Robindcr8l

I knew I was too old to still be bar-hopping, but I couldn’t resist the invitation from my younger coworkers. At forty-four, it was flattering just to be asked. I’d be young again, and one shot of whiskey would make me ten feet tall and bullet-proof. In the end I was only deceiving myself.

We met at a place called “The Monkey Bar” famous for the tortured pet who was forced to live in a cage and breathe in stale beer and second-hand smoke. I flirted like the twenty-somethings, and tried to be impressive. But ultimately some fluffy blonde would steal my thunder, and I would strike out. I found myself staring at that poor monkey whose expression begged to be saved. I had some nerve, pretending to be one of them. That monkey and I were stuck in the same box, breathing the same poison. Smooth as a twenty year old I unlatched the cage, and we both bolted to freedom.

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Bravo ... the great escape! I wonder what became of the monkey ... anything would have been better than that existance.

Robindcr8l

Login, somewhere near Boise Idaho this bar actually exists. I haven't ever been there, but my good friend went there once and told me of the poor creature. It's sort of haunted me ever since. Even though I have never been there to see him in person, it's a regret of mine that I've never done anything to rescue the poor thing. It's appalling to think humans would treat another living thing like that.

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That's what I feel about those creatures sent into space ... but I have to accept that space exploration would probably not have come about if it hadn't been done.

kmkagle

Good story - how about an escape from certain characters that you ended begrudgingly going bowling with?

kmkagle

Robin - loved your story, short and sweet! Very good.

Dragon

Ok here's a last minute one.

Storm Woman

“I had that dream again.”

“Oh, the one with the blue monkey trapped in the bullet-proof box?”

“No, the one with Storm Woman. She was really quite impressive last night. She stood before me on a stark, dusty plain and her silvery hair blew all around her like she was at the center of a tempest though not even the slightest breeze touched me. Her expression was smooth, but that was deceiving because I could tell she was angry with me. She opened her mouth to speak but instead of a voice only rumbling peals of thunder came out. I got closer than I ever have before, and when I reached out she looked at me with those blank sparking eyes. She reached back to me, when we touched I could feel energy moving through my every nerve like she was a lightning strike and I was her conduit. It was so eerie.”

“Well at least she wasn’t a blue monkey. More tea hon?”

charityb98

WOW was this week's entries amazing!! There were few pieces, but all of them great! It's a really hard choice to pass the torch!

Dragon: I don't know if we are similar people or what but I can personally identify with all of your pieces!! Thunder box - I L O V E Nascar, so yeah, could feel it...makes me think of Talledega nights though...THERE'S A COUGAR IN THE CAR!! HAHA!! sorry...nevermind. Family at Risk was hilarious especially since the first time I read it I thought the kids were the ones telling the parents time for bed! And Storm woman was great, nicely written.

KM: Deception was a very thoughtful piece, what a person goes through when they pick certain careers.

Doug: Liver is a River was poignant, I have a friend who has struggled with alcoholism since he was in college, it's so hard...and please feel free to blog on my "dime" anytime I love literature and what it makes us feel and express and talk about. The doll house is incredibly creepy, *shudder*, why would you do that? We have these glowing crosses (they're solar or something) that people have started putting on graves around here, so you drive by at night and there are all these faint blue lights out there. Creepy!

Ron: "Funny that way" Wow. The way you wrote it so you were in his head, piecing it together like that. I REALLY enjoyed that piece. And I'm sure it wasn't your "best" or anything, but I think I admire it so much because I would have never thought to write something like that. I know my own limitations and the "fields" I'm comfortable writing in. It was just nicely done.

Robin: GO FREE THAT MONKEY!!! I Can't believe that's even legal! Poor little guy, he's probably hooked on nicotine now though from all that second-hand smoke, if you broke him loose you'd have to have a pack or two to get him through the withdrawals!!

Enough chatter, sorry, I just really enjoyed everyone's.

I'm passing the torch to Ron. Have fun!

anotherronism

Thanks Charity. It IS funny that way. This one was right off the cuff. But I enjoyed writing it and am glad someone enjoyed reading it.

On to a new list (you're all going to hate me btw