Short Stories Readathon

" To read is to Fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of History, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries." Alberto Manguel

Welcome to my Short stories new page. Over this Small relaxing Vacation, I took the chance to read some inspiring and rousing stories that made me reflect about alot of things I forgot by time.

1. The Green Door by O'Henry (Grade This)

The Green Door is a story that most notably tells us about adventures and romance. A man called Rudolf who works at a piano shop is ready to get on the way of any adventure in order to find joy, mystery and Romance. One night, when he was in New York a black man was passing notes and he received an invitation card written on it: THE GREEN DOOR, so the man saw that he is the only person who received this card while all the other had a different one. So as a result, he decided to take this as a little adventure. So Rudolf entered a nearby building in search of a green door, and when he found one and knocked, an attractive poor girl opened but she was faint from hunger. Rudolf carried her to bed and bought her food and drinks, he sat with her a while and promised to be back tomorrow to check on her. Disappointedly, when he leaves he notices that every further door in the building is in green, he runs back to the man and asks him and lastly the card was an invitation to a new theater crosswise the street called the Green Door, and everyone received the invitation. At the end, Rudolf is persuaded that its fate, doom and destiny that led to meet this girl in his bizarre and eccentric adventure, she is the adventure and the romance he was on tenterhooks and hoping to find.
Throughout this amazing Story, we can possibly distinguish that O'Henry was treating the theme of Fate and destiny. The main Character here was actually representing O'Henry's throughout and putting them into action, the man will pursue an anonymous adventure and he will at the end find out that destiny and doom led him to meet the girl, moreover he said: " All the Same, I believe it was the hand of fate that doped out the way for me to find her." Also one thing that would really catch any reader's attention is the language and the tone of the story. It was familiar, I mean that I was in the memo of the story and I felt as if I was with him in the action. To bring to a close, adventures and things that take place in our lives are controlled by destiny but be wary, that doesn't mean that we should all believe in the "world's greatest lie" according to Paulo Coelho in his book the Alchemist that life is all premeditated and planned of each and every one of us and that there is nothing we can do about it. Also remember sometimes wrong doors may lead us to what we want and remember, each door you pass through is chance, you may earn from it and you may not but be careful what you choose because sometimes choices affect our lives forever. 


2. The Card by James Ross (Grade This)


Here is another wonderful Short Story about a young boy named Mickey who is raised, fighting and struggling in a family in which his father disappeared. But actually his father had left him a card on his tenth birthday which the entire story revolves around, telling him a short poem he wrote and then saying:"Remember, No one is got your back". In fact, I love the Irony of the story and a father leaving that kind of card to his boy. However, Despite the fact that the father has just vanished from the family, the mother is disappointedly in love with a drug addict who is about to get into their life and ruin the family system, and of course if he did, it will be the end of everything. But thank god, this relationship will come to an end when the police receive a phone call from Mickey about the man holding drugs and he was arrested at the end. However, Mickey never found his father, he didn't even have a clue but all that his father was right about one thing: "No one has got your back".
The way I understood the story was the way life is actually going on, when you get into troubles, no one has got your back and you must work everything on your own. Only your parents can stand by your side and not all parents do (the case of this story actually).  So, according to my understanding of the story, the major theme presented or the message is that you must not count on any one and you must be confident because that's your only thing that can save you at any situation.  And a sentence that really caught my eyes in the first place was the following: "I have this theory that, to us the world is a flat thing we stand on, but to birds it is a cliff that cling to, a huge ball and they cling to the side and then fall off and fly and glide."  I really appreciate this quote because it explains the system and the routine that we all follow, to us humans, we think of earth as a place to ruin and destroy but to birds it’s a way to break free and turn all over the world, it's freedom that we deny ourselves from.  


