Short Story Library

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Archives for the ‘Offbeat Writings’ Category

In the eye of the beholder – By Rosemary Bach-Holzer

Published By Rosemary A. Bach-Holzer • Dec 27th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

 
Remember those prints called “Magic Eye” that were so hip and of the moment a few years back?
They looked like leftover wallpaper from the early seventies except they hid a treasure chest full of three-dimensional (3D) surprises and the key in which to unlock them was held in your very own hands. Or, should I [...]



Parlez-vous Deutsch? – By Rosemary Bach-Holzer

Published By Rosemary A. Bach-Holzer • Dec 6th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

As a language, German doesn’t do it for me. I think it’s both ugly and guttural. I didn’t speak German as a child despite growing up in a household consisting of one parent originating from north London and the other, Berlin. I might look upon it more favourably if I could speak it. I’m just [...]



Damon Hill, Doctor Kildare and me… still? – By Rosemary Bach-Holzer

Published By Rosemary A. Bach-Holzer • Nov 22nd, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

Part One
I’m supposed to enlighten you with an update? My fault, I suppose, for leaving my previous account on a real cliffhanger. What do you mean, not that you noticed! Hmm… I’m no longer in hospital. I made my escape, that is, I discharged myself after one night.
Not on my list of my most [...]



Technology? Don’t get me started! – By Rosemary Bach-Holzer

Published By Rosemary A. Bach-Holzer • Sep 27th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

The other day I was sitting next to Bob (ex-husband) going through some photographs (cats and I are temporarily staying with him) he had up on his computer.
These digital cameras have a lot to answer for. They have people taking an abundance of photographs most of which, if we’re honest, are pretty useless. We scrolled [...]



Confessions of a New York City Street Peddler (Part 3 of 3) – By Dr. Howard Karlitz

Published By Howard Karlitz • Aug 16th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

This is the final part of a three part series. To start from the beginning, here is part one and part two
Epilogue: A Play in Three Acts
Act I:
It’s a week after David quit for good. He’s on the corner Fifth Avenue and 42nd street talking to a hot dog guy about then Mayor Koch backing [...]



Confessions of a New York City Street Peddler (Part 2 of 3) – By Dr. Howard Karlitz

Published By Howard Karlitz • Aug 9th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

This is part 2 of the 3 part series. Part one can be found here
 
But it would be impossible to close this chapter of the story without some pain. There were two periods during that summer when David thought they had him. The first was during the Democratic National Convention, which happened to take place [...]



Confessions of a New York City Street Peddler (Part 1 of 3) – By Dr. Howard Karlitz

Published By Howard Karlitz • Jul 19th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

This is Part 1 of a 3 part posting which will be published over the next few weeks
It’s February, 1980, and David Gordon is standing in front of a class of delinquent kids in a South Brooklyn juvenile detention center trying to teach reading. While patiently guiding them through a short story called “Young Pablo [...]



Damon Hill, Doctor Kildare and me – By Rosemary Bach-Holzer

Published By Rosemary A. Bach-Holzer • Jul 5th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

This morning, due to lack of energy and a complete disregard for the creative process (I’m currently up a gum tree with my gumshoe) I sat down (well, laid down) to watch some old videos.
I’m not a fan of DVDs – so shoot me – neither is Ninja, my cat. She can’t eject them from [...]



Your Diner – Grant J. Bergland

Published By Grant J. Bergland • Jun 7th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

You know the place.
It is a vintage diner with stainless steel on the walls, bright red vinyl booths, and a percolating jukebox. Or it has cracked leather seats, patched with spiderwebs of duct tape and laminated menus with prices whited out and redrawn with unsteady lines. It is in a bustling city with people marching [...]



Mother Nature’s Wrath of Fire – By Mike Shusterman

Published By Mike Shusterman • May 24th, 2009 • Category: Offbeat Writings

[PERSONAL HISTORY]
More than three decades ago Mike Shusterman was a student working as a forest fire fighter in Northwestern Ontario. The story he tells is an insight into the dangerous and frightening work of fire fighters in the Ontario forests as they try to save people, lumber, towns and property. The fire fighting system he [...]