38DD

They thought they were so smart and little bit cheeky. It had been confiscated and no one person would take responsibility for the naked girl. The teacher kept her stern face on but inside she giggled at the thought of seeing this same picture, or variations of it, repeatedly over her 30-year career. She made them stay in for recess.

The Warrior

The past was difficult to imagine. He absorbed the two dimensional description of his ancestors, their pride, courage and valour. Looking at his people’s history, where he came from, overwhelmed him with a sense of cultural duty. He would transform his superficial life and adopt the confidence of a warrior.

401

He had done it a hundred times with tunnel vision. The mind numbing commute had thrown him into grayness daily. Today his haze of thoughts dissipated and he took in his keen surroundings. It unexpectedly cleansed his consciousness and he smiled in the stillness of it. He walked in the door beaming and it was returned by all.

Condo Heaven

She bravely smiled and tried hard to accept her new home. The appliances were shiny and new, the wall to wall carpet was white and fluffy, the bathroom had modern fixtures. This impressed everyone. But the sink was in the wrong place, her bed faced the bathroom door and she had to crane her neck to see blue sky. Most of all, she missed her garden terribly.

The Spoon

His eyes glazed over as he sat at the table alone. His siblings long excused, were off and playing Wii while he felt chained to the dining chair. “There are starving children in Africa,” he was reminded. Contemplating this, he wondered if oversalted, stinky, cold soup could possibly be appealing to anyone. After making a long list in his mind, he squeezed his eyes shut, put the bowl to his mouth and gulped it back. He licked his lips and felt grateful for the first time.

Tracks

It was initially hard to relax into it. To let go of the details worming though his mind took massive effort. Every exhale released the backlog of documents, the emails to be returned, the presentation that went wrong. He mentally packed it into the filing box in his mind labeled “pressure’” and focused on going home. It could all wait until Monday.

Circuit Board

He had to get her attention. His words meant nothing when he tried to speak to her and she was blind to the subtleties of his actions. It was as if they were communicating in a different language and living cultures apart instead of under the same roof. His last act of desperation was to cut her off from her life. It maddened her enough to face him and finally listen. They found they had more in common than they thought.

Hanging In Wires

He fully intended to do it today. The anticipation brought sleepless nights so he repressed the anxiety and bolstered his confidence in defiance. But the guys saw through the false bravado and taunted when he bailed. It wasn’t the first time and he would have no choice but to stay and watch. Tomorrow was another day, he reminded himself, and it was.

Father Doesn't Know Best

He wanted to celebrate his legacy. Now that his father was gone he could see the beauty in the decisions he had made with his concretely logical mind. The family business wasn’t for him, his father knew that and nonetheless encouraged his passions as he struggled to understand them. He realized now that they had not been so different. And with that he had no qualms about changing the recipe for his pasta sauce.

Everyone Was Doing It

Everyone was doing it. The timing made perfect sense. Had she known what she was in for she might have been more practical about her decision to have kids. But she had woeful misgivings about the way things were turning out, the overwhelming feelings of guilt, a life peppered with fatigue and yes, she admitted it quietly, jealousy. She sank into these new emotions, felt them keenly, and moved to the next stage of utter love

The Glass Ceiling

The grand plan had only lasted so long. He frantically tried to find someone to blame for the inconsistencies in the material that had ultimately led to the calamitous leak that was now affecting the entire structure. His building, his dream, his potential for fame, now dashed. He stood surrounding by superiors, inwardly horrified and did some fast thinking. With a face of ultimate cool he presented an elegant solution. It was all back on track again.

The Heat Of Her Sweat

He was glad she was home. He had waited patiently for her to return from her daily run, looking forward to the heat from her flushed cheeks with the flavour of sweat still clinging to her body. The ache to crush her into him was at the top of any possible list of anticipatory events today. But she was still doing her stretching and wanted nothing to do with him at the moment. He’d have to wait until tonight.

Black Spider Red

He lived and died by the motif. The design was his, a childhood scribble turned into self-branded logo. It marked all that he had done, this evolution of passion and art governed his lifestyle. To him it signified killer strength and solo tactics. Sadly, once a year, it’s meaning was lost to all.

Cheers Chappie

"Well, we have rum, and Pepsi, and ice - let's see how that goes", he said. This was his memory of his favourite Uncle instructing him on fixing cocktails. Ever the host, dapper and unruffled, defining old school charm with his brand of savvy cool. Since he hadn’t inherited this attitude, he studied and learned it. The day he passed away, his tears mingled with the liquor as he made a drink in his honor.

The Mens Room

It was easy to look at it critically now that it was over. She felt no shame in what she had done. It was dirty but it was part of the experience. At least she could say she finally did it, performing fully, to the best of her ability. One-upping herself, she thought it might be better to use a non-bleach cleanser next time.

The Phone Booth

She repressed her natural inclination to call them. It had been months since she left home. She had her reasons, though time had forced them to evolve and in the spaces of silence she could hear their protests. The need to speak weighed on her, but embarrassment made her keep walking. Maybe tomorrow would be different.

