humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
Chary
As a middle-aged man sifted through a drawer of junk, he grazed something cool and smooth tucked along the bottom. With familiarity his hands withdrew a little black notebook worn from use. The pages were tattered some with coffee stains and others with salt from the ocean. There was a spark in his eye as he perused doodles, impressions, fears and woe. In that moment, he could feel just how taxing it was to save for the engagement ring and cash flow for the wedding. As he turned the page, he chuckled at the outlandish claim, “World’s Greatest Pilot!” Knowing full well, he had flown only a few hundred hours. A few pages further, there was a long-forgotten mistake that nearly cost him everything. Under his breath he muttered, “Why did you have to be so proud?”
By Ethan Keith Curry5 years ago in Humans
With One Sentence
I opened my eyes when the bus came to a halt, a quick peek out the window told me we hadn't reached my stop yet. I sighed, when I get my own vehicle I'll laugh at the bus as I pass it by. No more praying I had made enough tips to cover my bus fare. No more waiting in the rain or in the snow, just getting to where I want to be when I want to get there. I looked at the group of girls getting on, they were the loud giggly type and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. No more gossip girls. I reached for my bag next to me and saw a little black book peaking out from underneath it. It wasn't mine. I looked around seeing if anyone was watching me, everyone was sitting forward. I guess someone left it before I sat down? I shook my head, that was impossible. I always check both seats before I sit down. I've sat myself or my bag in something nasty one too many times. This was definitely not here before. On closer inspection it wasn't anything special. I shook it upside down... nothing fell out, but the sentence on the first page caught my eye.
By Allison Cain5 years ago in Humans
Rejection
Rejection has been a challenging topic for me since November 2019. I‘ve dealt with a lot of rejection which I will eventually go into in this story, for someone who takes things very personally and gets emotional about things. I take rejection quite personally, too personally.
By Annie Curran5 years ago in Humans
The Notebook of Hemingway Laurels-Bright
Ralph the Rascal had lived on the street for most of his life, and he was good at it. He was good at many things: he could read tarot cards, play the guitar and inspire hope in just about anybody. Ralph would say ‘the day you lose hope is the day you lose the war.’ He had been in the war and he knew a thing or two about that. He knew a thing or two about losing hope too. Hope is the human pilot light and it must keep burning against the dark.
By Jake Little5 years ago in Humans
Simple Request
Twenty thousand dollars to follow what is written in the small black notebook. Such a simple and curious instruction from his client. Kind of odd, but the check cleared so he didn’t complain much even though it was an odd order for his job, but hey, money is money. He opened the small black notebook as soon as he stepped outside to start this journey.
By Norman McQuinney5 years ago in Humans
Confession: I hid $20,000 in a little black book.
Confession: I hid $20,000 in a little black book. If you found it, you’re welcome. Curious? Let me say first - admittedly, 20k doesn’t go far these days. It would barely cover payroll for my small business. But for someone else just starting out as I did thirty years ago, it could be life-changing. It could be diapers, rent, no worries for a couple of months. It could be Jamaica, a wedding, a divorce, a car.
By Kathlene Quinn Kyle5 years ago in Humans
Teal is Her Favorite Color
The field is radiant, illuminated by large spotlights that separate it from the black and cold contrast of the late October sky. It’s Friday night in the small town of Bishop, California. Two teams line up on the line of scrimmage for the last play of the game as the scoreboard clocks down to 00:00. The booming voice of the announcer peeks up over the field speakers:
By J.B. Talamantes5 years ago in Humans
On Reaping On Threshing
The lanky man in the black suit closed the door gently and Tom could see now the thing left. Sitting before him was a small white pressed clean metal box. It’s code had been input on its shining metallic dials and now sat open. A thin sliver of darkness could be seen between it’s top and its bottom halves, only separated by a gleaming handle and the shadow of what appeared to be an open pocket sized black notebook. Tom thought to himself silently of the dialed code.
By Jason Anthony5 years ago in Humans
Bound
I’m a soldier. Sitting in the warm dirt of a newly formed crater. The world and its mistakes vibrate through me, grabbing onto my heart and holding it like a father saying goodbye to his child. I feel the infinitesimal weight of sweat rolling over my numb lips. My body shakes like the quaking earth beneath me, trembling under the weight of blood and metal. Bullets cut the air, reducing all sound to a deafening silence. My eyes scan the dirt and barbed wire. My hands grip my rifle, the tendons pulling on my bones and ripping through my skin. The agonizing scream of distant artillery rumbles from deep within the earth. With shaky hands, I remove a scrap of paper from my pocket. Artillery shells screech above me, reaching their peak in the night sky. I write a letter.
By Zack Diesu5 years ago in Humans
The voyage
One gloomy and foggy day there once was an old man and his grandson sitting on the porch of a wooden cabin that lie in the middle of a far away and distant land. The name of this land one may never know unless they search deeply and dare to embark down the mysterious path of secrets that many men have failed upon. However the name of this land or it’s location isn’t what’s important. Tarry along with me and we will both find out the moral of this story.
By Josef Schaefer5 years ago in Humans