3. The Star by Esther Claes  (Grade This)


Have you ever thought of tomorrow? What if tomorrow never comes? What if what you plan for tomorrow never happens? What if…. No, No wait why am I so considered about tomorrow? Maybe it's the outcome of this story, no it's not, and it’s me!!!  Okay, wait let me just tell you about the story and then let you know if it’s me or the story. It's about a girl who is obviously a very known, famous and rich pop star. The story starts by her locking herself in her room and crying, maids, assistants and parents are knocking on her door to open and finally her father break the door to get her out of this room. She cries and screams, she shouts and she insults her parents. Pictures of war and destruction are all over the Newspaper, there are no talk shows, and Hollywood is facing a really dreadful destruction. She is worried about her future and that her next album wouldn't be achieved (Honestly, she seemed kind of presumptuous and uncaring to me, since there is a war going on, children and youth are dying, adults are struggling and all she is worried about is her album, seriously?). Later on, her mother becomes sick, as well as her father and things aren’t actually going on the right track but still she is crying over her singing carrier and she just ditches everyone around her. But at the end she tells to herself that tomorrow, the war would stop, tomorrow her manager will call, and tomorrow she will finish her album and tomorrow will subsist better.
The character here is really presented like a person who deviates from everything involving people around her. She is somehow bold to think of her next album while people are dying and blood is shed all around her, and in addition she insults her parent which is really appalling because we must deference our parent whatever the situation is.     
So obviously, the major theme of the story here is Tomorrow. And Now I can answer you, actually it's me, but the story just wake me up and lighted something I was hiding in the dark, I am afraid of tomorrow and everyone is afraid. You never get to know what may happen in your future. Truthfully, I spent too much time trying to understand the meaning of the story since the writer used an indirect way to expose her message and the lesson that she wants us to learn. 


4. A Drama of our time by Fernando Sorrentino  (Grade This)


This story is one of the most hilarious, amusing and humorous stories one can read. It tells us about a Language and literature teacher called Fernando who's twenty-seven years old. One day, he was reading a book in the balcony when a pretty dark-haired, tall and slim woman come into sight in the balcony just across him, he waved at her and then she waved back as she got missing. Fernando actually felt that this may possibly lead him to something, after a while the woman came back with some black sunglasses and a chair, pretending to read a magazine (Of course she was watching him ). They exchanged gestures and looks and then Fernando left and decided to call her (he was taking actions so fast, one would see that), but he needed her number apparently.  He got the number after a long time trying to explain to her by hand gestures. Later on, when he dialed the number, a deep, daunting and creepy sound answered, it was a male, which surprised him inadequately. He was puzzled and bemused since he didn’t have a name to ask for, he hung up as soon as possible and that same scene was repeated a second time. After this bloodcurdling disappointment, he decided to find her name using the number he had from the green guide. Immediately, he called a friend who was working at the bank and the name of the owner was CASTELLUCCI, IRMA G. DE (weird and awkward). Finally, he called, but this time he wasn't edgy or anxious since he had a name to ask for. When the man answered he told him that this person left from five years but the man took a challenge and tried to make the man mad and furious by making him Castellucci, he kept on talking till the big man got angry and insulted him continuously. But Fernando was so happy for doing this and he didn’t care about the pretty woman anymore. 
Well, this story is having a very complicated theme actually, it is that sometimes, there are things that you must get done in order to feel relaxed and become normal. For example, when you become angry over something, you need to do something to feel relived once again. The main character here is actually used as an irony because he can’t possibly be a teacher so the author is using him too deride an issue. Moreover, the tone used here is very familiar also since the story itself is of our time, like the title already shows it. And what is really eccentric is that the setting of the story is in the characters house and surely his balcony which is the main source of the whole dilemma. But I really recommend you all to read because you will have so much fun and a humorous time.

5. Fireworks by Tom Gillespie (Grade This)

The story began with Tom Gillespie describing something really original and authentic, a woman who is cleaning her house, starting by the bathroom, to the bedroom, downstairs and she packed everything she doesn't need and finally she went to the shed. It was actually her 40th birthday and her husband (referring to "he") got her a very cool and simple gift, Fireworks. But she wasn't able to celebrate with him because he was called away to a conference in Swindon and she had to party on her own. But that was five months before, now, when she looks at these fireworks, Sadness and melancholy fills her deeply in the heart and all she had to do was to throw them away and relax on the sofa after the hefty cleaning she a moment ago completed. 
But a woman heart is always the same, what do you guess she was thinking about when she relaxed? I actually thought that she would want to go to bed by now, but she is a very energetic woman and instead she got off of the sofa and got the fireworks out in the garden. When she opened the fireworks box she found a small note saying:" To my love rocket, you fill my sky with the light. Love, R." Apparently, she started playing the fireworks starting by the small ones till a small girl came asking her, what she is doing.  As she continued the fireworks, neighbors came over till the last fuse that was really sleepy and couldn't get his job done (After five months, the last fuse was probably trying to tell her how late she was.). But she wouldn't give up and finally it worked. Then everybody just went into their houses, and as the cold came harder she took her coat and at her turn, she got into the house.


