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“See that guy with the coke bottle glasses.”
“Ya?” Ralphie scratches his brush-cut.
“Come on. He’s headed for the Chinaman’s restaurant.”
A chained German Shepherd yanks at his restraint and snarls.
Petey hurls. “Yuck, he’s cracked. Who eats garbage?”
“His mother’s the church cook, I heard. Doesn’t she feed him?”
~ * ~
We are nearing the end of the Fall Quarter of Flash in the Pan. The theme is Disturbed.
The word limit for Cracked is 50 words. I used all of them.
Check how to join: http://mommasmoneymatters.com/flash-fiction/
How the Cookie Crumbles 
December 16, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Seeing someone dig through the garbage for leftovers to eat is a surefire way to quit whining about insignificant problems. Very sad, and unfortunately, it probably happens more than we realize. 😦
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December 17, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Yep. It’s a way of life for some people and a personal choice.
Have you read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls?
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December 17, 2013 at 9:11 pm
No I haven’t, but I just looked it up. Looks very good.
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December 18, 2013 at 3:24 pm
🙂
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December 16, 2013 at 9:38 pm
Yeah, how come she doesn’t feed him? Inquiring minds want to know. 🙂
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December 17, 2013 at 8:53 pm
Sometimes you can’t win whatever you do. *smiles*
Nice to see you, Paulette. Thank you.
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December 16, 2013 at 9:41 pm
I love this one Tess 🙂 🙂 Have a wonderful rest of
evening my sweet friend and as Christmastime is
only a tombstones throw away, have a lovely one
and don’t forget to treat Santa to a few mince pies
and a glass or two of the bubbly 😉
Andro xxxx
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December 17, 2013 at 8:52 pm
I hope he enjoys a little brandy this year. 😉
Thanks, as always, Andro. You are most gracious and kind.
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December 16, 2013 at 9:43 pm
A lot of things to think about and picture in this short collection of ideas! Well done, Ms. Tess.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Not a great subject, but I do thank YOU, SSM.
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December 16, 2013 at 9:50 pm
Wow. Well done. Lots said in so few words.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Thank YOU. Great you enjoy the read. 😉
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December 16, 2013 at 10:35 pm
A lot said in your 50 words!
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December 17, 2013 at 8:48 pm
Thanks so much, Patricia.
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December 16, 2013 at 11:59 pm
Dumpster diving is a necessary thing for too many families around here. Thought provoking, Tess.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:47 pm
Sad about dumpster pickings.
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December 17, 2013 at 12:15 am
I very rarely see this occurring. Though in our inner city I have seen it on occasions. Usually older people pulling shopping trolleys laden with their life belongings, a sad and true fact of life. Nice going for 50 words Tess.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Thanks so much. Have you read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls? Look it up.
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December 17, 2013 at 9:23 pm
No, I haven’t I rarely read these days – I used to ..but writing has taken over. I shall try and take a peak though ~ thanks Tess x
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December 18, 2013 at 3:23 pm
🙂
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December 17, 2013 at 3:46 am
Under the surface we seek to find and then a reason appears.. nice short thought provoking read. 😉
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December 17, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Thank you. 😉
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December 17, 2013 at 5:56 am
And what were they following him for? I hope the intention was not to hurt him! It sounds like he already suffers in some way. SO many different things going on here. Keeps me wondering.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:41 pm
He’s different so like boys will, they followed him because of curiosity.
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December 18, 2013 at 5:58 am
Whew, okay. 🙂
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December 18, 2013 at 3:04 pm
😀
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December 17, 2013 at 5:57 am
Oh poor thing. One of my friends lived on the streets for a year and had to eat from garbage bins. Breaks my heart that so many do.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Have you read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls? It’s a memoir.
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December 17, 2013 at 10:41 am
Great writing, Tess, and a good reminder about those who don’t have enough to eat.
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December 17, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Thank you. 🙂
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December 17, 2013 at 11:00 am
Did you have to have a ‘chained’ dog?! I wonder what they think of being chained up? I’m completely distracted from the guy who eats from garbage cans…
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December 17, 2013 at 8:36 pm
I think the dog is supposed to scare off intruders. 🙂
Garbage picking is hard to think about.
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December 18, 2013 at 2:30 am
Oh Tess this goes unseen in every city I suspect, it’s good to stop and think about it, thankyou.
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December 18, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Alas, this is true. 😉
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December 18, 2013 at 4:56 am
Hmmmm…this really gets me thinking. Church cook? Her son is having to rummage through food garbage, which, sadly, is a reality for too many? Very, very poignant Tess…
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December 18, 2013 at 3:06 pm
Thank you, Sherri. Life is strange.
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December 18, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Sure is 😉
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December 18, 2013 at 4:31 pm
😉
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December 19, 2013 at 1:21 am
O.K. Tess (just discovered your name and it is so nice to know). O.K. you know I am bent right! I looked at this story that maybe….just maybe…he is collecting scraps for Mum to cook up a storm. The saying is…waste not want not?
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December 20, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Ha ha ha. Or, maybe there’s something lacking in Mom’s cooking. Oh the poor clergyman. 😀
In this case I think it’s a habit for coke-bottle glasses.
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January 17, 2014 at 11:37 am
A difficult subject, gently handled.
I checked out the Glass Castle, as you are recommending it here, and confess it makes me feel a tad uncomfortable. It seems to be about people who choose this as a lifestyle (which I suppose is their own business – though I don’t think they should inflict this on their children). This bothers me because it gives us a sort of “well, that’s all right then” feeling about seeing dumpster divers. Yet I would guess that the majority of people searching for food in dumpsters do so out of dire need, not by choice. So I think anything that makes us feel less under obligation to do something about this is problematic.
Sorry if I’m not clear, I’m a bit confused about it myself…
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January 17, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Sorry. For me the book opened my eyes to how people will procreate and then not love and care for them, especially in their moment of deepest need. I do believe the parents became used to the lifestyle but the other thing was this beautiful daughter was embarrassed by her parents. Until she wrote the book.
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January 17, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Ah, now I get it. Thanks for explaining.
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January 17, 2014 at 1:23 pm
Not explaining. Reading is subjective. Agreed? That’s just what I got out of it. 😉
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