The naked fireman/farmer

 The heat was showing off, holding back the rain for too long. We need a good soaker, he told the air. Yep, a soaker.  He lived alone in a small cottage on his land, the place he was born and would undoubtedly die. He didn't have any of that air conditioning people talked about in town, just box fans that, in his humble opinion, just blew hot air around. Heat was nothing new for a farmer back in his day. No air-conditioned combines or fancy tractors, just a straw hat and a bandana that soaked up some sweat. I suppose you could say he had a farmer's tan, with brown arms and face and bright white on the rest of his body.

As the day wore on, the quiet was overwhelming, and even the smallest of creatures sought shelter from the relentless heat. He sat naked on his front porch, something he often did when the heat was on and soaked through his coveralls like he was about to burst into flames. He kept a jug of sun tea beside him on the old table he found buried in the barn and watched as the color turned darker and darker until it became a cup of hot tea. He dumped it out and went inside to get a cold beer that he drank down in two large swallows, then rubbed the empty bottle across his forehead for a moment until the glass heated up with everything else this day.
He must have dozed off until a clap of thunder so loud he jumped out of his chair and looked to see if the army was in his yard. Then a bolt of bright lightning pierced right through the old oak tree just feet away from him. Flames were burning the tree from the inside out, and he knew if he didn't do something, the massive tree could come crashing down on his cottage and him. He ran naked to the barn where an old fire truck pumper had been sitting covered up until the Fourth of July parade. He kept the water tank full for reasons unknown until that moment. He fired it up and drove the few hundred feet to the burning tree where he manned the hose and let the water flow. It didn't take him long to douse the flames, but little did he know that a news van had been going down the road and had seen the whole thing in real time.
Flashbulbs nearly blinded him as a reporter asked him questions, and he waved them away and off his land, telling them there was nothing to see. Well, that wasn't all the truth because the next day's hometown news showed him buck ass naked manning the old fire pump, with the caption reading No more farmers tan for naked farmer. Life went on as he had his fifteen minutes of fame, but the news faded away, replaced with stories of missing livestock, kids playing tip the cow, just the normal goings-on in the life of a farmer. People do stop by every once in a while to see firsthand the scorched tree with a burned-out section where the lightning hit. He didn't mind their curiosity, but he hated the fact that he couldn't sit naked on his porch anymore in that darn heat.

                                                                                          The heat was showing off, holding back the rain for too long. We need a good soaker he told the air yep a soaker.  He lived alone in a small cottage on his land, the place he was born and would undoubtedly die. He didn't have any of that air conditioning people talked about in town, just box fans that, in his humble opinion, just blew hot air around. Heat was nothing new for a farmer back in his day. No air-conditioned combines or fancy tractors, just a straw hat and a bandana that soaked up some sweat. I suppose you could say he had a farmer's tan, with brown arms and face and bright white on the rest of his body.

As the day wore on, the quiet was overwhelming, and even the smallest of creatures sought shelter from the relentless heat. He sat naked on his front porch, something he often did when the heat was on and soaked through his coveralls like he was about to burst into flames. He kept a jug of sun tea beside him on the old table he found buried in the barn and watched as the color turned darker and darker until it became a cup of hot tea. He dumped it out and went inside to get a cold beer that he drank down in two large swallows, then rubbed the empty bottle across his forehead for a moment until the glass heated up with everything else this day.
He must have dozed off until a clap of thunder so loud he jumped out of his chair and looked to see if the army was in his yard. Then a bolt of bright lightning pierced right through the old oak tree just feet away from him. Flames were burning the tree from the inside out, and he knew if he didn't do something, the massive tree could come crashing down on his cottage and him. He ran naked to the barn where an old fire truck pumper had been sitting covered up until the Fourth of July parade. He kept the water tank full for reasons unknown until that moment. He fired it up and drove the few hundred feet to the burning tree where he manned the hose and let the water flow. It didn't take him long to douse the flames, but little did he know that a news van had been going down the road and had seen the whole thing in real time.
Flashbulbs nearly blinded him as a reporter asked him questions, and he waved them away and off his land, telling them there was nothing to see. Well, that wasn't all the truth because the next day's hometown news showed him buck ass naked manning the old fire pump, with the caption reading No more farmers tan for naked farmer. Life went on as he had his fifteen minutes of fame, but the news faded away, replaced with stories of missing livestock, kids playing tip the cow, just the normal goings-on in the life of a farmer. People do stop by every once in a while to see firsthand the scorched tree with a burned-out section where the lightning hit. He didn't mind their curiosity, but he hated the fact that he couldn't sit naked on his porch anymore in that darn heat.

