What's So Funny?
Russell Gayer, author speaker
Joined at the Lip
Until recently, if you wore a mask into a liquor store people would assume that you were either a robber, or a Baptist hoping a fellow parishioner didn’t recognize you.
Today, thanks to the coronavirus, it’s fashionable for everyone to wear masks in public. All you need is a head to hang it on and a face to attach it to. Despite the fact that the majority of the public can meet this simple criterion, many people are intimidated by the thought of wearing a mask. Don’t be afraid. They don’t hurt. Plus, your mask will never tell your innermost secrets or go bragging to other masks about how many times you wore it in public last week.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the pint-size Superhero who presides over this hallowed institution is The Periwinkle Gnat 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.
Louise leaned over the backyard fence and called to her neighbor, “Hey, Betty, wanna go—”
“shopping? Sure.” Betty’s eyes lit up. “We can go to TJ Maxx and—”
“then swing by Pancho’s Mexican for lunch—”
“and a couple of Mango Margaritas.” Betty tossed her garden gloves in a chair by the back door. “Just give me a—”
“a minute to freshen up and I’ll meet you at the car,” Louise said.
Betty’s husband shook his head. “Those girls are so close, if one of them took a laxative, they’d both have to go to the bathroom.”
Incognito
I don’t know how many of you are superstitious, but according to my calendar, today is Wednesday the 13th. I know it doesn’t sound as ominous as Friday the 13th, but hey, just wait a couple of days and Friday will be here.
This morning, I sent an email request to a couple of well-known Jewish Know-it-alls asking on which day of creation G-d made Gentiles. Obviously, it was a complicated process as we come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. He couldn’t just make a single set of molds and crank out a few million Gentiles like He did with the “Chosen People.”
So far, no answer, but keep checking the comments as we move along. I’m sure they’ll respond soon. Right now, one of them is scouring the Torah while the other is plucking nose hair and ear wax to create a mystic “Ball of Knowledge” that will reveal the answer to all questions great & small.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Uber driver of this bus (who peeks through the steering wheel, not over it) is Ralphetta Kramden 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.
Lowry sighed. “Since they plastered my glamour shot on TV, I’ve not been anxious to go out in public. Some a-hole might recognize me and give me crap about mimes. I don’t need assault and battery added to my rap sheet right now.”
“You won’t have to.” Blockson handed him a bag. “I brought you these.”
In the bag, Lowry found a pair of horned-rimmed glasses and a beat-up, Kansas City Chiefs baseball cap.
“I picked those up at the Thrift Shop,” said Blockson. “Now, you’ll look like every other bum standing on a street corner scrounging for handouts.”
*the above is an excerpt from Criminal Mimes
Sideways in Paris
No intro this month—you can breathe a sigh of relief.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the keeper of bats in the Belton belfrey who posts our photo prompt each week, is Denise “The Purple Menace” 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.
Dalia Calvin and Roccella Cline were into the fashion business—big time. Sales of their line of designer clothing had reached double-digits and was threatening to climb into an area known as “the black.”
Then came the invitation.
We would be honored to exhibit your outstanding designs at our fall fashion show in Paris. Models of all sizes are available. *
This was a perfect fit. Roccella specialized in small and petite fashions, while Dalia created dazzling outfits to grace women of Amazon height.
Roccella gasped at the twenty-five-foot Eifel Tower replica. “This isn’t Paris!”
“Is too,” Dalia said. “It’s Paris, Arkansas.”
*This is the paragraph I had to cut.
Dalia fainted upon reading the news. When Dalia finally came to, two glasses of wine later, Roccella poured a glass for Dalia.
Surfboard of Denial
Friday night, we played cards with another couple. For a twist, I suggested we name our teams and add cheers or fight songs like you might hear at a high school or college sporting event.
Instead of choosing a fierce animal, bird, or renowned race of fighting people, we chose vegetables for our mascots. Ross and I were the Onions—known for our pungent odor and ability to bring our opponents to tears—while Connie and Peg decided to call their team the Beets. As the night wore on, the ladies’ became Un“Beet”able and won every game.
