The Story of a Rose

About two years ago, I bought my daughter Kathy a Betty Boop Rose for her birthday. As she adored roses and loves Betty Boop, it was the perfect present.
We planted it in the back garden of the house we lived in then, and waited hopefully for her to bloom. Alas, she did not. She didn’t [...]

Portrait of a Husband

It was said that Madolyn and Anthony were the perfect couple; although, to be fair, it was Madolyn who said it most often.
She never tired of describing their first meeting. They had been students, she studying art, and he economics. He had pursued her with champagne, roses and midnight strolls along the riverbank. She had [...]

So Five Minutes Ago

“I’m telling you this is the greatest thing since
sliced bread. It can’t fail.”
Misako scooped the froth off her cappuccino with a
spoon and slurped it between her lips. Kate watched
her warily. Friends since junior school, she had often
been caught up in Misako’s get-rich-quick schemes and
regretted it.
“How much will it cost me?” she asked now, as Misako
attacked [...]

The Bountiful Farmer

Once in Ireland long ago, there was a family of tinkers; himself was called Fergus, herself was Shula, and they had a brood of children, each named after a Saint in Holy Catechism.
Fergus and Shule never bothered to count their children. On a bright sunny day when the young ones were out playing and the [...]

Revenge

Revenge is a dish best served cold. That’s a quote from Star Trek. Don’t tell me otherwise, I know.
If you had been forced to watch every episode of the original series, every movie in the franchise plus the endless TV spin offs, dozens of times over, you would know too.
Don’t get me started about the [...]

Mrs Mountjoy

When the policeman knocked on Mrs Mountjoy’s door in Palomar St, curtains twitched in the neighboring houses. There hadn’t been a policeman on her doorstep since Mr Mountjoy left, some years before.
Young Ellen Mountjoy opened the door, and screeched back over her shoulder.
“Mam, the law’s ‘ere!”
Such a summons might have flustered a weaker woman, but [...]

Dirty Deeds

Lena Lamont was a dame to die for.
She came into my office like a dream walking and draped herself over my desk. The low cut neckline of her tight red polka dotted dress gave me a view that made me choke on my donut.
“Mr Scanlon, I’m a desperate woman, I need your help,” she [...]

Damned Vampires

Damned vampires. Always whining.
“Being immortal’s not all it’s cracked up to be – how would you like to live forever and watch all your loved ones dying off?”
Tell someone who cares.
I’m 400 years old, and still enjoying undeath. But these younger vampires – they always have to be the victim, always complaining about something or [...]