Image by Hamsterfreund from Pixabay Flash Fiction #135 "Can you persuade her? You are such a good girl, Venven, but your cousin Arlai is the exact opposite. Remember she went to Thailand for vacation and came back expressing her desire to be a Buddhist nun? Remember that? Then she tried to set up an animal … Continue reading The Truth Teller (Flash Fiction)
Category: Short Story
Lisha’s Outburst (Flash Fiction Continued)
Image by Prettysleepy Art from Pixabay Flash Fiction #134 "Oh, Lisha. Please stop." Mali groans. "Well, I think you should be the last person to care about real or unreal, given your record of..." Lisha says. "What are you talking about?" Mali is surprised. "I don't want to spell it out. You know what I … Continue reading Lisha’s Outburst (Flash Fiction Continued)
Lisha’s Outburst (Flash Fiction)
Image by Prettysleepy Art from Pixabay Flash Fiction #134 Lisha has reached the awkward middle age when she still has the desire to meet new people and to socialize, but she no longer has the youthful good nature to just enjoy a gathering without telling herself how hopelessly boring it is. However her daughter always … Continue reading Lisha’s Outburst (Flash Fiction)
It’s An Interesting Phase Everybody Goes Through (Flash Fiction)
Image by Quang Nguyen vinh from Pixabay Flash Fiction #134 "It's an interesting phase everybody goes through." Armei, Lulan look at their friend Pammy and reach a consensus. If somebody asks them what "an interesting phase" really means and why everybody has to go through it, neither of them can give a satisfactory answer. But … Continue reading It’s An Interesting Phase Everybody Goes Through (Flash Fiction)
What Can I Say To Her? (Flash Fiction)
Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay Flash Fiction #133 "Look, Ivy, nobody wants to tutor Susu. We are here to tell you that we don't want Susu." Lulan says. Ivy looks at Lulan, Tin, Cindy, and then the new employee San. They all look back at her while nodding their head to agree with what Lulan … Continue reading What Can I Say To Her? (Flash Fiction)
Rags To Riches With A Twist (Flash Fiction)
Image by Jeniffer Tan from Pixabay Flash Fiction #132 "The Free market is the most efficient, Loh." Mot says while reading the Financial Times in the main cabin of his yacht. His butler, Loh, standing behind him, is a little out of spirit, considering the fact that he might be dismissed and the yacht can … Continue reading Rags To Riches With A Twist (Flash Fiction)
Nunu’s New Job (Flash Fiction)
Image by Heike Frohnhoff from Pixabayy Flash Fiction #130 Nunu is a happy, gentle creature who has lived a life of simple cheerfulness. He runs a travel agency with his wife, which doubles as a translation office. It also offers services such as filling up forms for all kinds of local and international concerns. He … Continue reading Nunu’s New Job (Flash Fiction)
The Foxy Plan
Image by Monika from Pixabay Two girls, Banford and March, about thirty years old, bought a little farm together. In those days (about one hundred years ago when the story was written) such girls were considered old maid, with no prospect of ever marrying. Their lack of physical strength was described in detail by the … Continue reading The Foxy Plan
The Best Grandma (Flash Fiction)
Image by Hans from Pixabay Flash Fiction #129 "My Grandma Is The Best" --That's the title of her first composition in middle school when it was required of her, in her writing class, to describe a family member. Even those boys and girls who had the crazy version of dysfunctional families painted a rosy picture … Continue reading The Best Grandma (Flash Fiction)
Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction Part 3)
Image by AnjaGh from Pixabay This is the third and last part of the story. The first part is here and the second part is here. The end of June sees Chris starting his summer break and the family having sold their house in Mount Oak. Zina is still searching for a private school for … Continue reading Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction Part 3)
Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction Part 2)
Image by AnjaGh from Pixabay This is the 2nd half of the story. The first half can be found here. Soon after they settle down in the Mount Oak Township, Zina starts to feel that something is happening to her son Chris. He's not as chirpy and happy as before. When his mother asks him … Continue reading Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction Part 2)
Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction)
Image by AnjaGh from Pixabay Flash Fiction #128 "What am I going to do? Help! Help!" Zina talks to her friends Pammy and Lulan. Zina and her husband Kit Lee run a small business, which after years of struggle finally starts to turn a profit. They have three stores in New Jersey, one in Central … Continue reading Zina’s Game Plan (Flash Fiction)
I Want To Be A Monk (Flash Fiction Part 2)
Image by Judith Scharnowski from Pixabay This is the second half of the story. The first half can be found here. "To live with your mother?" Aryin stares at her husband with a bitterness that's more bitter than the herb medicine she has brewed for her weight loss and indigestion. "Remember last time your mother … Continue reading I Want To Be A Monk (Flash Fiction Part 2)
The Haunted House
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay Japan is well know for its orderliness, cleanness, safety, strict gun control, and its best lost-and-found program in every public place. However its politics is not so peaceful and uneventful as it seems. The prime minister's official residence (called Kantei) is a famous haunted house--haunted by bloody incidences in … Continue reading The Haunted House
The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction Part 3)
Flash Fiction #126 This is the last part of the story. The first part can be found here and the second part is here. I've tried to come up with a better ending, but so far I have been unsuccessful. Now I have no choice but to just describe the real life ending. It was … Continue reading The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction Part 3)
I Want To Be A Monk (Flash Fiction)
Image by Judith Scharnowski from Pixabay Flash Fiction #127 "I want to be a monk." Miz announced in the dinner party his wife Aryin held. He had threatened to become a monk several times before, but never had the conviction to carry it out. Aryin was furious. Why did he choose such a moment to … Continue reading I Want To Be A Monk (Flash Fiction)
The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction Part 2)
Flash Fiction #126 This is the second part of the story. The first part can be found here. Tiki had two partners in his mission to bomb the dam. Their first attempt at a moonless midnight was a failure since the Zaville people were quite vigilant. Guards and sentries were placed on different parts of … Continue reading The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction Part 2)
The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction)
Image by Franz Bachinger from Pixabay Flash Fiction #126 This is a true story but I used fictional characters and a fictional location--somewhere in East or Southeast Asia. Let's just imagine a group of people have historically lived around Lake Mashawa peacefully, with quarrels and skirmishes here and there, but all in small manageable scales. … Continue reading The Battle For Water (Flash Fiction)
Apple And Orange (Flash Fiction)
Image by RitaE from Pixabay Flash Fiction #125 "You cannot believe what is happening in our HOA." Crystal says to Pammy and Lulan. HOA means home owners' association. Every month, Crystal would come to New Jersey for a weekend to visit her friends Pammy and Lulan, away from the noise of New York City. She … Continue reading Apple And Orange (Flash Fiction)
The Breadcrumbs (Flash Fiction)
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay Flash Fiction #124 "That's called breadcrumb relationship." Lulan Says. "What do you mean by that? My English is no good and don't try to confuse me." Pammy says. "It means that somebody doesn't really love you, but he wants to keep you in arm's length, feeding you a little bit … Continue reading The Breadcrumbs (Flash Fiction)
The Value Of Misunderstanding (Flash Fiction)
Image by Pexels from Pixabay Flash Fiction #123 Ardan and Jasmin are Rutgers University students who work as part time waitresses in "Royal Seafood" restaurant in Edison. Dim sum is usually served during noon hours on Saturday and Sunday. "Do you know who that is? That's Symosa, the granddaughter of the famous poet Sytu. I … Continue reading The Value Of Misunderstanding (Flash Fiction)
A Story And An Analysis
Image by Ghinzo from Pixabay Let's just say her name is M. She told me a story, a true story, in which her mother's behavior really puzzled her. She was a teenager at the time, going on a vacation with her parents. Due to the holiday bookings or other inexplicable reasons, her parents ended up … Continue reading A Story And An Analysis