What rough & ready fruit or vegetable would you choose for your team mascot?
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Kansas City Kumquat, who posts our photo prompt each week, is Mayapple Fritter 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.
Who were these strangers at our class reunion? Not one resembled their image in our high school yearbook.
Gray hair, no hair, wrinkles, and beer guts had overtaken the firm, athletic physiques of my classmates—and that was just the women. The men were even more wretched and despicable.
I’d heard of people getting old, but assumed it was a matter of choice. Failing body organs and memory loss made aging like performing death-defying stunts blindfolded—or writing cursive with the wrong hand.
That night I realized not everyone is equipped to handle the trials and tribulations of old age.
Hand Me My Top Hat
Rubber boots and slickers are standard daily attire in my neck of the woods these days. It seems we’re in the middle of a winter monsoon, and I’m wondering if I should’ve started building an ark months ago.
Connie asked me yesterday about the snakes. Did they crawl from their dens and seek higher ground? I assured her they’ve sought refuge in our wood pile and probably the warm, dry confines of the building she converted into her arts & crafts studio.
I doubt she found any consolation in my words of comfort. After all, she’s afraid of snakes and wouldn’t welcome any on the ark.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the slippery serpent of Belton, who dangles a tempting apple from her pool of photo prompts each week, is Roshanna Weeble 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.
Blockson stared out the unlocked back door, the likely escape route of Le Petite Velouse. Dusting for prints would be a waste of time.
The furniture, pillows, and mattress had all been freed from their Do-Not-Remove tags in some twisted act of ritual cleansing.
Her standard M.O. followed to the letter—a dirty bowl in the sink, an empty bran cereal box, and her trademark smudge of white face paint tarnished the mirror above a naked mannequin head.
This time she’d taken something valuable. The beaver-fur top hat worn by Harpo Marx in Duck Soup.
Too bad Lowry wasn’t here.
Catch & Release
Gifts I received this Christmas included the David Sedaris Masterclass Course on Storytelling & Humor, and a book entitled “642 Things to Write About.”
Each page of the book contains at least one short writing prompt and enough blank lines to scribble something on the topic. Here is one example: Write about what you’ll be worrying about five years from now, ten years from now, and in thirty years.
Unless you plan to be cremated, worms in the coffin might be a concern. Or, if you plan to be buried at sea—that could open up a whole new can of tuna.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Kansas City Sardine who hooks a keeper from her pool of photo prompts each is Wanda Gerschwitz 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.
To heighten your camping adventure, I suggest selecting a site near water. My personal favorite is a second-floor hotel balcony overlooking a salt-water pool.
The fishing usually isn’t very good, but on one occasion I did catch half of a two-piece bathing suit.
It put up a real good fight too, charging back and forth from one end of the pool to the other. That is, until the girl’s boyfriend snatched the rod from my hands and broke it over my head.
He obviously wasn’t a fisherman and refused to accept my explanation regarding the concept of “catch and release.”
Out of the Cold
The topic of today’s FFF intro is Wisdom Teeth. According to Wikipedia, they’re called Wisdom Teeth because they come in so much later than your other permanent teeth (or, if you’re from Arkansas—your single permanent TOOTH). Since they choose to show up so late, a better name might’ve been Procrastinator Teeth.
Some people opt, and even pay exorbitant amounts of money, to have theirs extracted. If this is example of wisdom, it’s certainly an odd symptom of sound judgment.
My two upper ones were yanked out by their roots years ago. The other two are so lazy they flopped over on their side and have no intention of showing themselves. I take comfort in the fact that having two remaining makes we half as wise as some people and twice as wise as others. How many Wisdom Teeth do you have?
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Head Nurse who prefers to extract 100-word stories without anesthesia is Charlotte Diesel 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.
Reaching out, Shelley’s hand came in contact with something solid. It felt hard, yet smooth and cool to the touch. She opened her eyes.
“Oh my God!” she whispered. “I can see it!”
The sides and corners of the box were clearly defined by thin blue lines, creating a three-dimensional image, holographic in nature.
