Murray Burns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2022

Stories (128)

128 Stories

3974 karma pts

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“The Green Mile” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #187

The Green Mile“Yet ah! Why should they know their Fate? Since Sorrow never comes too late,  And Happiness too swiftly flies.  Thought would destroy their Paradise.   No more; where Ignorance is Bliss,  ‘Tis Folly to be Wise."-Thomas Grey“We have a pretty good record for adoptions. Most will find homes.”“And for those who aren’t adopted, how long before you…”“Oh, excuse me, sir, we don’t like to talk about those things in front of our clients.”“I understand.”“But this one is a real cutie. I’m ...

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“Frank” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #186

Frank“Good morning, Frank. I’ve got a nice red one for you today.” “It’s perfect, Margie. Red was her favorite.” “Frank, you really don’t have to give me the dollar.” “I know.”----------“Here’s your coffee, Frank. I’ll bring you a menu, Leadhead.”“Thanks, Katie. Why don’t you at least look at a menu, Frank?” “I like the chicken sandwich.”“Yeah, after five years, I get that. But you might like something else.” “But I might not like it.” “Can’t argue with that.”---------- “Leadhead, where does Frank get the f...

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“What, Me Worry?” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #185

What, Me Worry?We’ve all experienced it, that terrifying, heart-stopping, pit in the stomach moment when you realize all is not well in the universe- your car isn’t where you thought you parked it, a valuable item rattles around in the sink for agonizing moments before it disappears down the drain, an empty pocket where your wallet should be. Henry’s traumatic moment hit him like an earthquake. He was stunned, dazed, shaken, and he would soon undertake the long, painful journey through the Five Stages of Grief.“Honey, I’m home!”After twenty-...

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“My Name Is Not Shirley ” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #184

My Name Is Not Shirley“Houston, we have a problem.”“Dammit, Junior, stop calling me Houston! Surely you must know by now that drives me nuts.”“Sorry, Dad, but then you’ve got to stop calling me Shirley.”Reginald Q. Barnes, a/k/a Reggie, a/k/a Junior, made the Prodigal Son look like a pre-transformation Scrooge. Just two weeks after Dean Seymour’s admonition at matriculation that “your business here is learning”, Junior had set his own course- consume inordinate amounts of alcohol and lay as many bets and women as possible. Houston, a/k/a Mr....

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“Feathers and Fur” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #183

Feathers and FurThis is a tale,Of forbidden love,Condemned by all creatures,And doomed from above.Noah understood. It wasn’t just man that should not be alone. All of God’s creatures crave companionship. Life is constructed in pairs.The farm was a veritable smorgasbord of livestock- cows, horses, pigs, and chickens. A small army of cats patrolled the area in search of rats, mice, ground squirrels, and other undesirable forms of life. Farmer John and his wife Betsy lived in the big old house up near the road. The only lonely soul was Monty, t...

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“One Day In the Nursery” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #182

One Day in the Nursery  Willy: “God dammit! Do they ever turn the #%&! lights off around here?! How the hell am I supposed to get any sleep?!” Nate: “Do you eat with that mouth?! Watch your language, Willy! There are ladies present.” Gert: “Knock it off, Nate. This is the 21st Century. We don’t need any of your machismo-laced, pretentious bravado to protect us. We can take care of ourselves.” Prissy: “I think it’s sweet, Nate. It reminds me of Sir Lancelot of the Knights of the Round Table.” Willy: “Hey, Pri...

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“Herb Goes Hermit” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #181

Herb Goes Hermit Herb peered over the top of his cubicle, mesmerized by the agonizingly slow movement of the minute hand on the clock at the far side of the room. In his one lone, exhilarating act of defiance, he had tossed his watch into the waste basket in the company cafeteria years ago. Everything else in his life was constraining and suffocating. As illusory as it was, Herb could at least imagine he was freed from the bonds of time.Time. 34 years = 408 months = 1,768 weeks =12,410 days = 297,840 hours = 17,870,400 minutes. The last 20 m...