Overpass

The reminder rose on a daily basis. Inconsequential to other drivers, it heralded memories that she refused to abandon. Their young courtship had grown from lusty love into maturity. The bridge represented days of palm pressing strolls, secrets told, promises made, and a connection that would last a lifetime.

The Masked Men

Their passion was symbiotic. The creations came only from this supreme collaboration, born of fraternal blood but made from sweat and frustration. He had tried individually with less than satisfactory results, now he went along with everything he suggested caving to his internal limit. Feeling his resentment build to a frenzied level, he found that sipping on a Slushee was the only way to temper it.

Concert

The live show absorbed him. Fantasies he had created in his headphone mind were nothing like this. They were flatly black and white compared to the multi sensory gift he was now receiving. He was abducted by the sway of sound and light and gave in wholeheartedly. When it ended his soul was the richer for it.

The Stinky Truck

It was the city. He could rhapsodize about the sounds and it’s scents, swaying any non-believers. He declared it wasn’t for the faint of heart, implying that he, of course, was of strong stock. But this morning’s delivery of a charred, earthy smell was assaulting. His nostrils flared and he bee-lined for Starbucks.

The String Bikini

Her shape, her skin, her softness, her warmth. They fit him well and they were one. A feeling he could never get used to because it seemed so corny, but it was real. It was the passion of knowing her so intimately, where to touch her, where not to, and the phenomenal sense that it was equal and would be returned in tandem. Then he stopped thinking and let his mind follow his body.

Mister Bear

This he recognized. This beacon toward home, his third place this year. Blurry eyed he dragged his reluctant feet and heavy head toward this new thing, afraid of what surprise awaited him. It was a different configuration, but still his belongings. Material possessions never felt so good. He flopped on the mattress and cuddled Mr. Bear.

The Cherry Pie

Sodden to the bone she struggled to keep positive. Her soul was flimsy and fatigued overwhelming her slight frame. It was like a sweat filled, chest crushing bad dream, this road full of wrong turns. Friends distanced themselves afraid of her bad luck. But the universe was merely teaching her a lesson. Her life would soon be cherry pie.

The Jesus Lady

She was a guide for those that were lost. With the motivation of certainty that is how she perceived and conducted herself. Finding errant sheep was easy, people with nothing to lose were apt to be followers. But being a leader was tiring and after her allotted time she got back to her high score on Tour of Duty.

Chinatown

She loathed her father for making her do things his way. His thrifty habits had the opposite effect on her. She liked to spend, to shop and was an unabashed materialist. She turned her eye to survey the superficial improvements she could make to the dismal scenario. She would show him. And to her surprise, he would love her for it.

Window View

The air conditioner blasted across her face uselessly. Her heart seemed to make her body pump out sweat in places she never thought possible so she twisted and turned the air nozzles to dry the nooks and crannies. She wasn’t sure whether she was going to throw up or if her heart would simply jump out of her throat. It was the first time she was going to see him in the flesh.

Concrete Building

When he was out in the open all the armor fell away. Life in the concrete canyon made him hard, it was etched in his youthful face, tensed unnaturally along his lanky biceps and wound his insides tightly. He was nervous about getting to know this new person within himself. Part of it was freeing, the other absolutely terrifying. He unclenched his fists and took a deep breath.

Motorcycle

It represented a lifestyle that even he had to admit, was long gone. Less pleasing than it had been in the past, he clung to it regardless as the last vestige of old times. He tried to justify hanging on, but came to the conclusion it must go. Surprisingly, he didn’t even cry when it was sold. The seduction of the shiny well oiled machine was over.

Window

It seemed like a good arrangement at first. She wanted to be close by in case of an emergency. But the idiosyncrasies of practically sharing living space was oppressive. The natural call to revert to childhood battled with her adult sensibilities. And conversely, he fought against their new roles just as vehemently. She also refused to get him a sub sandwich at 2 in the morning

The Blue Pool

The invitation to immerse herself was delicious. Once in, she felt she could go forever and relished the smoothness glide over her. Her guilt at leaving them behind dissipated as she experienced a rebirth of her independence. It was short-lived, a creature with inflatable wings splash landed on her and she laughed.

Headphones

Consciously he slunk into his own world. The ability to disengage from the rest of the world took supreme focus and special hardware. He insisted that his journey be music sodden otherwise it was worthless. Now he was in the zone.

Lappy

It was his first. He recalled the all-nighters, pouring his thoughts into its circuitry, pizza crumbs in the crevices, indiscernible streaks across the screen, and then a long life as a glorified coffee table. Now she said he had to get rid of it, it sounded like an ultimatum, but he knew better than to fight for it. He couldn’t stand someone else having it, so he picked it up and took it to his mother’s basement.

Ipad

He was desperate to get a leg up. It had been tedious trying to convince colleagues and family that he was worthy, talented and intelligent. His desire to clamber and climb had become a lifelong distraction and he wasn’t going to stop now. If this didn’t do it, he’d have to invent something else. His Trekkie sense tingled transporter

The Cop

He knew they would look. Pride surged from his chest as he paraded by in machine bellowing convoy. He had wrangled a childhood passion and made it his. But the pressure to maintain this stance, the prestige, the expectations, was a burden. And to top it off, he preferred croissants to donuts.

