Cherry Ice Cream

He had never seen her focus so intense. What began as a shrieking discovery had become serious. She stared at the creature, willing it to make a move. Her breath measured as she tried not to disturb it. But the time moved too slowly and she impatiently made a grab for it. He caught her hand and distracted her with the promise of cherry ice cream.

Geometry

She pretended it was no big deal but her heart sank. Her wonder with nature took a turn as she made the connection to man and animal. She picked up the offending material, that potential fish killer, so benign on land, so lethal in the ocean, and gripped it so tightly it cut her hand. Thus began her lifelong passion as keeper of the seas.

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.