Murray Burns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2022

Stories (56)

56 Stories

1580 karma pts

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“One Of Those Things That Unravels When You Blow On It” by Murray Burns

One Of Those Things That Unravels When You Blow On ITIt had been twenty-two years since Herb attended a New Year’s Eve celebration. He had not even heard the words “Happy New Year” for ten. We will never know the motivation with any degree of certainty, but this year Herb decided he would celebrate the arrival of the new year. And he would do it up big.Divorced and living alone, Herb would occasionally partake in the pointless exercise of trying to ...

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“"They're Gonna' Stick a Needle in Me"” by Murray Burns

“They’re Gonna’ Stick a Needle in Me” It was the ceiling. However much he wished it were otherwise, it was improbable that Carl would find a room without a ceiling. They all look pretty much alike, so it was not surprising that his bedroom ceiling would often snap him back to another place at another time.“Why are we going to Terra Haute, George?”

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“Herb's 5-Day Crash Weight Loss/Conditioning Program” by Murray Burns

Herb’s 5 Day Weight Loss/Conditioning ProgramPlanning:            Set goals (realistic): Lose 5 lbs; jog 1 mile (without stopping); develop healthy eating habits and structured, disciplined lifestyle; cut down on drinking (within reason).             Preparation- Buy rugged, activewear jogging suit, a pair of Nike running shoes (on sale...

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“Henry's Picnic Blanket” by Murray Burns

 Henry's Picnic BlanketWe’ve all seen that sad, pathetic figure dining alone at a small table in a darkened corner of a restaurant, a flickering candle giving off just enough light so that all can learn the identity of the lonesome soul. What might strike you as even more sad, more pathetic, would be the image of Henry walking alone, in broad daylight, unabashed, across a grassy field carrying a colorful blanket and a large woven wood picnic basket. He may have even we...

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“Backtrack” by Murray Burns

BacktrackFrank didn’t like himself. He really didn’t. The feelings first visited him at his wife’s funeral five years ago. He realized he wasn’t feeling the way he should be feeling. It was sad and all, but he wasn’t devastated, as if he had just lost his soul mate, the true love of his life. That was because he hadn’t.He sat in the front pew, just feet from the bronze casket, and the sad reality sunk in. Frank had “settled”. Darlene was a good woma...

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“Cornbluth's Ghost” by Murray Burns

Cornbluth's GhostGrandma was always the first to notice things. In fact, she was often the only one to notice things. She would notice things that weren’t even there to notice in the first place. They all thought she was nuts. Truth be known, Grandma was nuts. She was always hearing things, seeing things, dreaming things. She once thought a cow was getting a quick cool down in the bathtub. She had been abducted by aliens, not once, but twenty-seven times, and usually taken to a place where the t...

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“The Free Throw” by Murray Burns

The Free Throw You may have heard a coach say something like, “What the kid lacks in talent can be made up for with hard work and desire.” Don’t believe it. Timmy was small for his age, clumsy, slow on his feet, lacking in any semblance of hand-eye coordination, and saddled with vision only corrected to a functional level with Coke bottle thick lens...

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“Oh, Christmas Tree” by Murray Burns

Oh, Christmas Tree It’s all relative. What might constitute remarkable bravery for some could be routine, common, mundane for others. For example, many people would consider it an act of courage to retrieve their kid’s Frisbee from the roof of their house while seasoned construction workers casually lay shingles on steep inclines eight hours a day without a thought ...

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“Doomed” by Murray Burns

Doomed It was a night that quickly became an integral part of the college’s rich oral history, tales of past glorious deeds passed down from class to class over the years. Many of today’s incoming freshman dismiss it out hand, quickly discarding it into the abyss of the laughingly exaggerated, or even the impossible. But those who believe in the impo...

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“Boxes in the Attic” by Murray Burns

Boxes in the Attic Some time ago, in the midst of those young and foolish days when such things seemed to matter, I promised myself that I would get organized at least once every ten years. The last day of reckoning was sixteen years ago. Better...

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“The Locked Door” by Murray Burns

The Locked Door I like to put the blame on Rachel. I mean, she was already four years old. It’s not like she was just a baby. This position may not score points with the committee reviewing one’s credentials for possible admittance into the “Father’s Hall of Fame”, but I think it’s good to assess culpability where it rightfully belongs. It’s never too early to teach your kid a little personal res...

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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 1 story ⭐️

Contest #170
The Rosary – read story