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Those Others, the ones occasionally visible on the other side of the Sheer Clear Hardness, continued to provide the nuts and seeds that his kind craved. The metal contraption containing these nutrients was at first a challenge but Mr. S proved adept at acquiring the goodies held within, although not as quickly as he would have liked. He had to work – hard! – for his supper (lunch and breakfast, too). After twisting and turning his nimble body to secure a solid hold on the cage, he was free to extract each delicious morsel. Sometimes, if one of The Others (or a challenger) startled him, sending him scurrying away, some of the seeds would shake loose from the device and drop to the surface below. This, Mr. S discovered, made his job much easier.

However, it was easier not just for him but also for those who were like him but not quite like him. Mr. C, in his jaunty red coat and his less fashionable mate and the multitude of smaller ones who in only one small (but key) way resembled Mr. C, descended in droves and slowly chipped away at the harvest that he, Mr. S had unwittingly made available.

With a shrug, Mr. S resumed his post and continued to extract the bounty The Others had provided. Unwittingly, he – and they – worked together to ensure all their appetites were sated. Perhaps not a natural arrangement but one that sufficed, in any case, and in different ways, met all their needs, The Others (just beyond the Sheer Clear Hardness) included.

Daily Prompt: Collaboration

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It wouldn’t be long before it happened yet again.

He promised her he was a changed man, that he was chagrined about what he’d done, what he’d said, that he’d failed to follow through on his commitments. She continued to believe him because, of course, she wanted to trust that what he said was true.

Deep down though she knew. Poof! All his good intentions were just that: in-ten-tions, wishful thinking, fallacies, fantasies of domestic tranquility, peace, harmony, Ye Old White Picket Fence silliness. He would never change and she knew this in her gut. She’d just chosen to temporarily (she told herself) set that aside being because, well, he just might mean it this time around. It could happen, right?

Daily Prompt: Temporary

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A most unattractive state,
Off-putting.
Makes me feel small:
Thus, to be avoided.

It doesn’t matter if I’m giving off this vibe
Or if I’m in the vicinity of someone else who is.

Best to pursue one’s own excellence
Than to grumble and grouse in regard to someone else’s
Or the perceived unfairness thereof.

At the end of the day, just get over it!

Daily Prompt: Bitter

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When it came to calmly and rationally contacting her Members of Congress, her best intentions went AWOL. Her emotions took over and the F-bombs went flying. Such was her anger and her frustration with the way these elected officials (not ‘her’ elected officials since she sure as hell didn’t vote for this lot) were conducting the nation’s business.

Did they not care about people’s sufferings, their hardships? Did they not realize the legislations they proposed and the regulations they gleefully rolled back would only serve to weaken, degrade and destroy the environment? Surely they knew – but apparently did not care – that this was the only planet we’ve got? Did they truly believe Big Business would do the right thing and ensure people were treated fairly, that they would have adequate and accessible health care, that they would not dump pollutants into the air, water and soil? What kind of fools did they think we all were?

Apparently the kind of fools who’ve allowed this kind of thing for generations.

She was dismayed (and embarrassed) at her lack of control in conveying all these concerns in a lucid, respectful manner. But more than that, she was horrified at the control these few had over so many. She could not wrap her head around how all of this came to be and was hopeful for a rectitude, of sorts, although for the life of her she could not imagine how that might come about.

Still, she held on to that because she just had to believe that what was right would prevail.

Daily Prompt: Control

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My father’s sawmill:
Lovingly built and nurtured
For more than fifty years.

He got into the business
Grudgingly, at first
From my mother’s dad.

Prostate cancer took Daddy from us
He’d lived a good life.
I miss him.

It’s sad that no one
Took over the mill.
No one to carry on his legacy.

So. We simply remember
With joy and with pride.

Daily Prompt: Apprentice