Sunday, September 14, 2008

A Five Minute Bitch Slap

Coffee is the word for this weeks Sunday Scribblings . Here's my five minutes worth. Enjoy.

A Room Full of Strangers

A steady wave of morning light washed over Tom as he left the bedroom with the door shut tight. He struck a match and inhaled a deep breath of dissatisfaction as the steam from the coffee pot meandered unknowingly into the sunlight's path. It tasted a lot like Turkish blend. The phone jumped from the hook to pierce the silence Tom had found. He listened intently as a soft young voice expressed her longing into an answering machine. Tom smiled into his coffee as the girl described the overwhelming presence of Rome. ‘You don’t need to go to Rome to be overwhelmed’, Tom thought. His thumb slipped forcefully from the erase button as his eyes locked on the cracked door. A short girl with a large face stood in the doorway holding the sheets to her breast, “Who was it?” Tom exhaled a puff of frustration and smiled, “No one you know”.

-OR-

For Tony

I threw down my last pack of cigarettes over a year ago. They were Marlboro Lights. I miss them sometimes. I also miss the man who raised me. He smoked, as well, until lung cancer snuck up and bit him in the ass. I drink coffee, now. Two pots almost. Better than two packs, I guess. I miss you, grandpa.

3 comments:

Roan said...

Excellent descriptive piece. I felt as if I were watching from across the room. BJ

quin browne said...

excellent, and you wrote two! that covers for me missing my deadline.


thanks!!

Wendy said...

I'm a big fan of the line, 'You don't have to go to Rome to be overwhelmed.' --Right on! --Wendy