short-story

Seed becomes tree, son becomes stranger.

Mike,_ she said in her most seductive voice. __ou know and I know that I want to get laid tonight. It__ been too long since I__e been with a man. I__ interested in one room in this apartment and one room only.

His lips turned upward. __an told you to lick salt off me, but he didn__ say where you would be licking the salt from.

I have nothing I want to ask you, and if I did, you would probably lie anyway._____ drunk. Drunk people tell the truth.___ike hell they do. Besides you__e not that drunk.___hen dare me something.__ snorted. __o, because I__ not that drunk, or stupid.

But the fantasy kingdom and trappings of success soon lost their luster, as I discovered that the most prestigious and remunerative of my resume's way stations was also the most tedious and unfulfilling I had ever experienced. This paradox only made me more morose about modernity. Why was I going to watch my hairline recede in front of two-thousand-line spreadsheets staring at me from cold, glowing monitors? Why was everyone in my office apparently so happy to be spending so many hours there, when the things they really cared about - people, pets, pastimes - were all relegated to a few photographs on their desks? That seemed to be the formula: spend the best years of your life in an office with photos of what you really care about.

Youth is marked by a breathtaking novelty that diminishes with each year of age - until life becomes a delusive struggle to break routines, escape the ordinary, and rediscover the joy of discovery.

Ah, what happiness it is to be with people who are all happy, to press hands, press cheeks, smile into eyes.

I__e never been a believer in fate. I like to think I__ in control, that my life hasn__ been plotted out ahead of time. Sometimes all it takes is one wild thought, one brave decision to change everything. This must be one of those times.

Without warning, David was visited by an exact vision of death: a long hole in the ground, no wider than your body, down which you are drawn while the white faces above recede. You try to reach them but your arms are pinned. Shovels put dirt into your face. There you will be forever, in an upright position, blind and silent, and in time no one will remember you, and you will never be called by any angel. As strata of rock shift, your fingers elongate, and your teeth are distended sideways in a great underground grimace indistinguishable from a strip of chalk. And the earth tumbles on, and the sun expires, and unaltering darkness reigns where once there were stars.

I don__ know what else to say.""There is nothing else to say. A few minutes of words can__ change years of absurdity.

I engage in subtle stalking. That's entirely different and perfectly socially acceptable.

The truth is I__ a chicken shit coward who__ afraid of a girl like you. When I__ with you, I want things I never thought I__ be able to have, or deserved, and that scares me a little. I__ just a regular guy who works in a bar and you__e this beautiful person who shines brighter than the stars.I think I just made up some cheesy poetry so I__l stop while I__ ahead.If you feel like talking, give me a call. ~DSophie sat down on the floor and, through blurry eyes, reread the note so many times she had it memorized. She was going to do more than give him a call.

Let__ start over shall we? Hello gorgeous. I__ Justin McKinley. I__ head baker at Le Chef Petite. I__ love to get to know you better. Can I seduce you with my vast knowledge of sweet and sensual desserts?__licia couldn__ help it. She giggled. One of those girly, I__e-been-flirting bubbly

Shh, mi amor. The neighbors will hear and call the police.

Have you ever done something so far out of your normal behavior that it was freeing?_ She wouldn__ plead, but she wasn__ above a little coercion. She whispered into his ear and gave the lobe a quick nibble. __ mean. We__e stuck here together. I like you a lot and have talked to you more than anyone else in a long time. If this was a date I__ be thinking of letting you into my apartment for a nightcap or whatever it is people call it now. Want to throw morals and all that out the window for a little bit?

You will get exactly what you deserve Polly,_ comes the firm reply, __ou can trust me on that_ But if you do _ trust me I mean _ I promise you an unparalleled climax._ She pauses, gazing deep into my frightened green eyes. __t__ your call Polly, all yours.__ allow my aching body to decide for me.__unish me please, mistress,_ I say in a very small voice.

She knew there were only small joys in life--the big ones were too complicated to be joys when you got all through--and once you realized that, it took a lot of the pressure off.

Hmmm,_ you muse out loud. Your voice is deep and carnal, a sound which sends new surges of desire rushing to my sex. __hese balls are awfully dusty - if only I knew a little slut who was good at polishing balls_