Tiny Stories

Abby skated, wobbly, dithering, toward Pete and the other boys. She passed, back and forth, within waving distance but out of conversational earshot. The falling snow rosed her cheeks and hid her blushes. Pete glanced, gulped, drew his hand from his coat pocket, started to wave... then put it back.

There once was a man from Nantucket. But this story isn't about him. It's about the gorilla who bit off his face. This gorilla, you see, was destined to be the first ape President.

But destiny's a funny thing. One day, he was caught cheating on his wife, which ruined things entirely.

Three-year-old Lillie spotted a large brick building. "That's the hospital where my baby sister is going to be born."

"That's not a hospital, baby. That's a cheese factory." her father said.

She mulled that over and reconciled it with what she knew.

“Why them doctors make cheese in there?”

It's the same thing every time. Bright lights, strange noises from the sky. Shadowy creatures. Grabbed, slabbed, stretched and strapped. Probed. Prodded. Injected. Run. Hide. Run. Hide. And then...

Dropped back in the box, to wait for the next time.

The things I do for cheese.