Grandmas Goulash

Men! Frosty really should have asked for directions.   They remembered gaining speed as they flew down the icy slope. How they got here was nebulous, but their fate was crystal clear.  Frosty had always been a bit of a risk taker, but he’d never done anything this flaky. 

  He’d failed math and couldn’t parse a sentence, but even James Bond couldn’t compete with Agent Racoon’s stealthy ways.  

  Light shot into the sky and leaves performed a glorious dance. She’d never guessed a single crank of her hand could produce such magic.

Mama couldn’t make an autonomous decision, so the family stoically endured another shopping trip.

The trees could see what had happened to their leaves.  His rider, however, had simply evaporatd.

He’d smelled so nice, when Mama packed him away. How to tell her old friend that he’d developed a musty odor? Do scarecrows bathe?

Ratty, an expert maze negotiator, quickly sensed something fraudulent. He was unprepared, however, for total pixel disintegration.

Facing croc-infested waters, Joe knew his death would symbolize his failure to heed Mom’s oft repeated warning: “Look before you leap.“

Their prototype “Jesus Bike” was going to need a lot more work.   Q. How many boys does it take to rescue a submerging bike? A. It’s difficult to quantify, but obviously more than three.

Accentuate the Positive   After years of carrying heavy loads, it was wonderful to be relaxing at the beach.   Eliminate the Negative   He might not have a home, but at least he had an ocean view.   Don’t mess with Mister In-Between   Some folks lived between a rock and a hard place. He was stuck between a sand ridge and a clam shell.

“Watch your posture.” Little Celly wished someone could stuff Granny in a pocketbook and see how straight she could stand.

Long empty halls, cleaned with ease.  No paper, gum or tidbit of cheese.  He lays down a mop, sits for a while.  Summer vacation makes him smile.

The greenhouse manager arrived at work one glorious spring morning to find hundreds of seedlings splattered on the doorstep. Potting the unidentifiable sprouts, he offered them for free to shoppers who purchased other items. Before the week was over, the plants had disappeared and sales had boomed.  Gloria leaned back with a sigh of relief. She’d had to work late, but the boss’s last minute assignment wouldn’t ruin her plans for the weekend. Maybe she’d even trim her plant. Hard to believe the freebie seedling had grown so big in two years.   The latest strangling victim was found by coworkers on Monday morning. Police suspect a serial killer.   Two years before, they escaped their dying planet, churned through space and made a crash landing. Now the green aliens felt their power return. Soon they would control this new world.

Her starving children swarmed like birds of prey.   “What’s for dinner?”   “Vulture Stew.”   “Isn’t our brother coming?”  “He’ll be there, children.”

Eyes locked and spirits meshed. As a man, he would fondly recall the friendship kindled that day and mourn the passing of a kindred soul.  Sorry that I can’t read you a story. Next time, I won’t forget my Kindle. 

Had that been a boat sinking beneath the waves? If only they had their computer – they could just scroll down to sea.

Once they’d been the yardstick for transportation. Now they belonged to the pawn broker and the horse next door had the last laugh.

Eyes glowing with fear, pointy-headed aliens watched the smoking beasts charge. What cruel muse had directed them to this strange planet?  Some laughed, when they saw the hospital sign before the rails’ intersection. Passengers on the colliding trains, however, were not amused.

He was surprised by her complete disdain for him. She thought he was a bit nutty.  This week marks the fourth anniversary of Succinctly Yours. Our numbers have had their ups and downs over the years, but this is the first week that no one has come to join the party. The week is not over yet, so I’m still hoping. If not, it will be a truly succinct gathering!

The tower stood strong against the force of time, while weary humans limped through the “spring forward” time change.

An ideal world would have no water-filled pools. If you find one, just use your claws like this.

Not a night for the faint-hearted. Thirsty’s owner contemplated his empty bar. The plow driver would be his only customer this evening.

Bessie waddled through snow for a drink, but slipped into the water’s deceptive depths. Mother Nature kept her memory fresh until spring.   “Looks like Bessie fell in the creek, son.” “What will you do now, Dad?” ‘Fetch some strong line and a hook. Maybe we can catch some ice cream.”  

“A penny for your thoughts, my friend.” “I think inflation has raised the price to a quarter.” “I’ve been walking in circles. Is there any way to get off this mountain?” “Walk down, not around.”

Mildred had ignored the taboo on winter cycling until she hit the wall. They’d met in spring and by summer they were inseparable. Months passed and the romance began to cool. Now it was frigid. 

Egbert worked hard on his first party, but guests left early. Vague echoes about scoring some coke. He shouldn’t have bought Pepsi.  Tom’s thrill over his first party invitation quickly turned to horror. No one told him he’d have to stick his face in a bucket of water.