The fireworks here are possibly meant to symbolize too many things in the story, like joy and angriness at the same time which is sarcastically odd, the moment she played the fireworks, she was releasing her emotions and at the same time she was heartbreaking when she remembered the issue. So, the theme presented here is actually a mix up between joy and sadness and how in our lives things may get to this level and there is always a way to cheer yourself up and draw away all the agony that fills your heart. But when it comes to the character I really like how factual and creative the author exposed the character which is the woman. While the setting of the story is centered in the garden of her house, it is actually where everything took place in the story. 


6. Return to paradise by Eliza Riley


The second story I read throughout this relaxing holiday, and after finishing it, all I felt was WOW. This story is one of the strangest stories I've ever read, as well as it is one of the most difficult to understand. Honestly, what made me read the story in the first place was its title, it is actually a very authentic title but it's a clue about the story and the romantic evolution that will be shown in each line of the story. 
The main character of the story is a woman named Lisa; she was standing over the Caribbean Sea. The place was so beautiful beyond belief, as it is the place where she was standing three years ago with a simple white dress as a beautiful bride with her husband James. They were soul mates, they promised to stay together till forever, they planned their future together, their children (well she wanted two and he wanted four, so actually the solution was three), it was all certain. But that was so long ago, life changes and the thing is, how can she be in such a wonderful, breathtaking place and feel the agony she felt now??? Lisa stood there while a man came over, watching her from the edge of the palm trees, truthfully, he couldn't take his eyes away, not that she was beautiful only, he had passed through many pretty woman, but it was her loneliness and intensity that attracted him. Lisa saw him and she felt like he was a long lost friend of hers. 
Later on, they sat together in a bar where they started their conversations with small talks but then it really became deep and for the first time in a long time Lisa finally told someone her feelings and the real story. 
She was six months pregnant, but she always felt pain while she was staying with her mother as James was working out of town. And the sad part came were the baby died and the doctor said that they could try again later. But she hated James for not being there for her. And at the funeral she refused to stand next to him and the next day she left him. 
Lisa's pain was reflected in the man's eyes and for the first time in a long time she didn’t feel lonely and she began to believe that maybe she has got a future with him. Finally Lisa decided to cancel the divorce and renew her promises with James.  
Ok, that was a really awkward ending!! I mean where did the man go? Is it possible that this man was James from the very beginning, or did he give an advice about her life? Hard to understand, right??


7. There's a man in the habit of hitting me on the head with an umbrella by Fernando Sorrentino 


Perhaps, Fernando Is one of my favorite writers, he stories can truly make you shifts from any appalling or dreadful mood you're in, to a jokey and humorous mood, I love him. Okay, this story is talking about something really annoying, it's like an immortal fly always around, it's a bee always ringing in your ears, it's like a baby crying for a week without bring it to an end or even considering ending it and it's actually when a man got the habit of hitting Fernando with an umbrella on his head like forever. The story begins with Fernando (the amazing) telling us about a man he knew from five years now who is always hitting on his head (with an Umbrella). In the park, he was hitting Fernando, he punched him, he got up and continues hitting him, Fernando ran, he ran after him (hitting him as well, he never stops). Later, Fernando decided to get into a bus, he sat behind him and continued, they went off, he is hitting him as well (Oh my god, even I felt annoyed, damn!!!!). And finally, Fernando entering his house and the man like always after him with umbrella pumping on his head. Fernando actually thought of killing the man or himself but he was afraid that even if he did, the man would still hit him. Finally, or as an ending for this annoying and hilarious story, Fernando couldn’t live without the man and those hits on his head. 
What an annoying personality this man is, I could never really envisage or picture myself in this bothersome position, but I can envision myself as the man, it’s so comfortable and witty hitting someone on their head for this long time (can’t to see what this person may do to me). TRY IT, BUT BE CARFEUL TO NOT GET KILLED.  