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“My Little Girl” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #176

My Little Girl Chapter 1I’ve had a pretty good life. I really can’t complain. It’s just a little sad to reflect back on everything when you get old. I didn’t even know I was old until someone told me. This would have been a lot easier if I had kept a diary, but I’ll do the best I can from memory. I never even met my father. I have no idea what the deal was between him and my mother. She never talked about it. I had seven brothers and sisters! There were the usual family squabbles, especially at mealtime, and there was some rough play, b...

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“Leaf It To Herb” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #175

Leaf It To HerbDeath/Dark Humor Henpecked (Hĕn’-pĕct): Dominated or harassed (usually a man by a woman) with persistent nagging; Herb.It is sometimes difficult to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the exact moment when a man loses it, succumbs to the inner evil that lurks within, and crosses over to the dark side. Is there a point where a single drop of water can sink a ship, one more degree of temperature causes the pot to boil over, or one more screeching syllable from the tormentor pushes a man over the edge? Let’s find out.“Hey,...

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“Where Have You Gone, Peter Pan?” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #174

Where Have You Gone, Peter Pan?“When I was child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reasonas a child; when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.” 1 Corinthians: 11-13I shave in the shower now. There’s no mirror in there. I don’t even want to see who I’ve become. Too many wrinkles, too many lines, not enough hair, no color. Sometimes, by sheer accident and the laws of probability and statistics, I’ll catch a glimpse of the old man in the mirror above the bathroom sink. I’m not even sure who he is.What happened? I ...

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“The Holy Grail of Christmas Presents: The Easy-Bake Oven” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #173

The Holy Grail of Christmas Presents: The Easy-Bake OvenNot all dads are made alike.- Some are organized, plan ahead, and get their Christmas shopping done in November. Some are disorganized, procrastinate, and battle the crowds on December 24th to secure the desired gifts.-Some spoil and dote on their children. Some spoil and dote on their children to the extreme.-Some give up, make adjustments, and seek alternatives. Some never give up, steadfastly refuse to alter course, and stubbornly reject options.This is the sad saga of a disorganized...

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“Hurry Midnight” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #172

Hurry Midnight“I agree, sir. It’s time for you to settle down. Get yourself a wife. Kids are great to have around. You’d like it.”“But believe it or not, Reggie, I’m having a little trouble landing a good wife. I don’t get it, I mean she’d get to live in the castle, never have to work a day in her life, she’d have tons of cool jewelry, and most of all, she’d get to be with me! You’d think chicks would love the idea. I have to be the best catch in the kingdom. Babes should be throwing themselves at me. What could possibly be the problem?”“Wel...

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“Footsteps in the Snow” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #171

Footsteps in the SnowIt snowed that day. I remember walking in footsteps made by others while my thoughts still followed her away, for that was the last time I saw her. I remember hair mingled with snow, and a smile that wasn’t a smile. Every time it snows I remember walking in those footsteps.Regret is a fearsome adversary. How is it possible that one cannot outlive a mistake, bury it, escape it if even for a day? Would that God had instead taken an eye or a limb or trimmed a few years off my life. Banished from feelings of happiness, all j...

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“The Rosary” by Murray Burns

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #170

The Rosary It is a wondrous thing when two lives intersect at exactly the right time and place to create a meaningful, fulfilling future, or perhaps at least a wonderful memory. It borders on the miraculous when three lives meet at the same time and place to create that one special moment in time. But one crisp fall evening in this small town, they did. Tommy was a 6th grader at St. Mary’s. Like many young boys, he wasn’t fond of school, but it did present the opportunity to participate in his one passion in life- football. As a “scrub” on...

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“Revenge of the Black Cat” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #169

Revenge of the Black CatMaybe it was the season. Halloween is known to mess with the minds of men. But this wasn’t the first time. Cold, crisp air, the still quiet of the night interrupted only by the sounds of crunching leaves with every footstep. The old fashion streetlamp at the corner gave the moon a nice assist as a cloud lazily drifted by, making sure Carl would get a good look at it…again. The cat was small in size and never threatening in demeanor. In fact, it never even moved. It just looked, stared with piercing grey eyes...

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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