slice of life

Me and the Pokey Pigs (Version 1)

/ Karina Pinella / 17 Comments
Image by Blogetta

Image by Blogetta

The two long-time friends were just chillin’. Not a worry in the world. They were pig-headed about that. Once they set their minds to lounge, then lounge they would. They didn’t see any reason to run when the rangy man walked toward them with a hammer. Now they find themselves grillin’ on a hot bed.

Flash forward to a day at the park. This is the life. A sunny day and the sweet smell of charcoal wafting through the air. Just hangin’ out with a bangin’ crowd. A great summer start.
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pigheads

Me and Mr. Pokey Pig (Version 2: a six-word story)

Just chillin’; this is the life.

Oops Brief: Surprise Agenda

/ Karina Pinella / 14 Comments
allergy related accident

Image: Pixabay

The boardroom is full today because the company’s former Chairman, Mr. Ralph Finley, is in attendance to make a special endowment to the R&D group, among others. Twenty people sit around the rectangular conference table, all waiting for Mr. Finley, who is having a coughing fit. In between blowing his nose, he mutters to them, “Allergies, I forgot to take something for them today.” The people murmur their understanding. Suddenly, Mr. Finley sneezes so hard, his dentures fly out of his mouth and clatter on the table. For a moment, no one seems to breathe; the only sound is the clacking of teeth.

Declutter

/ Karina Pinella / 10 Comments

first-world surplus

They appeared as a gift or purchase,
One wonders if mostly done by impulse,
Too much stuff for not much purpose
Other than create a first-world surplus.

All take up space,
Always in my face
For use only once in a while,
Not enough to justify the pile.

Off they go,
Time to let them flow
To those who can use them
And would find each a gem.

At one time they were a good buy,
Now I have to fare them good-bye.
Energy I must muster
To help me declutter.

Undercover

/ Karina Pinella / 10 Comments

Peter left his undercover pig skin drying outside. He had been playing in the mud with the others and had to get away to wash some of the muck off his eyes. He is starting to get sucked into the easy life of his new friends, but he must remember his mission. He is a human trying to find out the secret happiness of the pigs, nothing more and nothing less. In and out. As soon as he figures it out, he’ll give up his undercover suit.

secret to happiness

Wednesday Warrior

/ Karina Pinella / 18 Comments

Getting your ya-yas out
Without fail every Wednesday, Drake dons his leather loincloth in the privacy of his home and listens to the vocalizations of his ululating hero, Tarzan. He thumps his chest and runs wild, making believe he is a warrior. He is his true self—uninhibited and unmedicated. Free from the cloudy reality for a day.

Tuesday Ten

/ Karina Pinella / 6 Comments

the number 10

Ten is a bad omen today–the 10th Tuesday of May, when Talia took $10,000 from Ten-Cent Bank at exactly 10:00 AM, so she could throw a 10-year anniversary bash for herself. Instead, Talia got caught and spent 10 hours being detained at the local authorities’ HQ. Her fate is sealed. She is committed to doing 10 months of community service and paying a $10,000 fine plus 10% penalty fees, which she needs to pay within the next 10 months. She has to borrow money to pay for her fine, so she asks her brother, who then goes to Ten-Cent Bank to take out a $10,000 loan. Now he is charging Talia 10% interest. Talia decides to go to the local liquor store to get all the booze she can get—likely not much—for her last $10.

Public Discourse

/ Karina Pinella / 2 Comments
customer service

Image: Pixabay

Cora from customer service assured the irate woman on the telephone that she will get her money back. “Of course, we will be happy to refund your money. First, you must repack what you have received and include the receipt and we will happily credit your account. Also, please provide a thorough explanation of why the product didn’t work for you and how we may satisfy your needs in the future. A minimum of five paragraphs will be required. Thank you for ordering our course on How to Smoothen Your Coarse Composition Style.”

An American Toil

/ Karina Pinella / 5 Comments
work all day

Image: Pixabay

Terri toils all day, stopping for lunch only to eat some stale bread sopped in dishwater soup. No relief until the sun sets and traffic is nil. Darkness envelopes Terri as she climbs aboard the bus. Her mood is black even though her commute is short. A blessing for others, but she sees it as a brief pause before going to another place of toil. She gets home and feeds her hungry latchkey kids. Supper is last night’s leftover rice and beans. Off to bed with tummies full of gas. The next day is another run-of-the-mill, nose-to-the-grind-day.

Sad Sack

/ Karina Pinella / 5 Comments

baby, come back
Rudy relentlessly pursues Trudy. The Snapchats and texts he’s sent to her are all for naught. Never opened, they’re not enough for his prior rebuff. Trudy once was true just for him, but he turned her away for seemingly better scenes. After seeing no one’s fairer or better, sad sack Rudy realizes his lack. But Trudy is now watching another one’s back.