8. Death by Scrabble by Charlie Fish

This story I read after those two hilarious by Fernando, and "Death by Scrabble" Totally changed my mood. It's the kind of stories that involves too many themes, but they are all related to each, or we can say they are from the same family, Action, mystery, horror, killing, suspense, anxiety, slaughter and terror. We can say that this story is a "Game coming true". 
It's about an old man, who hates his wife. On a really hot and sunny day they were both playing scrabble together while he thought that an 42 old man like him should be out meeting people, exercising, not playing scrabble (with his whom he deeply hates, he said that he hated her more than twice). Later on, the old man is begging to remark a strange thing, the words are coming true. First of all, when she used the word CHEATING, he cheated, when he used ZAP, she used the electric shock, When he used EXPLOSION, the air conditioner exploded. So he couldn't believe so tried to test it. He used FLY and after less than 30 seconds, a fly came over. He used QUAKE, an earth quake came and the building starts trembling while his wife used DEATH and with the quake he swallowed a letter and his face turned red and blue and he died on the ground. So I guess that this story has a very clear moral, what you want to do or to accomplish that you know will for sure harm other people, it will turn out on you and you will be the one to get hurt at the end. The man wanted to kill his wife as he hated her but instead he died without her even touching him. 
Truthfully, I'd say that it's a very interesting story, rare and also challenging. Maybe you didn't feel the mystery or the suspense I was telling you about later, but trust when you read the story, you will understand, and I am pretty sure of that. 


9. My Friend Luke by Fernando Sorrentino


This story is a one in a million, the whole story is describing the character of a guy called Luke, I am ensured that some of you may perhaps find it Sarcastically Prosaic but I kind of enjoyed it (Those of you who hate description won’t really like it). 
Fernando is telling us about the sweetest friend he had ever had, his name is Luke (as the title indicates it) and he is forty, he is short and skinny with a thin moustache and a thinner hair on his head and he wars round and framed glasses. He walks down the streets like nobody does, he always walks sideways and when he wants to pass, instead of saying excuse me, he glide by one side (P.S he hates dogs and cats since they panic him). 
His voice is thin and subtle and so inaudible, he had never interrupted anyone and when someone interrupts him, he can hardly manage two words. In fact, he had been married for years and has a child named by his mother, Juan Manuel who is actually smart, tall, blond and distrustful. 
Okay, I can't go one. The whole story is four or five pages telling us about Luke and stories of him in the buses and the one thing I really don’t like about the story is that it has no ending, I am pretty sure you are already bored to death and uninterested. 


10. The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde


Let me just start by saying that this is one of the most remarkable and notable short stories I've ever read (even though it's short). What I like the most is the way Oscar Wilde related the story to what is happening now in the world and the wrong faces that people take. The writer started by saying that today, it's doesn't matter if you are beautiful, gorgeous or charming, it doesn’t matter if you have good and vital qualities and traits, what really matter is MONEY, if you have money then you own the whole world (I totally disagree, and if this is the life everyone is accepting to have then I actually prefer being all by myself in this life.) But not Hughie Erskine, he is not that kind of man (thank god), he is unfortunate, poor and never said a luminous or brilliant thing in life, but in revenge, he is wonderfully good-looking with his crunchy brown hair and his grey eyes, he had everything he wanted with the exception of one thing: Money. In addition, he was in love with the daughter of a retired colonel, her name is Laura Merton and she loved him back, they were actually the cutest couple in London by the time. But disappointedly, her father wouldn’t agree on him if he didn’t have 10 000 pounds on his own, sadly.
Hughie often visited his best friend Trevor who is a painter and an artist and once when they were in the Studio, Hughie saw the portrait of an old-beggar that Trevor drew, and when Trevor left, the man on the portrait came and he gave him some money, as a kind of philanthropy. Later on, Hughie knew that this man is the richest man in London and he has houses everywhere, he eats in gold plates and that man was Trevor's friend. This man actually asked Trevor to draw him as a beggar and he was so interested in Hughie after what he gave him (Not that he needn't money, but the fact that he saw the love in him and even though he is poor but he gave him money.) Hughie discovered from his friend Trevor that this man knew everything about him and after that Hughie felt a duffer and a dumb for giving this great rich man some money. But finally, the man sent a letter to Hughie with a check of 10 000 pounds as a wedding gift to him, he was a millionaire model. 
I wouldn’t probably think that any one of you would hate or dislike this astonishing meaningful story. It's not the money that makes us, we make the money and having money and fame doesn’t mean anything as long as you are a ghastly dreadful and cruel person. WHAT YOU GET DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF WHAT YOU GET, and this one thing I have landed in my life and it was reaffirmed right now, throughout this story.
  