Mike  2026

                       
Mike  2026

One dance, one kiss

 Billy Holiday sings " I'll Be Seeing You " on the jukebox as soldiers and sailors have one last dance with the prettiest gal in the room.  Soon the lights will go on, and empty bottles, known as little soldiers, sit empty, and ashtrays are filled with smoldering camels and Lucky Strikes, all reminders of the night. The smell of perfume lingers in the air as those lucky enough to get a kiss smile on their way to uncertainty.

Brothers in arms stumble onto their ships and into barracks, waking those asleep with stories of the night. Pink and blue chiffon dresses and skin like silk as her head rested on your shoulder, the music going on and on, with every guy hoping and waiting for the last dance.
The punch bowl is empty, with only chunks of fruit remaining on the bottom and beer bottles too many to count, some on their sides as the last drops fall to the floor. Addresses were shared and tucked away with a promise to write, which many did, in hopes of seeing each other when the war was over.
Time passed, and victory was declared as soldiers and sailors came home mourning those who didn't. The USO welcomed them home with a victory dance in their honor. Girls in pink and blue chiffon dresses and cherry red lips danced with every guy who asked, some not quite the same as the ones who went away. Those carefree boys who told stories of their first real kiss with the prettiest gal in the room the night before shipping out seem distant now, but they still managed a smile as the music played on and the little fallen soldiers lay on their sides as the last few drops were spilled onto the floor.

Mike  2026

Mike  2026                                                        

A Mothers treasures

 A single light in an upstairs bedroom. A lady searching through a box of treasures she often had to look through. A single candle, bouncing shadows off the walls, and the smell of lavender took her back in time, when the days were filled with children's laughter and sometimes noisy family conversations over the dinner table.  With great care, she pulled items from the box, aware of their fragility, which could turn to dust if she wasn't careful. She sighed as she removed a packet of photographs wrapped with a rubber band, which she carefully undid, but the band snapped, and she set it aside. Each picture a memory, a feeling, a moment in time. It took time to see all of them as she held each one, reliving the captured likeness of those she loved. She pictured herself in the photos at that moment, with the others laughing together, allowing her to be young again, if only for a few moments.

She removed a stuffed animal, worn with age, as she softly kissed its face and briefly smelled her child, while other treasures waited their turn to come back, if only for a moment. A tattered box of checkers, a Yankees ball cap autographed by mickey mantel, and folders filled with a child's drawings and art projects like a birthday card with glued seashells that had mostly fallen off. So many things she cherished that wouldn't hold any value for anyone else but her. She didn't have to wonder where time slipped away; she knew it with every item she looked at, with yellowed photographs and tattered drawings. Everything that led to this night was her life in a cardboard box full of memories. Sleep was calling to her as she closed the box and slid it under her bed until the next time, as she blew out the candle with the scent of lavender and the smell of her child to comfort her.

                                                                 A single light in an upstairs bedroom. A lady searching through a box of treasures she often had to look through. A single candle, bouncing shadows off the walls, and the smell of lavender took her back in time, when the days were filled with children's laughter and sometimes noisy family conversations over the dinner table.  With great care, she pulled items from the box, aware of their fragility, which could turn to dust if she wasn't careful. She sighed as she removed a packet of photographs wrapped with a rubber band, which she carefully undid, but the band snapped, and she set it aside. Each picture a memory, a feeling, a moment in time. It took time to see all of them as she held each one, reliving the captured likeness of those she loved. She pictured herself in the photos at that moment, with the others laughing together, allowing her to be young again, if only for a few moments.

