Category Archives: Fun

After bathing at Baxter’s

Always a great place to relax, recharge and get some heat during the cold season, and just half a block from Jack’s, where Grace treated us to some of her finest albeit eclectic California cooking. Lots of Lone Stars, tequila … Continue reading

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From the memoirs of an addict II

In the late eighties I was addicted to crime novels, basically of any style – police procedure, noir, hard-boilt, single shamus, animal detectives, stuffy British, you name it. Even though I usually had plenty of work as a language traitor, … Continue reading

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A nice ending for a novel

And so they stood there hand in hand watching the waters of the river flow by until they got bored and left. – James Steerforth Author’s note Novelists usually attempt to wrap up the novel with an ending that packs … Continue reading

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Striptease

I swear to God I didn’t want to go. My mother told me that those things are sinful and play on the desires of the flesh. I really didn’t want to go. But the guys in my department said don’t … Continue reading

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Daisy said

Where would I find glass slippers nowadays? – I’d make such a wonderful cinderella! – James Steerforth (© 2018)

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For hire

You see, my immense success is all due to that watch – it all started with that watch, which projects just the right image of wealth and manliness. And now I’m the owner of a nice red car, a monkey … Continue reading

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The WTF poem

“WTF – I wonder how that is pronounced…” “Not that easy to say, it being Proto-Srpko-Pannonian. Not at all what you would guess from the spelling. Probably sounded like hwiss, the final f generally being mute for all we know.” … Continue reading

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Happy ending

That’s what YOU call a happy ending: you plundered our joint bank account, maxed out our credit cards and ran off with the Austrian masseur who looks like Arnold reborn and is twenty-eight years younger than you. While I’m home … Continue reading

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I could definitely like that cutie

“Hey!” A short-haired blonde with freckles and a turned-up nose had come to a stop to let her Labrador or whatever that big black thing was take a dump at my entrance. “Yes?” “Better clean that up!” A mischievous nod … Continue reading

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From the memoirs of an addict

… so I found myself taking trains, hopping on buses, taking my car through streets where I knew I’d get stuck in jams to have that extra time I needed for smartphone activity that I could not justify otherwise. – … Continue reading

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The claims to fame contest

“So what’s your biggest claim to fame? I mean, meeting a famous person, something like that.” This seemed an odd question considering we’d just met, having cocktails on adjacent stools at a Bahamas beach bar, but I decided to play … Continue reading

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Wuthering Quotes

The useful word wuther, which has gone out of use somewhat since its heyday in the 19th century, should be revived and not be restricted to heights* alone! To illustrate how it can be used, there are some literary quotes … Continue reading

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Out harrowing

I’d been out harrowing since early morning and was happy to see Maisie walking up, carrying a basket. A break was most welcome. I parked the tractor at the edge of the field and climbed down. “Am I happy to … Continue reading

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Nostalgia

Life was so resonant in the Obituary Age at Mount Placid… – James Steerforth (© 2015) Three words – obituary, placid, resonant – from 3WW integrated in a piece of nostalgia that is as fake as nostalgia usually is and … Continue reading

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Identity crisis

If anyone’s entitled to an identity crisis, it’s caterpillars. – James Steerforth

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When shall we three meet again?

When shall we three meet again? (William Shakespeare, Macbeth) Said Fatal: “Never!” Said Glimmer: “There’s always a glimmer of hope!” Said Impartial: “Whom can we get to vote on this?” – James Steerforth (© 2015) Written around fatal, glimmer and … Continue reading

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And still bouncing …

Marie-Claire found the bouncing of Monsieur La Clampe on the elastic deeply amusing. The most satisfactory part of it was that it looked like there would be no end to it – the amplitude of the up-and-down movement did not … Continue reading

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Circles are round

“But I said that first!” “Yes, possibly. I don’t recall.” “You damn well know it’s the truth.” “Possibly. But that doesn’t change the fact that it made me famous, not you, and that I’ll always be remembered for saying it.” … Continue reading

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De profundis

I always have moments of insight of enormous profundity, and they frequently occur in very ordinary places, like a supermarket, doctor’s office, parking lot. Yes, particularly in parking lots. – James Steerforth (© 2015) It’s National Poetry Month, and today’s … Continue reading

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There they were, sincere businessmen

There they were, sincere businessmen, these uncles of mine, sitting around a table in that yellowed 1950s-style office, smoking their cigars and making decisions about me. “He does an OK job,” Otto said. “Usually,” Ernest qualified. “But his tools are … Continue reading

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