The Inflation (Flash Fiction)
Haoyan Do Cell Phone Picture Flash Fiction #122 Mu and his wife Nia have been practicing extreme economy recently due to rising inflation, to the point that their relationship is somehow strained. They used to go out for dinner once a week in a local restaurant, but that is considered too costly. Mu claims that … Continue reading The Inflation (Flash Fiction)
The Rivalry (Flash Fiction)
Image by Pezibear from Pixabay Flash Fiction #121 Between "Ivy Training Center" and "Step By Step Academy", there has always been a rivalry, which is well known in the Asian community. They are doing the same business with the same target market--they provide after-school academic training for students in middle school and high school in … Continue reading The Rivalry (Flash Fiction)
Where Are You Going? (Flash Fiction)
Image by adriankirby from Pixabay Flash Fiction #120 Yilan is a travel agent who runs a small travel agency in Edison, located in a strip mall right next to a big Korean supermarket. The pandemic is bad for the travel business, but somehow she has survived and now she expects 2022 will bring much better … Continue reading Where Are You Going? (Flash Fiction)
The School Bully (Flash Fiction Part 3)
This is the third and the last part of the story. The first part is here and the second part is here. When Nali and Meiru came back to school two days later, they were asked to go to the administrator's office immediately. Apparently Sulang and his mother had reported to the school that a … Continue reading The School Bully (Flash Fiction Part 3)
The School Bully (Flash Fiction Part 2)
This is the 2nd part of the story. The first part is here. Nali thought about how to get those books from Sulang, but it was just a thought. An obsessive thought, but still it's only a thought. It would never be put into action if it was not for the newcomer Meiru, who's parents … Continue reading The School Bully (Flash Fiction Part 2)
The School Bully (Flash Fiction)
Image by John Hain from Pixabay Flash Fiction #119 -- This story is modified from two real life events. Nali was an 11-year-old girl, living in the staff quarter of a rural university on the edge of Mongolian Steppe. Her mother worked there. The place was so remote that cars, buses, bikes, donkeys, horses, and … Continue reading The School Bully (Flash Fiction)
How Do You Know What Italians Think? (Flash Fiction)
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Flash Fiction #118 Pammy and her husband Pan have been talking about inflation regularly. They have two mortgages to pay, one for the house and one for Pan's new car. Their son Sam is growing and the expense is increasing. A school trip to Manhattan, a new swimsuit for … Continue reading How Do You Know What Italians Think? (Flash Fiction)
She Says And He Says Continued (Flash Fiction)
The first half of the story is here. "I want Arju to work, of course, but you know Joa, it is not as simple as that. Life is more complicated. If Arju works, our family income will go to a higher tax bracket. I calculated that. You know I'm a financial analyst. We would end … Continue reading She Says And He Says Continued (Flash Fiction)
She Says And He Says (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #117 Jinmu and his wife Joa have been running the restaurant "The Royal Garden" for years, which has a huge display of bubbly fish tank in the front, four two-feet-tall statues of folklore deities carrying luck, money, health, and longevity standing in a glass case by the wall, and several three-feet-tall indoor plants … Continue reading She Says And He Says (Flash Fiction)
The Sitting Problem (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #116 "I have always thought they have the best marriage and best relationship." Pammy says. "Me too. Well, blame the pandemic. I mean when they had two stores, each working in his or her own store, they had a model marriage. But you know they can't keep two stores. It's impossible these days. … Continue reading The Sitting Problem (Flash Fiction)
How To Ruin An Interview Continued (Flash Fiction)
This is the second half of the story. The first half is here. Lulan contacts the family whose boy got into Lawrenceville the year before and asks for tips. She is told to go on a social network group where Asian parents of Lawrenceville students or would-be-students exchange information. There, Lulan asks questions and receives … Continue reading How To Ruin An Interview Continued (Flash Fiction)