She removed a stuffed animal, worn with age, as she softly kissed its face and briefly smelled her child, while other treasures waited their turn to come back, if only for a moment. A tattered box of checkers, a Yankees ball cap autographed by mickey mantel, and folders filled with a child's drawings and art projects like a birthday card with glued seashells that had mostly fallen off. So many things she cherished that wouldn't hold any value for anyone else but her. She didn't have to wonder where time slipped away; she knew it with every item she looked at, with yellowed photographs and tattered drawings. Everything that led to this night was her life in a cardboard box full of memories. Sleep was calling to her as she closed the box and slid it under her bed until the next time, as she blew out the candle with the scent of lavender and the smell of her child to comfort her.
Mike  2026

Mike  2026

Father and son memories

 Remember this place, his grown son asked him. Of course, he answered, "This is the spot where you caught a fish with a stick and some fishing line you baited, wedged it between some rocks, then went exploring." His son laughed, remembering being told he not only caught a fish but a record-breaking fish with his crude pole.

Remember this place, his grown son asked him. Of course, he answered, this is the beach we walked for miles searching for treasures from the deep. We would take our treasures like one sneaker, plastic shovels and pails, pieces of ship's rope, broken surfboards, and whatever else we found back home where we'd hang them on the fence. I remember he said again.
Remember this place his grown son asked him? Of course I do, he answered. There used to be a bus station right over there, he pointed to. You were 16 years old that summer, and you were catching a bus to North Carolina to visit the girl of your dreams you met at a beach bonfire. You said you couldn't be without her, and your love was true. You played me pretty good; he told his dad and even bought me a ticket for the next bus just an hour away. I did, he said, hoping I could change your mind but leaving it up to you to decide. You climbed onto the bus, and I watched as you went out of sight, hoping I did the right thing by letting you go.
I remember you calling me, saying it was a mistake that her folks didn't welcome you and forbade their daughter from seeing you again. I told you I was coming home and was thankful for the bus fare you had stuffed in my pocket.
What else can you remember, Dad? His grown son asked. He was quiet for a minute, then, with a tear in his eye, he said he was sorry he couldn't remember more. He wished they had more time together, more laughs, and the little things like watching Sunday football together that meant a lot to him. But even after all these years, he remembers holding your hand as you walked through the forests like two explorers. Teaching you to drive a car, games of catch in the yard, and helping me do chores quickly so we didn't miss the father-and-son derby car competition, which we won for three years in a row.
Today they sit on a park bench, each with their own thoughts of years gone by, his son finally saying he does remember everything well everything that really mattered. Now multiply that by a hundred, and that's the amount of memories I carry with me about you, about us. How about a beer, Dad?" his son asked. "Maybe some wings," he answered. Sure thing, old man, as he took his father's hand and slowly walked away together towards another father-and-son memory.

Mike  2026

                                                                                  

Mike  2026

The kitchen window

 He watched her as she stood at the window, washing the supper dishes. He gave up asking her if she wanted one of those fancy machines that wash dirty dishes, but she kept saying no, so he quit asking. He remembers asking what she looked at outside that window every evening as she cleaned the greasy plates, and then cleaned them again as he told her she was going to wash the color out of them. " Just our world," she would answer, tossing him a cloth to wipe the dishes. He stood next to her, looking out at the two apple trees they planted when the kids were born, which, over time, produced the best apples known to man. And darn good apple pies, he thought to himself. They looked at the lawn, now pristine, and remembered it as a playground with a swing set and a kiddie pool. Bicycles deserted in the woodshed when outgrown. A few years ago, she got them out of the shed, painted them with vibrant blues and pinks, then picked bunches of wildflowers and wove them between the spokes. " Yard art," she told him with a smile; "memories," he replied.

Looking out the window was a movie she would re-run when their family was young. Picnics and play dates, birthday parties and graduations. Their eldest boy coming home on leave for Christmas, bringing his mom to tears, wondering who that young man is in a sailor suit. They looked out and saw their daughter with her husband and newborn child opening the car door before it even stopped, running towards them with open arms.
They stood at the window together, bringing back the memories of their lives until she told him the dishes won't dry themselves. He kissed her cheek and said They've been dry a long time, my love.