Awestruck, Shelley began to weep. She pressed her cheek against box and let her tears glide down its surface.
Mr. DeKalb slid an arm around her shoulders.
“Congratulations, my dear. You have a special gift. Millions of people have eyes, but only a few can truly see.”
*the above is an excerpt from Criminal Mimes in which Shelley “sees” and invisible box for the first time.
OY! Frankfurters
Connie and I just returned from visiting a friend in Kentucky. While there, we took one of their famous Bourbon Tours (hiccup). The scent of mash in the tanks brought back memories of my dad making moonshine. The primary difference being that they let theirs age in charred oak barrels—Dad didn’t have the patience for that.
We also toured a Shaker village and Connie bought some brooms to give as gifts. They’re too nice (and expensive) to use for sweeping, so I suppose the lucky recipients will reserve them for midnight rides.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Superheroine of 100-word stories who posts our photo prompt each week is Hazel Brunhild 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.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is our final stop on Superhero Row, the home and laboratory of Shalom Shlacker and his portly sidekick, Bagel Boy.”
The guide pointed to the roll-up door. “This is the garage for the Deli Wagon, a portable kitchen filled with high-tech utensils created to protect kosher foods from becoming cross-contaminated by non-kosher contact.
“In the movie, OY! Frankfurters, Shlacker’s nemesis, the evil Mr. Shekel/Dr. Chyde, contaminates a hot dog factory, kidnaps Bagel Boy, and tortures him with pickled pork feet. At the last second, Shlacker comes to the rescue and handcuffs Chyde with a hard pretzel.”
Crabby Lane – Revisited
In many ways, 1969 was a memorable year. Fifty years ago, man first set foot on the moon, Woodstock was held in upstate New York, and the Beatles crossed Abbey Road.
Somewhere there is a fifty-year-old who took his first step, got potty trained, or whose uncle smoked his first joint—and took a trip without ever leaving the farm.
Not all these events are worthy of reenactment (except for the good bowel movement), but are still pivotal moments in our lives. What memory would you like to share from 1969?
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Purple Pixie who posts our photo prompt each week is Aelfwine Twiggy 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.
On Wednesday, tens of people waited in a steady drizzle for their turn to be photographed in the crosswalk at the intersection of Crabby Road and Snipe Lane in Belton, Missouri.
Legend has it that on this site the mythical mime, Le Petite Velouse, crossed the street carrying a stolen invisible box.
“It’s amazing to walk in her footsteps, eh?” said one pilgrim from Montreal, Canada. “The feeling you get leaning back, pretending to carry an invisible object is awesome!”
“There’s no proof she even crossed here,” said Detective Colton Lowry, who investigated the crime. “Knowing her, she likely jaywalked.”
Wider Shade of Fail
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to miss telemarketers. Making hateful remarks and slamming down the phone on a recorded message leaves me feeling empty and unsatisfied.
What if I want to pull a prank, or try to get extended vehicle coverage on our 1948 Ford truck? Who can I chew out over options to refinance my zero-balance credit cards? To quote Lucinda Williams, “You Took My Joy. I Want It Back.”
I guess the only thing I can do now is call Customer Service in New Delhi and ask for help with a deck of Bicycle playing cards that’s missing one of its Jokers.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the Twisted Sister who ties our brains in knots each week is Dee Snidely 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.
Marta nodded toward the door. “Let’s go to the Resource Center. It’s peaceful there.
The Resource Center turned out to be a fancy term for what people of my generation would call a library.
“Our reading program is rated in the top five nationally,” Marta said. “Most of our students develop college level comprehension skills by the time they enter the third grade.
That was a relief. Many of the recent college graduates I worked with couldn’t explain the theme of Horton Hears a Who!, let alone grasp the complex nuances hidden between the covers of a Dick and Jane reader.
“Joy” by Lucinda Williams – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGt6KktfS4
Purchase ‘One Idiot Short of a Village’
Purchase ‘The Perils of Heavy Thinking’
What's So Funny? 