How To Ruin An Interview (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #115 Jan and her husband Tungus have had a wonderful relationship. They live happily together and they have a teenage daughter Cindy. However just like every happy family, there's a little dark cloud somewhere. For Jan, the dark cloud takes the form of her mother-in-law Artai who's very old fashioned. Artai looks down … Continue reading How To Ruin An Interview (Flash Fiction)
What Did The Psychic Say? (Flash Fiction Continued)
(The first half of the story is here) Lulan continues, "When Japanese companies set up a factory in another country, they copy their own factories in Japan as much as possible, down to the details of the factory layout and the hiring procedures etc. However South Korean companies are different. For example, Samsung. It has … Continue reading What Did The Psychic Say? (Flash Fiction Continued)
What Did The Psychic Say?(Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #114 "When my grandfather was forty years old, a psychic told him that one day Kai, who's his youngest daughter and my youngest aunt, would kill him." Lulan says. "Wow, tell us. That's an interesting story." Lulan's friends Pammy and Armei say to her. "My grandfather was born in a fishing village in … Continue reading What Did The Psychic Say?(Flash Fiction)
Mischievous Great Aunt (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #113 My great aunt Zu, my grandfather's eldest sister, had long been dead before I was born. Even my father had never met her. However her story has a longevity nobody had expected. My father enjoyed talking about her. Somehow I suspected that he did this for my benefit--the moral of his story … Continue reading Mischievous Great Aunt (Flash Fiction)
The Canary (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #112 Image by LIAN30 from Pixabay "We bought this canary at the pet store last week. Look. Well, he is a little shy. Probably because this is a new cage for him in a new home." Jasmin says. Jasmin and Wai just got married. Wai is Pammy and her husband Pan's friend for … Continue reading The Canary (Flash Fiction)
Who Will You Save? (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #111 "Who will you save, me or your mom? I mean if there's a fire or a flood." Armei asks her husband Arhu when they retire to the bedroom for the day. Armei's mother-in-law Nai sleeps in the guest room. Nai just retired and Arhu invited her to come to live with them. … Continue reading Who Will You Save? (Flash Fiction)
The Comedian (Flash Fiction)
Image by Michiel Ton from Pixabay Flash Fiction #110 "You haven't done anything this morning, Benyo, except staring..." Muj says to his son. "I've been working. I am working on my next joke." Benyo says. "I don't know how to describe your life. You are 25. You live with your parents; you don't contribute money; … Continue reading The Comedian (Flash Fiction)
A Simple Girl (Flash Fiction)
Image by sujith ta from Pixabay Flash Fiction #109--The character "I" in this story is fictional. An amiable pair of eyes; a round silent face; a hair clasp fastening unruly straight black hair into a tightly controlled pony tail; a simple suit obviously from a sales rack of an affordable store--this is a typical woman … Continue reading A Simple Girl (Flash Fiction)
A Love Story Continued (Flash Fiction)
Image by homecare119 from Pixabay This is the second part of the flash fiction #104. The first part is here. Tiger and Tria got married and settled down. Tiger is a computer engineer and he found a research position in one of the campuses of City University Of New York in Manhattan. Tria couldn't find … Continue reading A Love Story Continued (Flash Fiction)
Edison Story Continued (Flash Fiction)
Image by Angelica Vaihel from Pixabay Flash Fiction #108 Continued The previous part of the story is here. At the emergency room of JFK Hospital, Bo is about to get an emergency heart surgery. Bo's in his thirties and very healthy, and it is really a shock to the women that his heart has problems. … Continue reading Edison Story Continued (Flash Fiction)
Edison Story (Flash Fiction)
Image by Angelica Vaihel from Pixabay Flash Fiction #108: This is a combination of two stories (two true stories) but I changed the location and the profession and certain details so that the characters are not really recognizable. "You are having an affair with my fiancee." Rana says. "No. You are having an affair with … Continue reading Edison Story (Flash Fiction)
