Murray Burns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2022

Stories (128)

128 Stories

3973 karma pts

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“The Love Machine” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #237

The Love Machine “What we have here is failure to communicate.”                                                                -The Captain, Cool Hand Luke Christian couldn’t communicate his feelings to Roxanne. John Alden wasn’t ...

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“Johnny Be Goode” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #236

Johnny Be Goode“Hey, Dad. I brought the whole crew with me. We should be able to clean out the basement, the attic, and the garage all in one day.”“Great.”“Great”- often spoken with a tinge of enthusiasm, but even with a normal, nondescript voice, the word connotes something agreeable, pleasing, perhaps even wonderful. Spoken with a hint of sarcasm- not so much.The cleanup crew- son Dave, Dave’s wife Marci, and the three grandchildren: 16-year-old Tom, 14-year-old Debbie, and 9-year-old Ben. The mission- sort through a lifetime of artifacts,...

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“The Impossible Dream” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #235

The Impossible Dream“I don’t know, Herb, that might be a little too ambitious.”“Aim high, dream big, go for broke, all-in, win or go home, let it all hang out, reach for the stars, shoot the moon…”“Okay, okay, I got it. But a marathon? Herb, you’re not a runner.”“You kidding me, Sally? I ran cross country in high school.”“That was 35 years ago. And it was just your freshman year and you only ran in that one meet. Remember how they had to organize a search party with flashlights to come find you after the race was over?”“The course wasn’t cle...

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“The Sign” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #234

The Sign“So, when you say about three months, Doc, are you thinking three to four months, or are you more of a two to three months kind of guy?”“Sorry, Fred, it doesn’t work that way. All I can say is you have about three months. That’s been my experience. It’s not an exact science when it comes to that part of it. I had one guy go for a full year, and another guy, he… well, it’s not an exact science. That’s all I can tell you.”A regular refrain Fred had heard from his Dad- “Life isn’t fair; get used to it.” Fred never smoked, never drank, a...

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“The Greatest Battle That Never Happened” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #232

The Greatest Battle That Never Happened                                                                 “Wine for my men, we ride at dawn.”-       Three Musketeers (Maybe…or?)Tucked ...

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“Best Intentions” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #231

Best IntentionsEditor's note: The Reedsy format wasn't receptive to the Word cross-outs, so this may appear a bit messy in places.)December 31, 2023Resolutions for the New Year- The beginning of a new and improved Herb Farkowski.      1.    Lose 20  15  10   5 pounds by July 1st   October 1st  December 31st, 2024.-       Accomplish this daring feat with fat-free   fat-reduced   not all-fat die...

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“Poor Form” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #228

Poor Form                                  “Never eat more than you can lift.”                                                 &nbsp...

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“It All Melts Away” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #227

It All Melts Away“If you ever find two snowflakes that are exactly alike, don’t bring them inside.”                                                                          &nbs...

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“Rejection to Redemption” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #226

Rejection to RedemptionCal was thankful for nothing on Thanksgiving Day. He had less to be thankful for the next day, Black Friday.----------“I’m done, Cal.”“What are you talking about, Marcie? I told you I was sorry.”“I’ve had it. You’re the most inconsiderate, uncaring, selfish person I’ve ever known. Goodbye, Cal.”----------“No, Cal, my mind is made up. You’re fired.”“I don’t understand…”“Your business ethics suck. You are the most dishonest person I’ve ever met. I got three more complaints about you this morning. And you’ve offended eve...

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“The Lost Looking Glass of Peter Pan” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #225

The Lost Looking Glass of Peter PanStrange forces were at work. The loadstone of the human mind is more mysterious, and just as powerful, as the irresistible attraction the little needle on your compass has for the land far to the North. Henry had walked this way a thousand times, but today he was swept through the front door of Trudy’s Treasures as if he were on autopilot. No thought, just feet slowly shuffling their way along the worn wooden floor through a menagerie of peculiar objects perceived by someone to have outlived their usefulnes...

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“Once Upon a Time in a Prison Cell Somewhere” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #219

Once Upon a Time in a Prison Cell SomewhereHard time is not swinging away with a hammer at a pile of rocks under a hot sun. No, with fresh air, the sun, clouds, blue sky, movement, and even a pointless purpose, that would have been a blessing for Henry. He might see a flock of geese fly overhead, or hear the song of a cardinal or an oriol in the distance. With luck, he might even catch a light rain and turn his head upward to feel the hand of the real world on his face. Hard time is being stashed away in a God-forsaken concrete block pr...

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“Falling Star” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #217

Falling Star     “Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket."                                                         -  PerryComo               &n...

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“Advice- 5 cents/$5.00” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #217

Advice- 5₵  $5.00If you’ve ever wondered what happened to Lucy Van Pelt of “Peanuts” fame, you’ve come to the right place. If the topic never concerned you, well, maybe you’ll stumble across the subject in a late-night, free-wheeling Trivia game, and you can impress your friends.Young Lucy’s business model mirrored Lincoln’s reflection on the legal profession- her time and advice were her stock in trade. Children from all over the neighborhood sought her counsel on a wide variety of topics, from matters of the heart to fashion, and from...

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“The Beavis and Butt-Head Self-Help Program for the Socially Awkward” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #216

The Beavis and Butt-Head Self-Help Program for the Socially AwkwardPre-school.“Ernie, have you met the new girl, Melissa?”“No, Miss Finn.”“Would you like to meet her?”“Not really.”“Well, you should want to know everyone in our group. Ernie, this is Melissa. Melissa, this is Ernie.”“Oh, I know her! She’s the one who farted in church last week.”“Earnest!”“What? She did fart, Miss Finn. Didn’t you…Melissa? Tell her how you farted right in the middle of Father John’s Homily. It was a loud one, Miss Finn! It was the funniest thing! You should hav...

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“Cool” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #215

CoolHigh school. The land of the haves and the have-nots. The cool kids and the outcasts who gather at the nerd table in the lunchroom. The quarterback and the 3rd trombone in the school band. The Petrie dish for the natural evolution of separations within a species long before sociologists wrote about tribes and caste systems. Calvin knew where he was, and he knew he didn’t belong there.He fit in, but he hated where he fit in. His “friends” were companions. He concealed his disdain for them but never felt comfortable in their midst. It is a...

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Author bio

Dartmouth, then Law School followed by years in mind-numbing law practice; now have more time to write. "Brevity is the soul of wit."

Shortlisted 2 stories ⭐️

Contest #195
A Simple Act of Kindness – read story
Contest #170
The Rosary – read story