11. The Five Boons of life by Mark Twain 


This Story is one of the stories that have a strong and meaningful moral of all. The Story is composed of 5 small chapters, in each chapter a fair came to the man with a basket. At the beginning she asked him to choose between five things, weather love, pleasure, fame, riches or Death. But she warned him, and she told him to choose wisely because it's a future and a life. As a result, his first choice was Pleasure but when he went into this world of pleasure but each in its turn was short-lived and disappointing. So at the next chapter he chose love but some left him and some ditched him at the last true one died. At the third Chapter he chose the Term of Fame but this one was also phony and at the beginning it was amusing and then it turns out to be the exact opposite. And the fourth choice was Riche and wealth; he thought life would be worth living. But once again he didn’t like and didn’t get along with it. Finally, what was left was Death. So as a conclusion, it's not fame, wealth, love or pleasure that will make you happy, of course everyone has its own point of view, but to me happiness is success, love and philanthropy. What about you?? 
       
12. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant


This is one of the stories that you truly must read because it will teach too many lessons as well as an unexpected ending that may actually be so annoying to most of us. Guy de Maupassant is telling us about this beautiful charming girl names Mathilde but life wasn't on her side, she was poor and her dreams were always little since she would never realize any of them. She was married to a clerk named Monsieur Loisel; their life was as simpler as a cat can live.
Later on, one night when M. Loisel came home with a big, valuable envelop which was an invitation from the minister to a huge ball. But instead of thanking him and drawing a smile on her face, she was so sad and she seemed annoyed. The reason was because she had nothing to wear; neither a dress, any jewelry nor a shoe, how wretched and miserable was she?!! Her husband was broken hearted and decided to lend her the 400 franc he had saved to buy a gun for a dress. Okay, dress problem was finally solved, now the jewelry, once again she began to cry when the idea came to borrow a necklace from her best friend who was wealthy and so rich. Later, she visited Madame Forestier, who gave her this beautiful elegant necklace; she had done looking perfect and utterly stunning.
The night passed perfectly and at four O'clock in the morning she was leaving with her husband and when she returned back home she couldn’t find her necklace anymore. This was a true disaster, the necklace is made with diamonds and it wasn't hers, she wrote a letter to her friend telling her to give her some time to return the necklace.  They searched in every store for a similar necklace till they found one with 34 thousand franc, her husband gave her 18 thousand from his father, he signed checks and paper and finally paid and got the diamond and she turned it back. Unfortunately, they spent a whole ten years working so hard to pay the money back. Mathilde became old, her hands were red, her hair was a mess and her skirts were awful. One day she decided to take a walk in the Champ Elyse when she saw her old friend who lend her the Necklace, she talked with her and told her the whole story and finally Madame Frosterier was pale, the necklace she gave to Mathilde was just an imitation that was worth only 500 franc not 34 thousand franc!!!!! 
Hoe miserable life can be, how annoying can someone become, how unfair was life with Mathilde. This story is one of the most emblematic, symbolic and inspiring stories I've ever read. READ IT. 

