Credit Card Points

I saw the beauty, but didn't realize the character wasn't worthy.

We were in a restaurant when she smiled and said lets go for a movie after lunch. It seemed like a good plan. I nodded and paid for the heavy Indian meal. We saw the Bollywood movie while stuffing ourselves with caramel corn, nachos, and soda. I was taxed.

Afterwards she wanted to go shopping. She liked many things, but bought only a dozen of them. She also got stuff for her family. I had by now earned 500 credit card points and sageness. She talked about women's equality.

From Guest Contributor Manmeet S Chadha.

Manmeet is an alumunus from The London School of Economics & Political Science. He works in India as an Economist & Writer.

We're All Learning

Back to school shopping.

Jennifer wanted pens and whiteout. Stevie picked a package of pink hangers. One by one, items landed in the shopping cart. Mother pushed. Around the big superstore they went. Cart three-quarters filled when they finished.

“Don’t they need new clothes?” grandmother asked anxiously.

“They don’t sell clothes here,” mother answered.

Grandmother frowned. “You should have another colour. Pink is for girls.”

“But I like pink,” Stevie answered.

Mother asked “why not” and turned her face the other way.

Where was I? In the elevator with the family, hearing their conversation as it unfolded to the public.

From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs

Krystyna writes poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Her work has been published at: Nailpolish Stories, 50-Word Stories, 100 word story, 101 Words, Boston Literary Magazine, From the Depths (Haunted Waters Press), ShortbreadStories, and Espresso stories.

Her Recipe

With more downs than ups, Francine realized she needed to make a drastic change. To reverse an unfulfilled lifestyle where only food seemed to delight her.

She would find a new recipe. Something appetizing. Fresh. Not too many ingredients for she wouldn’t know how to put it together. Unwanted ones not given a chance. She’d aim for excellence maintaining good judgment in taste. Leave critics aside.

After going through her closets and emerging empty-handed, she looked at a mirror and smiled. Grabbed car keys off a dresser.

She figured out her recipe for happiness.

Clothing stores were not far away.

From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs

Krystyna writes poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Her work has been published at: Nailpolish Stories, 50-Word Stories, 100 word story, 101 Words, Boston Literary Magazine, From the Depths (Haunted Waters Press), ShortbreadStories, and Espresso stories.

Cable

I received a cancellation letter in the mail last week. My cable subscription had been halted. I found myself spending the entire afternoon staring at a black screen.

That evening, while out shopping, I discovered that all my credit cards had been stopped. I wasn't hungry anyway, but I was beginning to spot a disturbing trend.

One by one, every relevant account, identification, and social network deleted me from their databases. I was suddenly cast adrift, avatarless in a digital world.

It soon became clear that I had died. I didn't mind. What was the point of life without cable.