Exasperated, Len let off some steam by writing a sudden rush of flash fiction stories, each of which took the form of converations with his children or grandchildren. We've grouped them all together here.
I
“Sorry kids, tonight’s story will be fiery, because I’ve just received an Email from the publisher saying he is no longer going to publish our stories.”
“What, didn’t he say he’d already printed them and would present them at book meetings,” said Pete? “
“Does that mean no story tonight,” said Andy?
“Yes, to you P and no to your A.”
“Goody, then Claudia and I haven’t come over for nothing,” said Audrey.
“Remember, you promised to tell us a naughty one based on Eric’s FFF, Mom’s out tonight so won’t know,” piped Henry
“Good idea H, but where’s Hannah and Dani?”
II
“Kids, Johnson must be crazy because I really enjoyed my time with those women for hire. They were a group of delightful girls busy with a variety of different projects.”
“Projects - what do you mean?”
“Lassie M comes from a wealthy family, now in hard times. Her dad fell into the trap of internet swindlers, and since she had not finished her studies at the University of Edinburgh she joined this group of women-for-hire so that she could finish these. It pays well.”
“Doesn’t that make her a prostitute?”
“You decide, your sister might have to join the group.”
III
“Dad, here’s another Email from Al Gore about joining Climate Reality.”
“Same ole same, I suppose.”
“Dad! According to Neil deGrasse Tyson in ‘Cosmos’ the build-up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere caused by heavy use of fossil fuels is real.”
‘My dear daughter you might be right but life is so easy for us oldies using fossils it’s hard for us to change. What about those circulating Emails telling us that more comes from one spouting volcano than we produce using fossil fuels.”
“Come on Dad, you a scientist knows better. Think of your great-grandchildren if not us and our kids.”
I
“Sorry kids, tonight’s story will be fiery, because I’ve just received an Email from the publisher saying he is no longer going to publish our stories.”
“What, didn’t he say he’d already printed them and would present them at book meetings,” said Pete? “
“Does that mean no story tonight,” said Andy?
“Yes, to you P and no to your A.”
“Goody, then Claudia and I haven’t come over for nothing,” said Audrey.
“Remember, you promised to tell us a naughty one based on Eric’s FFF, Mom’s out tonight so won’t know,” piped Henry
“Good idea H, but where’s Hannah and Dani?”
II
“Kids, Johnson must be crazy because I really enjoyed my time with those women for hire. They were a group of delightful girls busy with a variety of different projects.”
“Projects - what do you mean?”
“Lassie M comes from a wealthy family, now in hard times. Her dad fell into the trap of internet swindlers, and since she had not finished her studies at the University of Edinburgh she joined this group of women-for-hire so that she could finish these. It pays well.”
“Doesn’t that make her a prostitute?”
“You decide, your sister might have to join the group.”
III
“Dad, here’s another Email from Al Gore about joining Climate Reality.”
“Same ole same, I suppose.”
“Dad! According to Neil deGrasse Tyson in ‘Cosmos’ the build-up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere caused by heavy use of fossil fuels is real.”
‘My dear daughter you might be right but life is so easy for us oldies using fossils it’s hard for us to change. What about those circulating Emails telling us that more comes from one spouting volcano than we produce using fossil fuels.”
“Come on Dad, you a scientist knows better. Think of your great-grandchildren if not us and our kids.”
