What's So Funny?
Russell Gayer, author speaker
Gone, But Not Forgotten
Is it just me, or does Christmas tend sneak up on you too? Seems like only yesterday it was 4th of July. Then we celebrated Labor Day, got all dressed up for Halloween before letting my belt out a few notches at Thanksgiving. All the while, Christmas was just a distant day on the calendar, far in the future, like a planet in another solar system.
It’s the only holiday I know of that takes forever to get here, and then is over in a heartbeat. Twenty-four hours from now, most of us will be in an anticlimactic mode wondering how Christmas shifted into overdrive and left us behind faster than a jolly fat man propelled by eight supersonic reindeer. Maybe they should change the name of that song to “The Twelve Seconds of Christmas.”
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, our Commander in the war against boring blogs is Judith “The Hammer” Wisoff-Fields. If you’d like to participate in this exercise in madness, head over to her blog for step-by-step instructions. To view the FFF Hollywood Squares Authors Block click here.
HONNAH LEE – Puff the Magic Dragon lost his courageous battle with lung cancer yesterday. His passing came as a shock to long-time fans who believed the myth; a dragon lives forever.
According to sources close to the family, Puff’s health had been in decline for a numbers of years.
“He rarely went out to frolic in the autumn mist anymore,” said a family spokesperson. “The cool, damp air was just too hard on his lungs.”
“Puff will be remembered as an advocate for peace,” said former President Bill Clinton. “Puff and I hung out in the 60’s. We did some draggin’, but neither of us inhaled.”
51 Comments on “Gone, But Not Forgotten”
I'd love to hear from you
Purchase ‘One Idiot Short of a Village’
Purchase ‘The Perils of Heavy Thinking’
What's So Funny? 
Dear Russell,
This is a fun story, and I particularly enjoyed the politically correct ending. May our friend Puff R.I.P.
All my best,
Marie Gail
LikeLike
Thanks, Marie Gail. I think all those years of frolicking finally caught up with poor Puff.
LikeLike
Dragons don’t live forever? Okay, now I’m upset. I wanted to be a dragon in my next life! I worked my way from fire breather in the circus, to a southern woman for nothing?
LikeLike
Sorry to burst your bubble. Maybe his lifestyle had something to do with it.
LikeLike
He was running with the wrong crowd, no doubt. I’ll take my chances with fiction writers. Ha!
LikeLike
Wow, Russell, some great ones bought their rainbow in 2014: Robin Williams, Joan Rivers and Puff. Makes me want to not inhale a reefer in tribute.
LikeLike
Don’t forget Joe Cocker. The day he died I kept waiting for one of his songs on local radio. I didn’t happen. I was very disappointed. He had a way of making a song his own. I’ll never forget his duet with John Belushi on SNL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So sad to lose Joe Cocker — a wonderful voice —
LikeLike
Russell, Funny story. 😀 Poor Puff. Looks like he puffed a bit too much. I didn’t realize he frolicked farther than his cave or hung out with Bill Clinton. I don’t even want to know how many of my old classmates are gone. I prefer to think I too will physically live forever, although I know that can’t be. I seem to be falling apart already. That’s probably why I see my mother instead of me in the mirror these days. 🙂 Well written as always. 🙂 Suzanne
LikeLike
After a few puffs, Honnah Lee can be anywhere you are. Puff was known far and wide for his frolicking.
LikeLike
Groovy … but you could say that where there is fire there is smoke. Love the political twist, classic you might say.
LikeLike
Right on! Far out, man. Don’t bogart that doobie.
LikeLike
I just hope Jackie Paper is sorry for what he did to him all those years back. Thanks for raising a smile this Christmas morning. Have a great holiday!
LikeLike
I’m afraid Jackie went into politics and sponsored a bill to replace fire-breathing dragons with a natural gas variety.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There you go, damn tree huggers….