13. The Bet by Anton Chekov


This story tells us about an old banker who is reminiscing about what happened in his life fifteen years ago. He was at this prodigious party where there have been many clever men there and he had interesting conversations. However, the major conversation went throw the Capital punishment and the death penalty and therefore there was a huge variety of opinions because capital punishment kills a man at once while lifelong imprisonment kills him slowly. And Among the guests came a young twenty five years old lawyer who said:   "The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral, but if I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment for life, I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is better than not at all."   After these words the old banker furiously bet over 2 million dollars that the lawyer can’t stand 5 years in prison and the lawyer took the bet and pushed it to 15 years at prison. And beginning from twelve o'clock of November 14, 1870 till twelve o'clock 14, 1885 the man was in prison but he was provided food, wine, instruments of music and books. All along this journey the man read too many books, he developed his knowledge and he played instrument, sometimes people would hear him crying, he wrote and one would hardly believe that he was just forty since he looked really messed up and like a poor creature. Startlingly the lawyer stood the 15 years and the day of freedom came so the old banker entered his cave at three o'clock and he found him in front of his bowed head there lay on the table a sheet of paper on which there was something written in fine handwriting. In this letter he showed him how much knowledge he gained from his books and how life is to be lived by any means and he even told him that he won’t take his money and he will leave 5 minutes before the duration to break the rules and that's exactly what happened.
Apparently, "The Bet" emphasizes the idea that the life of a human is far more valuable than money. In the short story "The Bet a wager is made that changes the lives of two people". So live your life and enjoy what you got in your hands before it goes away. 


14. The Cubelli Lagoon by Fernando Sorrentino
   
This is the third time that I read a Story by the legendary Fernando Sorrentino, the king of humorous stories. This story is telling us about a lake called The Cubelli Lagoon, honestly after reading the story I researched on the Internet over this lake but truthfully I was stupid and brainless enough to think that it really excited in our world. So the Cubelli lagoon is a lake in Buenos Aires invented by our writer which is familiarly known as the "Lake of the dancing Alligator". The water is extremely salty and its flowers are what you would expect for creatures that inhabit the sea. And that's why this lagoon lake is populated by more than 130 marine crocodiles. (Fernando begins later on to tell us about the crocodiles and what they are.) Crocodiles are the largest of all living reptiles; most of them are actually seven meters tall and weighing more than a ton. But not the ones in the Cubelli Lagoon, they are only two meters tall.  
Do you know what is different about the Cubelli Lagoon and the crocodiles? Well actually there are two things: first of all, they only eat when they are inside the water itself and they dance regarding its ethology, they are the "Fond of musically harmonized movements". So obviously when visit this imaginary bay and play some music, almost the crocodiles will rise and glimpse some soft movements.  And the marvelous idea came to throw like a party with the crocodile and it all went amazingly fine and a lot of people were really excited and had a good unforgettable time. 


15. The Chaser by John Collier

We all know what love is, love is a cure that you calm your pain and ache with. It's like the venom of a snake but instead of killing, it heals you. Love is often exemplified by candlelit dinners, bouquets of roses, heart-shaped chocolates and kisses. We often get the impression that these are the only things that comprise the state of being in love. But with the images of roses and chocolates, the reality of love is compromised. There is a much higher and enormous world than the simple exchange of passionate looks and sweet words. But the harsh reality is that even in love, there is tragedy and misfortune.
The following story titled "The chaser" by John collier. The main character of the story is a guy called Alan Austen who is deeply in love with an indifferent woman called Diana. He thought that all he needed was some kind of a magical potion for her to love him back. But what Alan doesn't realize is that love must be something born from our deepest hearts, it should be two person's sharing mutual feelings, what was he doing is actually deceiving himself and Diana by dragging her into his trap. However, Alan visits the old man that creates him a potion with permanent effects: “The effects are permanent, and extend far beyond the mere casual impulse. But they include it. Oh, yes they include it. Bountifully, insistently. Everlastingly” (par. 19). According to the old man, this potion will let Diana become crazy over Alan, she will want nothing but him, and she will want to be involved in everything he does and in his whole life. And the greatest shock showed when Alan asked him "How much?" and the old man said Only a Dollar!!!! He takes it, cheerful and giddy End of Story.
 But how can he be so shallow and still think that this will actually work, love is one of those things that you can't buy with money, you don't buy it at all, you find it and when you do you merely need to hold on to it because it's hard to find. We can call it Abstract or Artificial love that is indeed a comic tragedy.
     
