Just a Few Short Shorts (standard:other, 2070 words)
Author: hvysmker	Added: Dec 24 2003	Views/Reads: 3512/2405	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A few short stories from prompts, they just seem to pile up and are too short to put on by themselves.

Just a few pieces from prompts I would like to share.
****************************************** Sam's Diner 

“Sam's Diner” was famous for it's blue plate special.  Twice a week Sam
served a Meatloaf Plate that brought him more customers than he could 
comfortably serve.  They would line up outside his little diner, 
waiting to get one of the ten available stools.  Sam's diner was too 
small to have any booths, just ten stools and a jukebox. 

Sam was careful not to let the cook see him mix the meatloaf.  It was a
special recipe that he had developed over the fifty years he had spent 
in his long cooking career.  He would even have to be careful when he 
hired the cooks.  His competitors often offered Sam money for the 
recipe.  They were afraid old Sam would die without writing it down.  
Sam trusted no one.  He closed the diner and chased the cook and 
waitress out while he mixed his creation. 

He bent over his latest creation, as he took it out of the oven, his
droopy mustache inches from the loaf as he ingested the odor.  To his 
relief, the odor was just right.  He carefully cut the loaf and stacked 
the slices in his steam table, next to the mashed potatoes. 

Sam picked up his trash bag to carry out to the trunk of his car, before
the staff were due back.  He didn't want them to see the Alpo cans. 

********** The Garbage Truck 

Doris woke to the sound of the garbage truck down the block.. 

“I hope Dan put it out last night” 

She remembered that Dan couldn't this time.  Yawning, she got out of bed
and, hastily, dressed.  Going downstairs to the back porch, she shook 
her head at the large pile of garbage bags. 

“How do we get so much in just one week?” Doris wondered, picking up the
first and putting it on the little hand truck her husband had made for 
the task.  Filling the cart, she wheeled it out and unloaded it by the 
curb.  She had to return for another load. 

“Damn, one last bag, I have to make another trip.”  She wheeled the
second load out, and returned for that last small bag.  As Doris 
returned she heard the truck leaving. 

She saw a few pieces on the floor, including one of Dan's thumbs. “Damn
it.” 

******** Poor Nancy 

Nancy was in pain that Sunday morning.  The cord from an IV bottle
intersected the view through the window of her hospital room.  From her 
position, she could see the tops of trees.  The leaves  were sparse and 
colored by autumn's brush.  She missed her flower bed at home. 

Her bedside table was almost bare, holding only a bedpan and a couple of
old straws.  The little girl fondly remembered her flowers and the 
freedom of caring for them.  The hospital had been her home since 
Spring.  She tried to sit up but couldn't manage.  Nancy could hardly 
raise her hand to wipe the sudden tears out of her eyes.  Tears 
triggered by her memories. 

“How're you doin', princess.”  The nurse asked as she came into the
room.  “I'll bet you a million dollars you want some breakfast this 
morning.  How about it, honey?” 

“I don't think so, Nora.”  She whispered, with a forced smile.  “I'm so
weak this morning.  Can you fluff up my pillow, please Nora?” 

The nurse fluffed up the pillow, while holding up Nancy's heavy head. 

“I have a surprise for you, honey.”  She left and returned with a big
vase full of roses.  “I found them in another, empty, room.  They're 
all yours.  Are you in pain, princess?”  Nora placed then on the table 
near the window. 



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