Friends Or Lovers Continued (Flash Fiction)
Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay Flash Fiction #107 Continued. The Previous Part Is Here. After high school, Nia went to Middlesex Community College in Edison for two years, which in her parents' opinion made them "lose face" every time other people made inquiries. She finally managed to help her parents "keep up the appearance" when … Continue reading Friends Or Lovers Continued (Flash Fiction)
Friends Or Lovers (Flash Fiction)
Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay Flash Fiction #107 "Are they friends or are they lovers?" Jan asks her husband Dang when other people are out of earshot. "Of course friends. Are you crazy? I can't believe you even ask such a question." Dang says. "You don't observe. You only think about your beer and rice … Continue reading Friends Or Lovers (Flash Fiction)
Monday’s Stories (Flash Fiction #106)
Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay Valentine's Story #1 "I thought you like flowers, which is why I bought them for you. Remember you complained that I didn't bring flowers. Now I bring them, and you..." Jom stares at his wife Jasmin in dismay. "How much did you pay for this? We have our mortgage … Continue reading Monday’s Stories (Flash Fiction #106)
Romantic Stories (Flash Fiction #105)
Image by stokpic from Pixabay "That's like fifteen years ago when I just started a new job. And I was newly engaged and was thinking of getting married in two or three months. One day I was taking my night shift. He suddenly appeared, seemingly a little out of breath and out of spirit. I … Continue reading Romantic Stories (Flash Fiction #105)
A Love Story (Flash Fiction #104)
Image by homecare119 from Pixabay Tiger's wife is divorcing him and Tiger is crushed. The worst part of it is that he didn't even see it coming. He's kicked out of the house and now he has to move in with his friend Pan and Pan's wife Pammy, staying at their spare bedroom. Pammy is … Continue reading A Love Story (Flash Fiction #104)
Isn’t This Childish? (Flash Fiction #103)
Image by Daniela Dimitrova from Pixabay "Isn't this childish? I mean it's been two days and how long is this going to be? How long are you going to stay mad, for just a word I said. Or a phrase. Or probably a sentence. So what? I apologized, didn't I?" Nu says to his wife … Continue reading Isn’t This Childish? (Flash Fiction #103)
The Lunar New Year Party (Flash Fiction #102)
Image by k-e-k-u-l-é from Pixabay Armei has had relatively good relationship with her mother-in-law Nana, who has been living with them in New Jersey for seven months for the purpose of taking care of the grandson. However Nana is about to leave, flying across the Pacific and going back home, where her other son and … Continue reading The Lunar New Year Party (Flash Fiction #102)
A Good-Natured Woman (Flash Fiction #101)
Image by Sergio Cerrato from Pixabay Fei is a very good-natured woman. She always speaks sweetly and has never lost her temper even once in her life. Most women in her situation would have complained a million times, but not her. Her husband Wei is a little temperamental, but Fei has never complained about her … Continue reading A Good-Natured Woman (Flash Fiction #101)
Hero Or Villain, Crime Or Justice (Flash Fiction #100)
Image by Herbert Bieser from Pixabay This happened in 1960s and it is a true story. I heard it when listening to the conversations between my parents and their friends when I was growing up. I also knew Sister Cabbage, who's a mixture of old age and young passion, severity and naivety, reticence and outbursts. … Continue reading Hero Or Villain, Crime Or Justice (Flash Fiction #100)
That’s Fate (Flash Fiction #99)
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay "Where are you going? You are going to the tournament, right? How much I wish I can stop such an event. No participation. Just observe. You promised." Maylan says to her husband Jay Lai. "Of course. The tournament is half way through already. How can I participate now?" Jay … Continue reading That’s Fate (Flash Fiction #99)
The Fix Up (Flash Fiction #98)
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay "Koo, I heard that you are such an excellent matchmaker. I mean for a young man, that's quite unique, isn't it? Are you still doing it?" Whenever people say that to Koo, he would smile modestly and reply, "well, it's a complicated undertaking, really. I don't … Continue reading The Fix Up (Flash Fiction #98)
