Patricia Merewether

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2022

Stories (45)

45 Stories

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“Thank You For Not Helping Me” by Patricia Merewether

"Integrity is when our words and deeds are consistent with our intentions." Simon Sine " It surprised me when my neighbor and friend Marie entered my hospital room. "We'll help, Maddy," My dear neighbor took my hand. "All of us will, Mrs. Martin, Lisa, all the neighbors, because we know how important your gardens ...

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“Family Fugue” by Patricia Merewether

"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife."– Kahlil GibranSomeone told me, "Maybe you don't want to know." This might be true, but what could be more traumatic than I imagined? No one in the family will tell me why, but my parents left me with relatives for my first four years.Dad wouldn't talk about it, and Mom said they left me with my paternal grandparents because she and Dad were building a house and couldn't find a place to rent that allowed c...

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“Hell is Planted With the Best Intentions” by Patricia Merewether

I should have seen this one coming when I heard Sharron’s voice on the phone. “Maddy?”“Yes?”I need your help. I have a plan, but I cannot pull it off alone. I want to surprise the residents of that high-rise old folks’ apartment building with flowers.”“You mean to send them all flowers? Are you crazy? That will cost a fortune, even if we get them at Walmart and deliver them ourselves. There must be two-hundred people living there!”“No, I have a different kind of floral delivery plan.”“Uh oh.”“No, ...

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“Where Is Here? - 2” by Patricia Merewether

"Speak now. We want that book, Mrs. Skinner."Mildred's body shook, and her legs felt weak. "What do you want me to say? I don't have it anymore.""The Journal? The one, your son found and gave you. We have your letter to the Smithsonian and your transcriptions. Hand it over."Mildred was tired. She just wanted this blustering man and his driver to return to the black Land Rover with tinted windows to leave. "I don't have it.""We'll go away after you give it to us.""It was on my bedside table last night and...

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“Where Is Here?” by Patricia Merewether

"The Oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." H.P. Lovecraft.My grandson found this book in the woods and brought it to me. I’m 90 years old and still remember how to read and write (New American English). It’s taking me longer than I expected to translate because it is handwritten in cursive, a very old form of writing and old English. I’m sending a copy of what I've written so far to the New American Smithsonian. Regards, Marie Bradford May...

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“The Glacier Incident” by Patricia Merewether

Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.– Jane AustenHave you ever had a terrible day when someone says, “You’ll laugh about this in the future?” Do you want to smack them with a pool noodle? Well, don't; they are right.Matt’s friend fixed us up for a blind date. We were both breaking up with our partner, so Matt and I chatted on the phone, sharing words of woes and support, and became friends.A second date also went well, lunch at a local diner, where we talked for hours. Then...

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“Surprise Gifts From the Forest” by Patricia Merewether

Mother nature has more surprises in her bag of tricks than we give her credit for. I interviewed Mike for a school assignment after he'd received an eagle (a dead one) which is a high honor to use in ceremonies. Mike is a Chippewa who helped me use nature as a form of therapy.I walk a short distance on our country road and into the woods each morning. I stand quietly in the same spot, and wait, as Mike taught me how nature would help and present me with a gift of knowledge or sometimes a surprise. My gifts included watching a herd ...

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“Harold and Maude” by Patricia Merewether

Harold and Maude I have to tell you how angry and disappointed I am. My dinner was so late that it was dark outside when they returned. They told me they were going out to get me a surprise, so I let the late dinner slide. But then they came home with my surprise, and I just wanted to jump up on that knick-knack shelf and knock every smashy thing onto the floor! The female scratched my h...

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“Danger Keep Out” by Patricia Merewether

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.T. S. EliotI stumbled upon the area while photographing and cataloging wild mushrooms of Michigan for MSU, a job I believe is the best in the world, at least ...

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“Things Could Be Worse” by Patricia Merewether

"What were you thinking when you asked to meet me in this place?""Look around, Dee.""At what? A nearly empty diner serving burnt coffee? Look at those poor desiccated plants in the window. They mended these pleather booths with duct tape, and they could at least use red to match. I don't think this place has changed since the fifties, and they're so far out of date that they're back in again!""Ignore all that. At least there are no TVs blaring sports from all sides. And people are having an actual conversation."

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“The Man On The Radio” by Patricia Merewether

"It's Mine! And You Can't Have It!" is the title of Race Grimstead's latest book, our topic today."Mike listened to a talk radio station while driving home from work and chuckled. Thinking, wow, what an idiot this guy is. But he listened anyway. He started to consider what the 'idiot' was saying about possible grid failures, social unrest, blizzards in the north, and hurricanes in the south.' He reached home before the program ended, stepped out of his car, was grateful for his happy, everyday life, and gave the ideas no...

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“Stitch and Mibs Save The World” by Patricia Merewether

Stitch: I will never forget you saying, "Houston, We Have A Problem." We did, but you helped me fix it. If you are reading this, I have gone Home. I appreciate your assistance and patience, as my early entries show my naivete and unpreparedness for your world. I leave this journal and hope it will inspire your writing. Thank you, my friend. "Mibs"PREP:A med-tech applied patches to my skin to keep my body motionless and remove memories of the experience, which they learned was most unpleasant.The te...

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“I Survived Camping” by Patricia Merewether

My best friend, Carol, and I bet on a coin toss (dumb, I know). If I won, she had to go to a concert with me, any kind, rock, blues, classical. I've invited Carol so many times, and she never goes. Fleetwood Mac was on tour again, and I wanted her to experience it. Of course, I get, "Why does anyone drive for two hours, stand in line, and sit in a place with hundreds or maybe thousands of screaming, sweaty, crazed people? Why?" She'll never get it.If I lost, I had to go camping for a weekend. My response: "Carol, why would anyone h...

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“Harold and Maude” by Patricia Merewether

I have to tell you how angry and disappointed I am. My dinner was so late that it was dark outside when they returned. They told me they were going out to get me a surprise, so I let the late dinner slide. But then they came home with my surprise, and I just wanted to jump up on that knick-knack shelf and knock every smashy thing onto the floor!The female scratched my head and said, "Harold, this is Maude! You have a new friend!" Another cat! Seriously? Why would they think that wa...

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“Grave New World” by Patricia Merewether

“With technology tracking us everywhere we go, “cosplay” may be our best defense against surveillance” Annalee NewitzDear Violet, 06/03/2055I hope you are well and happy. I wish I’d emigrated to New Zealand when you did. Americans can’t get asylum anywhere! So I’m in the same little house at the edge of Detroit where you and I grew up. It is much safer in this part of the country. Florida is practically gone and is almost an island. People left Florida in droves, mostly old folks like you and me, and migrated to n...

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Author bio

I love writing, painting, and rescuing plants, animals, and people. My favorite authors are Shirley Jackson, Anne Tyler, Charlotte Perkins Gilmor, Ron Rash, John Steinbeck, Margaret Attwood, Alice Hoffman . . . and so many others. Feel free to contact me at: patsarts@comcast.net