Two Dollars!

“Hey Arlene, thanks for the shit you put me through this morning,” Fluvio growls. “What did I do now?” Arlene, our very pregnant waitress, exclaims. “You added two bucks to a tip and the customer called to complain.” “I did not!” Arlene says angrily. Fluvio hands her...

Puke

I’m driving to work when a wave of nausea hits me. I break into a cold clammy sweat. Every bump and swell in the road threatens to propel the contents of my stomach on to the dashboard. I have to throw up NOW. I pull my car into a gas station. “Where’s your bathroom?”...

Dead Man’s Tie

Its five minutes till my shift starts when I realize I’ve forgotten my tie. I duck into the thrift store run by some old church ladies down the block. It’s a good spot to grab replacement neckwear in a pinch. “We’re closing in five minutes!” the harridan manning the...

Gristle

My friend Lana and I are enjoying cocktails at Nice Matin on West 79th. After dealing with crazed yuppies all week it’s nice to sit down and be taken care of for a change. The place serves Mediterranean French cuisine. Good. I’m sick of Italian food. After we finish...

Sparrow

I’m standing outside. I hear a bird chirping. I look down. It’s is a baby sparrow. His song is fearful. A weakling, he’s been tossed out of the nest. His siblings watch from above. “Better you than me,” they seem to be saying. I reach down and scoop him up. He’s quiet...

Get Out

“I love you,” the woman says dreamily. “No, I love you more,” the man replies. “How much more?” she giggles reaching across the table to take his hand. “More than anything in the world,” he sighs. It’s way past closing. The Bistro’s empty. The staff is waiting to...