Dreams And Miracles (Flash Fiction #97)
Image by Leandro De Carvalho from Pixabay Rida has been battling her husband Mung for years, but today's battle is more severe than any of the previous ones. Mung took out a loan of $5,000 from their insurance policy without telling her and then sent the money to his hometown in Southeast Asia to buy … Continue reading Dreams And Miracles (Flash Fiction #97)
The Old House (Flash Fiction #96)
Image by Đức Vũ from Pixabay "Let's go visit your grandpa's house in the village. I really want to see how good a mathematician your grandpa was. 'My grandpa built the house with mathematical precision, even better than those science used in building pyramids, even outshine what Da Vinci could do.' That's what you told … Continue reading The Old House (Flash Fiction #96)
He Is Wild (Flash Fiction #95)
Image by Pexels from Pixabay Lo runs a small home improvement and home repair business in Edison, New Jersey, but he is more known for his reckless driving than his occupation. When I first met him, I didn't know his driving reputation. I even took a ride in his car, but now I've already forgotten … Continue reading He Is Wild (Flash Fiction #95)
One Hundred Judges (Flash Fiction #94)
Image by Here and now from Pixabay "If you want my opinion, Dr. Tsai, I would say you should make it more personal. Right now it has a stern official air to it, that it put people off. I will add, you know, like favorite colors, hobbies etc." That's the comment two undergraduate students give … Continue reading One Hundred Judges (Flash Fiction #94)
The Mistake (Flash Fiction #93)
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay Whatever happens, he is not going to give up smoking. That's his last shred of comfort left in his life and he refuses to surrender it. Ever since they bought the house, he and his wife have been struggling to pay the mortgage and the property tax. Needless to … Continue reading The Mistake (Flash Fiction #93)
The King And The Thief (Continued)
Image by Yuri_B from Pixabay This is the second portion of the story. The first portion is here. Jang sees the posts everywhere in the city and wonders if he should take the challenge. There's the risk, but there's also "the #1 thief" reputation he wants to defend. He concocts several plans: He can change … Continue reading The King And The Thief (Continued)
The Kidnap And The Witch (Continued)
tree_sunset Image by Tien Vu from Pixabay Continued from the previous post here. Lana doesn't know what to do. And here on the island of Asiana, people pray to the forest god when they can't find a way to save themselves. When they become tired of their praying, they go to see Wich, who lives … Continue reading The Kidnap And The Witch (Continued)
The Kidnap And The Witch (Flash Fiction #92)
tree_sunset Image by Tien Vu from Pixabay The story happens on the fictitious island of Asiana, located between East Malaysia and the Philippine. It's a beautiful island with little economic development, which is largely due to the political situation. During the waning days of the British Empire after WWII, a political manipulation was executed so … Continue reading The Kidnap And The Witch (Flash Fiction #92)
Insufficient Praise (Flash Fiction #91)
Image by Kevin Phillips from Pixabay "Can you believe that Arju complains about her daughter Niki all the time? What kind of mother does that? Every time when she talks about her daughter, she would complain: Niki didn't come home on time last weekend; Niki spent too much time on her theater activities; Niki wears … Continue reading Insufficient Praise (Flash Fiction #91)
A Night To Forget (Continued)
Image by NickyPe from Pixabay This is the second half of the story. The first half is here. "What are you going to do? You don't know anything. Typical women. You know nothing." The waiters taunt her. "Idiots like you never listen to women. Of course you think women know nothing. But I guess the … Continue reading A Night To Forget (Continued)
A Night To Forget (Flash Fiction #90)
Image by NickyPe from Pixabay It takes Nali the whole Saturday to troubleshoot the database, pinpoint the reason why it is slowing down, rewrite queries, and reconfigure essential tables. When it's all over, it's seven o'clock at night. She drove from Edison, New Jersey that morning, up the Garden State Parkway and the I-87 Highway. … Continue reading A Night To Forget (Flash Fiction #90)
Pursuit Of Happiness Part 3
