Mark Gagnon
Bio
My life has been spent traveling here and abroad. Now it's time to write.
I have three published books: Mitigating Circumstances, Short Stories for Open Minds, and Short Stories from an Untethered Mind. Unmitigated Greed is do out soon.
Achievements (1)
Stories (451)
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Our Family Photograph
Believe it or not, I remember posing for this picture all those years ago. I suppose the day stuck in my mind because we never wore our Sunday clothes unless there was a special event happening. Of course, back then, anything that didn’t involve chores could be considered a special event as far as I was concerned.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Families
A New World
The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. He was happy to share the special view with his sister, especially during the hard days that made her cry. This view, in particular, always brightened her soul.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Futurism
4001 A.D.
“Papa, come see what we found! You have to see this right now,” said Ben with every ounce of excitement his seven-year-old voice could project. Jack was replacing the missing thatch on the roof of his adobe two-room home, and really didn’t want to climb down, but he’d never seen his youngest son so excited. Last night’s wind and rain storm had done extensive damage to his house and barn, but he knew he would get no peace until he looked at this wondrous discovery.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Futurism
Men vs Socks
Last week, a group of people gathered in the hotel lobby where I work. They were waiting for their ride to a company Christmas party. The women were dressed in elaborate evening wear, covering just enough of their bodies to stay legal, but not enough to hide much else. The men wore the usual suit or sports coat and slacks. Some had ties, while others sported open-shirt collars. What many of the men were not wearing were socks.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Styled
Distortion
Wayland strode purposefully along the nearly deserted city street. The lack of fellow pedestrians worked to his advantage and disadvantage. He should be able to spot a tail sent by the opposition, but there was no crowd to blend into should he need to duck out of sight. In his line of work, every plus came with at least one and usually multiple negatives. The game, as Wayland liked to call it, generated an adrenalin rush he found intoxicating.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Da Funk
Humans stink. If you have to spend time in an enclosed area with people who haven’t washed for four or five days in a row, you can confirm this statement for yourself. Maybe that’s why most other animals have a keener sense of smell than we do. They know where coming long before we reach their location because of our unpleasant odor. Hence the reason soap was invented. Also, soap is the reason Jason became the richest man on the planet.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Humans
Land of the free?
A short time ago, one of my coworkers invited me to attend an online workshop designed to help people learn to speak or improve speaking a second language. She asked me to join her because she thought that my struggle with learning to spell, starting from kindergarten to the present day, might inspire people to continue with their quest to learn English. She felt that my being a published author is proof that language obstacles can be overcome. I was hesitant at first, unsure if my story had any real value to complete strangers, but in the end, decided I would give it a shot.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Journal
Unmasked
It’s really disappointing to me that this pandemic is ending, and everyone is unmasking. With my mask, I could move through crowds of people unnoticed, just one unremarkable person adrift in a sea of humanity. Unfortunately, my life is gradually returning to the hell it’s been since I was 4 years old. People will once again look at me and stare. The careless person who caused the crash walked away unscathed, but not me.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Confessions
Box in a Box
Marty made his daily pilgrimage to the mailbox. As usual, it was crammed with one or two bills that needed paying and a plethora of junk mail. By far, the biggest offender of landfill stuffing is the funeral industry. He always received at least two and up to five letters per week, inviting him to various restaurants. After attending a seminar about burial and cremation options, he was offered a free meal. Marty never thought that caskets and chicken pot pie complimented each other, but apparently morticians do.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Reality Check
Now that was a well-deserved weekend off! My back and legs were just killing me, not to mention my arms felt like they were about to fall off. Yes, I really needed this long weekend just to pull myself back together. All the stress and strain that comes with my job would cause someone made with a poorer quality of material to just give up and collapse in a heap.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Minute by Minute. Top Story - December 2022.
This was it. The day that was circled in red on my calendar. I reluctantly opened my eyes after a restless night’s sleep, knowing what awaited me. Simple denial, procrastination, appeals to higher powers, none of it worked. This was my fate, and I had to accept it.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Destiny vs Legacy
I had entered an obscure writing contest a few months ago and promptly forgot about it. Entering contests has become a hobby of mine, and writing stories is a way to pass the time. I’ve never won or even come in a distant third because the judges never seem to see the mastery in my work. Of course, it might just be that the stories aren’t that good. Whatever the reason, I’ve remained a loser until now.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in The Swamp
