start to explain, “I was named after my aunt, it’s a family name…” but by then whoever she was talking to seemed bored. It was almost as though, by clarifying that she was indeed not a quesadilla, Kesi lost her appeal. She’d been on countless dating apps, but how many times had she arrived at her restaurant for her date to lean forward and whisper, as though they were the most original person on the planet, “Whatcha gonna order? No, no, let me guess,” and t...

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“Nikilina ” by Jubilee Forbess

“I made you some tea.”  “I don’t want it. I don’t drink tea anymore. I thought I told you.” “You didn’t tell me.”  “Well, now you know.”  “You’re gonna get cold sitting out here alone.”  “Sure, but it beats sitting inside with you.”  Nikilina backed up. She hit the back of her legs on the table. It didn’t hurt. “I,” she started, and then stopped, “I’ll just go back, then.” She picked up the tea tray she’d brought out to him, to Alydion, who told her he didn’t drink it anymore. She knew what he meant, that he di...

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“Tea for Two ” by Jubilee Forbess

warning: bugs. Oh ho ho, what have we here? The cockroaches are having a tea date, it seems, and their little scrambled feet are reaching for the cups as we watch. Do you see their beady eyes? Do you hear their scritching voices, clawing up above the wind? Ah, but aren’t they a marvel. Aren’t they precious? Reach into the tea house, dear, reach into that cockroach tea house- right through the window!- and get one for me. I want to eat a cockroach while I drink my tea. I want you to do the same. I want to hear it crunch between my teeth. ...

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“Party For One ” by Jubilee Forbess

Tea parties make me nervous They kinda make me wanna cry  But today I have to go to one And this poem tells you why  You see, my name is Elsie  And I have a friend named Mac Mac broke up with her boyfriend So we have to get him back  Because she really loves him  She’s just emotionally repressed But she’s gotta tell him  Or else forever be depressed It’s not that her life  Depends on a man  It’s just, well, keep reading And you’ll understand That she met him in high school They were the perfect pair&nb...

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“spill the gas ” by Jubilee Forbess

Beep beep. Honk honk honk. Barayaaaaa papayaaaaa. Chachachakacha. Hufferhachuchcuwasta. Beep beep. Honk honk. The cars file into the parking lot one by one for their monthly meeting. There’s seven of them, ranging from a black Cadillac to a red truck with both its headlights shot out. Beep beep? Vrrrrrom. Baristaaa RRaraoomdiday. They have these meetings every month to reconvene, to talk about their lives or, rather, what they see in the lives of their owners. It’s the only time they get away from their hard days of service and hanging out i...

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“The Tea Tour” by Jubilee Forbess

The teacup shatters almost before it hits the floor, if you can believe that. I laugh, covering my mouth, but it’s too late. My grandmother stands up, pushing her seat away from the table. Her dress falls, draping behind her in long, pooling layers of creme colored fabric. I’ve always admired her cheekbones, but now they’re jutting more than ever. She’s mad, of course she’s mad. Who wouldn’t be mad, after what I just said?  Across the table, my brother’s eye twitches. He’s trying not to laugh too. My little sister kicks my shin. I take...

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“The Prelude ” by Jubilee Forbess

Appley decided we should have a talk last night, after the whole deal about almost dying and whatnot. I had to stay on her couch anyway because the side of my apartment was wrapped up in yellow tape. It looked like a Christmas present, only dangerous and potentially a crime scene. The police are swarming all over town searching for Willow and Noel, but there’s no sign of them. It’s like they’ve vanished into the smarmy city air. Anyway, I’m typing this from Appley’s computer. There’s cheese melted over the keyboard and cracker crumbs in betw...

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“The Peril ” by Jubilee Forbess

(CW: There are bombs. Nobody dies, though.) Well, that was dramatic. I feel bad, I haven’t posted anything in over a week. If anyone was reading this blog, I’m sorry, I honestly am. I didn’t, like, die or anything. You know, cause the bomb was in my bathroom and all that. The thing is, after I went to go check on that, everything spun, if you can believe it, even more out of control. I’m not sure where to start with it, though, so I’ll start right where I left off, at the beginning of the end.  I walked into the bathroom. There were...

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“The Package ” by Jubilee Forbess

I knew the package wasn’t mine because I didn’t have, you know, money to order anything. It would have made sense if anyone cared enough to buy me a Christmas present, but it wasn’t that close to the holiday. My instant thought was not that it would be a bomb- which is was- but maybe that Gina had remembered me fondly and wanted to pay me back for my three dollar kindness. The delivery man walked all the way up to my apartment. That was weird, I should have known then the whole situation was shady… But I was happy to see someone. This weeken...

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“The Present ” by Jubilee Forbess

I sent my last three dollars to a girl I met at the karaoke bar last night. Her name was Gina, I think, and her eyes were green. They looked yellow in the lights, though, and she smelled like vanilla and cold metal spoons. She was jarring, with big front teeth and a personality like nails against styrofoam, but she needed money for her bus fare. I had three dollars in my bank account, and now they are hers. I hope she realizes I will not be buying Christmas presents this year. I mean, it wasn’t like I had a whole lot to work with to begin wi...

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“Gruurs in Peril ” by Jubilee Forbess

"I hate you, Leroy." "Oh yeah? Well, that's funny. I was fixing to say the same thing about you!" "Why don't you shut up?" "Because I don't feel like it." "I don't feel like listening to you." "I hate you." "I know." The two brothers fall into a deep-fried silence, the air between them static and humid. The only noise is that of a humming engine and the other cars on the road. The truck is quiet. The truck, however, is far from peaceful. Leroy and Levy Gruur are in an argument, if you haven't picked that up yet, and they are convinced...

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