Mike  2026

A thousand stories

 I have reached back into my memory bank well over a thousand times. One thousand two hundred times, to be exact. Each very short story is a partnership of fact and fiction blended together to create something that some may find hits pretty close to home. That is my intent.

Some have said I need more spice in my writing, and my reply is that I want readers of all ages to enjoy my stories without being rated for mature audiences. There's plenty of that on the social media platforms, but not mine.

I'm a Boomer, born in the fabulous fifties; therefore, my stories often reflect life as it played out in my memories during those iconic times. I believe that everybody has memories that flash by, then fly away, never to be remembered again, so I try to capture them in story form, adding some bits of fiction to make things interesting. Each story is accompanied by a picture that I feel complements it.

My stories are only a few paragraphs long, hence the name Very Short Stories. Read a few on your lunch break or in the back seat of an Uber. Go back to times when life was less complicated but oh so interesting. Holding hands with your high school sweetheart, walking down a country road, kicking a can.Dancing at a school dance or making snow angels after the first snowfall of the year. There are stories about the seasons, holidays, and children's adventures. Your first car, first kiss, and of course your first love.

Very short stories aren't one story; they're thousands of stories, all unique in their own ways. I invite you to take a minute or two and visit my blog at mikeoconnorauthor.blogspot.com, then drop me a comment if you'd be so kind, as your opinions matter, good or bad. I'll see you between the covers. Book covers, that is.

Mike

Walking with Mom

 His kids and grandkids brought him to a special place in his heart where the trees reach to the heavens, and autumn leaves drift to the ground to join others that will soon be buried in a blanket of white. The smell of campfires and roasted hot dogs is pleasing, as the kids jump in the piles of fallen leaves piled high with a rake Dad brought along for just that reason.

They have been coming to this park since he was a toddler, with his first memory being Mom holding his hand and walking through the forest as she pointed out different names of the trees. But all he wanted to do was run and jump into the piles like his older siblings were doing. She let go of his hand, and he took off as fast as his little legs would run, falling more than once but finally reaching the pile and throwing himself into it, laughing and throwing leaves at everybody around him.
As time marched on, they went to the park on any given autumn Sunday with sunny skies and cool autumn breezes. The grill heated up as Dad announced it was finally time to cook. Mom brought out salads and cut-up fruit, as well as her famous baked beans, which Dad would heat before serving. There were cheese platters and crackers as well as plenty of chips and dips, making for a feast fit for a king.
When everybody had their fill, Dad would fall asleep for a nap as he always did, and Mom and he went for a walk holding hands until something caught his eye and found him running ahead, stooping down to look at a small snake. Will it bite me? he asked, and she carefully picked it up very gently, showing his markings that, in this case, was just a harmless garden snake out for a stroll like them.
As kids do, he grew up and had a girlfriend whom he brought with him to a Sunday picnic to meet everyone, and from the look on Mom's face approved of his choice. After eating, he took his mom's hand and walked into the forest, naming the trees and going back in time to when he jumped into his first pile of leaves or caught his first snake. Their walks were just as important as any other family tradition that was held close to their hearts.
Many years passed, and circumstances prohibited some Sunday picnics, but Mom always insisted on just one more in October, when the colors of autumn were those of an artist's palette she had to see once more. My sisters made all the food like Mom once did, and Dad passed on the cooking duties to my son while he listened to the game on his radio, and Mom told him to lower the volume as she couldn't hear herself think. After a while, Mom asked me if I was ready for our walk, which surprised me a little, as she needed a cane to get around, but she was determined, so off we went slowly into the forest, holding hands one more time.
As life has it, we all leave this world, and we rely on our memories to hold on to special people and things we never will forget. To me, one of my most vivid memories is my walks with Mom on a sunny autumn day, holding hands and being loved. So here I am again with a lot of laugh lines on my weathered face, a walking stick gifted to me way back when, and one last walk with Mom in spirit but all very real. When I pass, I've instructed my children to scatter my ashes in that beautiful place where my soul will rest, and Mom looks over me with an outstretched hand.

Mike  2026
Mike  2026