The space station had the shape of a vast ring, or perhaps a doughnut, or better yet the wheel of a bicycle. It was a narrow torus, connected by four spokes to a central hub. The station rotated slowly about the hub, like a bicycle wheel being pedaled by an unearthly titan, and the centrifugal force created by this rotation provided simulated gravity to those who dwelt inside the ring.
Archive for August, 2009
The paperboy wore a jacket that was a little light for the weather, but the work of riding his bike kept him warm. The basket attached to the bike’s handlebars was filled with newspapers folded to most efficiently fill the limited space available. The boy’s breath was visible on this early spring morning. His legs pumped, and he flung papers to the left and to the right. His aim was good, so the papers usually landed on the stoop or close to it.
The couple sat at a table at a gourmet restaurant. The conversation passed easily and comfortably as they finished their shared appetizer and their first glasses of wine. The man was wearing a sport coat over a white shirt with the top two buttons undone. The woman wore a casual blouse and skirt.
The college student had taken a job as a counselor at a sleepaway camp over summer break. He wasn’t quite sure why he had taken the job, other than the fact that it was the first job to come along when he decided he absolutely hated the job flipping burgers which he had begun two days earlier.
The man climbed the stairs from the subway platform and emerged onto the crowded city sidewalk. It was the morning rush hour; there were a great many pedestrians rushing in both directions, and the weather was oppressively hot. The summer heat out here on the street was not any better than it had been on the subway.
The professor sat behind his desk, grading exams. The stack of exams yet to be graded was still much higher than the stack already completed. He was frustrated by how few of the students really seemed to understand the subject matter. He did his best to make his classes enjoyable and informative, yet the majority of the students were unable or unwilling to put forth the little effort that was all he felt should be necessary to excel in his class.
The toddler sat in the family room, surrounded by toys. The television was on, but it did not have her attention. Dolls, teddy bears, toy furniture all lay abandoned around her, played with and forgotten for the moment. She was struggling to make a tower out of blocks, and it was a daunting task.
The two men sat facing one another across the concrete chess table in the park. The younger man was wearing a thin sweater, but the slight chill in the autumn air was affecting the older man more. He wore a tweed sport coat, a scarf, and knit gloves with the fingertips cut off.
Vignette: First in a Series
Aug 13
The rumble of the car’s engine was beginning to grate on him, so he reached for the stereo and tuned in his favorite radio station. He knew the buttons well, so he did not have to take his eyes off the road. This was a good thing, because the sleet was coming down hard and wet, pinging off the windshield and roof of the car, and making the roads treacherous.