LikeLike
Dear Puff,
I know things were never the same for you after Jackie left and your scales fell off. As you know now, smoking wasn’t the answer. Say hello to Joe and Robin. Tell them I miss them.
Shalom,
Judith Maccabee
LikeLike
We might even sing you a tune, but don’t be surprised if we sing out of key.
LikeLiked by 1 person
VERY funny!
LikeLike
Thanks for the all caps on VERY. I appreciate when people speak up–I’m close to deaf. Have a great Christmas, Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes I get excited and forget to use my indoor voice.
LikeLike
He didn’t inhale and he didn’t have sex with ‘that’ woman. Sorry about Puff. He’ll be missed.
LikeLike
Yeah, Puff was quite a guy , , , I mean, dragon.
LikeLike
The twelve seconds of Christmas sounds about right. Hope you had a great twelve seconds!
>
LikeLike
We did, Patti. I hope yours was great too.
LikeLike
Fun story! And very sad for poor Puff. I assumed he lived forever as well – stupid lying song 🙂
LikeLike
You got that right.
LikeLike
A dragon dragging a puff without inhaling ! ultimate mate !! 🙂
LikeLike
Maybe he should have just moved to Colorado.
LikeLike
Oh, oh, oh! This is what’s funny! 🙂
Ah, twelve seconds of Christmas, and the death of Puff…
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed it. It was a fun story to tell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Russell, I too felt that Christmas ended in twelve seconds. What happened? It is a bit of let down the next day. Great mystical story with Puff. I also enjoyed Puff, but I didn’t he was a friend of Bill’s. Funny story!
LikeLike
Yes, Puff once won the Know-Bill Peace Prize.
LikeLike
A draggin dragon – next thing I’ll be finding out he was really a she – a drag dragon. Fun story though.
LikeLike
Puff a cross-dresser? Let’s hope that never comes out.
LikeLike
Dear Russell,
You’ve tapped the memory of many of us old-timers with this week’s story. I used to hate listening to that song because of the sad ending, but it takes its place with Sugar Mountain and others as a coming of age story. Very well written and evocative.
Aloha,
Doug
LikeLike
You’re right, Doug. Tis a sad song. But now is time to celebrate the good times we had with Puff.
LikeLike
Russell, I thought of Joe Cocker when I read your story, but did not think of Puff the Magic Dragon when I heard Joe Cocker had died – I’m glad you did. Delightful story, indeed. Happy New Year. Alicia
LikeLike
Thanks, Alicia. We finally heard some Joe Cocker on the radio, but I haven’t heard Peter, Paul, and Mary sing Puff for a long, long time.
LikeLike
Our Christmas went on a bit longer than yours. Most of our neighbours are Spanish or LAtin American and they celbrate (and how!) on 24th and 25th, overlapping with the Brits on 25th and 26th. Sorry to hear about Puff, though only the song was part of my younger days!
LikeLike
I was in elementary school when the song came out. The ending always made me feel sad.
LikeLike
Absolutely hilarious. Thanks for the laugh.
LikeLike
You’re welcome. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
LikeLike
My pleasure!
LikeLike
Oh my. Your punchlines are real groaners!
LOL
LikeLike
Humor is that way. Sometimes you’re the bug, sometimes you’re the windshield.
LikeLike
I think I was the windshield this time around! 😉
LikeLike
I’m not sure I approve, Russell, what have you done to poor Puff? You are stamping on my childhood?! Hanging out with Bill Clinton, indeed.
LikeLike
Sorry to burst your bubble, Jen. I just report the facts.
It could have been worse, he could have hung out with Bush & Cheney.
LikeLike
Oh God, then I’d have struggled to even bring myself to comment 😉
Happy New Year! Hope it’s full of laughter for you and yours.
LikeLike
Damn you Russell, now I have that song stuck in my head.
Poor old Puff, he should have stayed off the grass.
Cheers
KT
LikeLike
He was also lonely and depressed. The on-line dating thing was working out too well for him either.
LikeLiked by 1 person