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Paul Booth

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2021

Stories (3)

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3 Stories

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Baby Cribs and Clown Shoes

Paul Booth

Submitted to Contest #299

At breakfast, a tall male aide named Sam surprised me from behind by putting his hand on my shoulder and asking me to finish my cereal quickly and come with him. All the kids were watching. Usually, this meant someone was in trouble. Those kids usually didn’t come back. These mysterious disappearances occurred during my time there. I knew something was about to change."Am I in trouble?" I asked, getting up from the table."You’re not in trouble," Sam said, tight-lipped.In the dorm, on my bed lay a suit and shoes that weren’t mine. He told me ...

9 likes

Shoot OUT in the Desert

Paul Booth

Childproofing a house, car safety seats, and helicopter parenting weren’t part of my boyhood. Mine was full of freedom and adventure. Bronco-busting rides in the back of pickup trucks and helmetless motorcycle trips were considered privileges to a youngster in the 50s. Drinking out of garden hoses was preferred to going in the house for over-fluoridated water in a glass. It tastes better from the old rubber hose. The jet stream blasting your face and clothes without concern for spilling was refreshing and unrestricted.At the age of six ...

0 likes

Booth's Sundries

Paul Booth

Submitted to Contest #102

Hard rain rattled the window. The occasional cloudburst couldn't drown out my mother screaming at my father. Stiff like a mummy, my hands are hard-pressed against my ears. I'm paralyzed with fear and confusion. In the lower bunk, my little brother sobbed in a fetal position. Leaning over the bunk, I whispered, "Carl... Carl, it's okay." I repeated this lie several times in attempting to comfort him - and myself. His crying was as disturbing to me as the screaming. The front door slammed, and the screaming stopped. I peeked through a crac...

6 likes