Image by inno kurnia from Pixabay This is the last part of the story. The first two parts are here and here. Taimu starts his long soliloquy about this party, this award, the culmination of twenty years of tireless research. Lulan listens to him and wonders why he wants to talk about his work on … Continue reading Pursuit Of Happiness Part 3
Pursuit Of Happiness Part 2
Image by inno kurnia from Pixabay This is the second part of the story. The first part of the story is here. Taimu unexpectedly shows up at the Ivy Training Center. "Why did you come? I told you I would come to pick up the kid. You know you never listen to me. That's your … Continue reading Pursuit Of Happiness Part 2
Pursuit Of Happiness Part 1 (Flash Fiction #89)
Image by inno kurnia from Pixabay "He says I'm not in pursuit of happiness. I'm just a killjoy." Dana says and then she looks around, waiting for the sympathetic outpouring from her friends Lulan, Pammy, and Ivy. She's not disappointed. They instantly lend their support--they agree with Dana while denouncing Dana's husband Taimu in a … Continue reading Pursuit Of Happiness Part 1 (Flash Fiction #89)
An Audition Goes Awry (Flash Fiction #88)
Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay Jan Choi did her best. She sings, dances, recites in varying languages, multiple tones, and diverse styles, but to no avail. Even before the audition is over, she can sense the judges' unconvinced facial expressions and unexpressed disapproval. "Jan, you are very talented indeed." The casting director says after he … Continue reading An Audition Goes Awry (Flash Fiction #88)
The King And The Thief (Flash Fiction #87)
Image by Yuri_B from Pixabay Jang is a thief, living in the later part of the 19th century. When he's thirty years old, he becomes so successful in his trade and so infamous in his native city--the capital of a small Asian kingdom--that a young struggling writer, Winsam, writes a book about him based on … Continue reading The King And The Thief (Flash Fiction #87)
Thanksgiving Family Stories
Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay There are several Thanksgiving stories I can write. I haven't formed them in completion yet, but the contents are already there, except an interesting ending. Often there are so much time spent on ending while other parts of a story are not getting enough attention. A Thanksgiving Wedding Chef … Continue reading Thanksgiving Family Stories
A Cat Named Meowlan (Flash Fiction #86)
Image by Doris Metternich from Pixabay "Your name will be Meowlan." Cindy Chai says to the cat in the animal shelter, with whom she falls in love at the first sight. No doubt she's under the influence of the movie "Mulan" she just watched. Meowlan lives for two wonderful years with Cindy. Her only responsibility … Continue reading A Cat Named Meowlan (Flash Fiction #86)
One Story Two Views (Flash Fiction #85)
Image by jessica45 from Pixabay "In 1969, Ted Conrad was working in Cleveland as a bank teller. He walked out on a Friday carrying $215,000, the equivalent of more than $1.7 million today. It is said Conrad was obsessed with the movie 'The Thomas Crown Affair', in which a millionaire robs banks for fun. After … Continue reading One Story Two Views (Flash Fiction #85)
The House Inspector (Flash Fiction #84)
Image by Comfreak from Pixabay "It's global warming. I've already told you and explained to you everything. What do you expect me to do?" Jin yells into the phone. "You are the inspector who inspected and signed off on the house. I am going to sue you." Chichi's voice comes through the phone even louder … Continue reading The House Inspector (Flash Fiction #84)
Sugarcoating (Flash Fiction #83)
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay "I want to stop all the lies. From now on, no sugarcoating, no spinning, no prevarication. I will be honest, straightforward, open." Pammy says to her friends Armei and Lulan. It's Sunday morning. The three women are sitting at one of the outdoor tables of the Korean bakery Paris … Continue reading Sugarcoating (Flash Fiction #83)
A Fashionable Lady (Flash Fiction #82)
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay Mayla looks at the mirror and smiles with satisfaction at her own image. She never considered herself a fashionable girl before, but a series of recent events have somehow changed her view. First time in her life, she thinks if money is no objection, she wants to be as fashionable … Continue reading A Fashionable Lady (Flash Fiction #82)
Haoyan Do 