The Appeal of Tiny Stories

 There is much appeal in short stories. They provide tiny windows into other worlds. It is important to expose student writers to their charm. It serves to add an extra dimension to their writing options.


Story 1

On Hold

'I’m standing in a crowded shopping mall waiting to order my lunch from a sandwich bar/deli; the kind where they build your sandwich from an assortment of fillings. My order is taken and I stand back waiting for the sandwich to be completed. A man standing beside me begins to order his lunch from the person serving behind the counter keenly awaiting his order. As he begins to relay his order, his phone rings. He dives into his pocket and extracts his phone of choice and holds up a hand to the woman before uttering ‘Hang on a minute.’ She immediately stops sandwich construction duties, and stands as if in suspended animation for what seems an eternity. Her serving tongs are held like a torch in the air while phone man attends to his phone message. The woman says nothing. She is frozen mid order. An interminable time passes with phone man glued to his phone listening, still listening. All the while the woman waits. Her eyes though, begin to betray her disquiet at what is taking place here. She says nothing. The man finally lowers the phone from his ear and resumes calling his order. No apology, no explanation. The woman with incredible restraint and good grace, resumes her duties and completes the order. Entitlement writ large.'


Story 2

Chase Of The Day

'Two plastic bags get picked up by a sudden gust of wind and blown down the beach. Young woman jumps off her banana lounge and charges after them with spirited intent. The bags blow in separate directions making pursuit difficult, they frolic and tumble along the expansive beach front, rising and falling under the spell of the constant wind gusts. The woman persists with the zeal of a starving hunter. Some 200 metres down the beach she finally runs down the pesky plastic floaters, snatching them both with delight. She then walks triumphantly back to her beach lounge,  and resumes her intended beach mission. Go you good thing! That's one for marine conservation...'





 


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