Nostalgia City Mysteries

Mark S. Bacon

Tag Archives: short stories

What does “other stories” mean?

Reviews of Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words have been good.  One reviewer, however, lamented what he said was the scarcity of crime/detective stories in the book.  Honestly, it’s more than 50 percent.

But yes, “& Other Stories” means there are other genres represented.  Here’s a sample, with apologies to Robert Service.

Strange Things Done in the Valley of the Sun

I never understood why my neighbor, Sam, ever moved to Phoenix from northern Canada.  He hates the heat. In the middle of summer he complained bitterly, then descended into a deep depression.  His wife was concerned.

One day she called me, said Sam had disappeared.  She was worried he might have ended it all.

We searched the house, then I remembered the old chest freezer in their garage.  I threw open the top.

Sam was motionless, his flesh transparent like ice.

“Please close the lid,” said Sam. “You’ll let in the heat. This is the first time I’ve been cool.”

Tucson trail E

More flash fiction

This entry is a day late due–quoting an old-fashioned TV expression–to technical difficulties beyond my control.   I just returned from San Francisco where we visited three major museums picking up enough inspiration to last for months.

Inspiration for today’s sample comes in part from my first job in journalism.

 

Tank Towns

Blake steered his car down the country highway. On his forearm he wore a reminder of years past. He was taking his teenage son on a journey to explain who his father was. He owed him that, and more.

“Every little town we’ve been through has its own water tower,” said his son, Scott. “I see another one ahead. Is that where you used to live?”

Blake nodded.

As they approached the tower and the cluster of buildings around it, Scott read the lettering on the tank: “Centerville State Penitentiary.”

Blake involuntarily rubbed the prison tattoo on his arm.

Winter-like weather continues to plague the upper Midwest and other portions of the country, but it’s technically spring and even Minneapolis will have good weather soon.  Thus, here’s a (non-crime) story from Cops, Crooks & Other Stories that introduces spring in Minnesota.

Visiting an Old Friend in Minneapolis

Duncan looked for a place to park his new Lexus SUV.  Snow covered everything.  He drove to what looked like the front of the cabin.

“Walter, good to see you.”

“Come on in.  Make yourself at home.”

“Damn it’s cold. Why in hell do you live in Minnesota?  When I left Houston it was 75 degrees.”

“It’s just early March and starting to warm up.  It’ll be beautiful.  The ice on the lake is already getting thin.”

“Where is this beautiful lake you told me about?”

“Right out there.”  Walter pointed out the front window.

Duncan stared.  “Where’s my car?”