Pig Truck

There was a time when he wanted to hide what he did. Now he saw no shame in it, it was a noble profession after all, one held down by his namesakes for generations. He understood it was offensive to others. He was dealing with death and people turned a blind eye to that. In blocking that out, he too became invisible. And that he struggled to overcome.

Espresso

He wanted to focus on what she was saying but his mind had other plans. Her voice was imperative, wanting, demanding. Blocking it out could not only be blamed on his fatigue. Her tone was red with no hint of compassion and it made him forget why he loved her. Then suddenly she stopped herself, stroked his hand, and he looked up adoringly into her eyes.

Shopping Cart Lady

She had been pretending for years now. Her identity as matron was over and she was deep in denial. She continued to bake and cook for a family that didn’t exist. Ghosts at the Sunday dinner table. And with the pies laid out on the table she dug into the tub of ice cream accepting that she had to move on.

Wrenches

It was Dad’s private space. Why this was a secret was baffling to a little boy. With sneaking, innocent eyes he understood it in a literal way. As an adult he saw the true myriad meanings of his time spent here, why he needed to get away. For his father, this was enough to temper his soul. He had inherited it now and he knew just what he’d do.

Lakeview

Breathe. This was universally easy, a mantra, he had been told. Carted up here to relax, forced into it, he sat in the proper position and tried to do so. The surroundings were appropriate, picture book some might say, but it belied his noisy mind. The mental cacophony drowned out the calm his eyes took in. He gripped the bottle pressing on his palm with its dewy coolness and took a swig. That helped.

The Basement Poster

He cringed every time. His brother was intolerable and it embarrassed him when friends walked in. He amped up his weirdness to the hilt when he had an audience. It was clear he didn’t want to be identified with everything the family name brought. He embraced the black sheep stigma. Yet he refused to move out.

Parking Meter

She cursed city life.

Red Truck

He waited for his parents while staring out the back window of the parked car. Dreaming of becoming older he imagined the things he would do; drive shiny trucks with pretty girls in the front seat, wear cut off T shirts and mirrored sunglasses while leaning his arm out the window, feel the breeze rustling through his hair. Everyone would look and he would beam back. Then his sister whacked him in the head with her Barbie bringing him back to the stifling heat of the back seat.

The Couch

She was embarrassed when the morning illuminated things. Feeling kin to this clique had weakened and her strength to strike out came in clarity after her tequila haze. Though the evening’s revelry had seemed bonding it now reeked of superficiality. Dragging the night’s knots out of her hair with her fingers, she walked out without saying goodbye.

The Wire

Mama made her stay in again, confined to her room. How could she possibly understand her desire to see him? She explained to her friends, it was an electric connection, like a movie where the boy meets the girl and he gets her with a single steely blue-eyed stare. There was nothing she could imagine more than being pressed against him under the humidity of that heavy summer sky. She considered a high wire act to escape.

Hubba Bubba

She snuck out again without them noticing. She developed a sound technique that involved taking out her own garbage and eating copious amounts of gum. Mints didn’t work, Hubba Bubba was her trick, it’s fragrance hung heavily in the air, her own personal cloud of sickly sweetness. She wasn’t the only one hiding smoke breaks. She spied on him before deciding the skulker would become a comrade.

Night Car

They had made a pact. If she were ever in trouble, no matter what time, she would come and pick her up. The phone call had seemed nonchalant, few words were exchanged, but it was clear and she fumbled for her keys with her bleary midnight eyes. Through the traffic free nighttime drive her mind wandered to the worst scenarios for a teenage girl at a sleepover. Her mind was put at rest when her pajama-clad daughter got in and announced that she had forgot her stuffie.

The Pisser

He pulls his car over deciding for once not to let beauty pass him by. Leaning against the cold metal he gazes out across the green lumps of hills rolling far beyond his view. Absorbing nature he takes in the colours that had careened by him on the highway. Some seem natural in their place, others are so bright, as if they are fighting against the stalks that bore them. Then he takes a piss and keeps driving.

pure passion and utter horniness

They felt the need to make it a covert operation. The image they presented to the rest of the group was of respectable gentlemen of a bygone era, doting and doddering in full effect. But they snuck down to the basement in fanatic droves. The posters sparked memories of forgotten lives: the camaraderie in army barracks, wives long gone, and yes, pure passion and utter horniness. Turns out they this was just what the men at the retirement home needed to carry on

Paper Bush

The days were indiscriminate from one another. While change was inevitable and her conscious mind knew the day would come, it was impossible to see past what was presented on the grueling daily basis. Her eyes glazed over the interminable wait. The bigger question was whether the change would come based on outside forces or from within herself. She had her answer but she wouldn’t discover it for many seasons yet.

Tacos Esquador

The thing was she didn’t really want other people to know, to stare, to silently question and judge. Her life at home, cloistered indoors, was admittedly comfortable. That was becoming obvious each time she took a step outside where she endured a world of sidelong glances. She wanted to shrink inward, to become something she wasn’t. They hurt her feelings and her excursions became less. In any case, the restaurant delivered.