16. The time sweepers by Ursula Wills-Jones


Time… Time… Time, 
Where do you think you are going now?
Do you think I committed a crime?
For asking you to stop turning right now  


I am asking you to be benign
And don't let the clock strike nine
Or perhaps just offer me a sign 
Maybe I will be fine 


I have so much to be done 
And hastily, you are vanished and gone 


Because of you I run
I am just trying to have some fun 
But at the end I just pull out a gun 
Because I know that I misbegun


And Here I am, waiting for you once more 
Hoping that you won't ignore 
Hoping that maybe you will give a second chance
To shine bright and have a dance 


So after reading this short story "The time Sweepers" all I actually did was reflecting and suddenly I wrote this poem about time and its issues. The author of this story was telling us that some people in our lives are time Sweepers and she gave us a very small example: I a station you are waiting for the train, sitting and then a man or a woman comes with a broom and cleans under your seat, they are the time Sweepers. According to my understanding, they collect time and recycle it and do so many things with the time that we let go. And at the end of the story the Author said this sentence that really caught my eyes for a while: "There isn't a moral to this story. It's just that if you are planning on throwing away your time, please remember -somebody has to pick it up." Actually, I don’t understand why she said that there isn’t a moral to this story because obviously there is a very clear value and moral here. Just Remember, a second is much worth that a ton of gold and a time gone, never found again.

17. One of these days by Gabriel Garcia

This story has a strong rapport to what is happening right now in Egypt and some other Arabian countries and I will tell you why at end. 
In a small Columbian Village, lived an unlicensed dentist who goes by the name Aurelio Escovar. In his office, he sits down at his table and begin polishing a false teeth when brusquely his eleven years old son tells him that the mayor is in the lobby and wants to have a tooth pulled. At the first time, he told his son to tell the mayor that he is not here but the mayor heard him and threatened to kill him and humorously he let him in. Later on, the mayor suffered with agony an pain for a while and then the tooth was pulled. And finally, when the dentist asks about the bill, the mayor orders him to send it the town. 
SO briefly and in a few words, the mayor ordered to send the bill to the town which means there is no difference between his own money and the governments. One would notice that maybe Gabriel was reflecting over the political corruption that was present in his society. Maybe the political situation in his society this time wasn't flexible and it was messed up. And that's why I was earlier reflecting over the situation in Egypt since actually the writer of the story had the same dilemma within his society. 


18. Appearance by Kate Peterson 
   
Appearance is a great story that exchanges two themes which are love, death and loss. It tells us about a girl who is lonely and she works at a magazine as a graphic designer and she lives in a small apartment which doesn't have anything nit even a bed. By time, she noticed something strange, from her window, a man his hands on his mouth, looking at her. Obviously, many girls put in this situation would just run and scream but not her since she remembered that she got nothing he would truthfully like to steal or take from her, so she left him. 
Each it was the same, she would get up and watch him looking at her. But that wasn't all, something new begins to appear, it was a woman who passed by and stared a bit at the apartment and then left. And once again the same situation happened three times but the girl told herself that she won't let the fourth time be like the others you. She finally had the doughty to start a conversation with her. The woman was gloomy, sad and depressed, she was crying for a while. Abruptly, the young girl remembered the story a man once told her about a couple who lived in her apartments lately. However, the young girl was having some difficulties talking with the woman but finally she was informed that the woman's fiancée was called Eric and he killed himself after some tough time. And surprisingly, the young girl knew that the man she saw everyday was Eric's ghost, what a shock!!! She even thought that she had a tumor in her head but she clearly didn’t. The woman left with thanking the young friendly girl and this was the end of the story. 
So the foremost and major theme of this tale is love and death, and the strapping and powerful understanding and empathy that exist and subsist mutually between both of them. 
    
19. The Pest by Fernando Sorrentino 


Once again Fernando Sorrentino, one of the authors that I really appreciate his writing about humors things. This story according to him was telling us about his birthday and how did he choose to celebrate it. Honestly, I really like his idea and I yearn to try it sometime. He decided that the best way to celebrate his birthday was to strike up a conversation with someone he didn’t know at all. Later on, at the corner of Florida and Cordoba, stopped a well-dressed sixty year old man and he told him:   "Excuse me, sir," He said, "could you please tell me how to get to the Plaza de Mayo?" The man stopped, gave him the once-over, and asked a pointless question: "Do you want to go to the Plaza de Mayo, or to the Avenida de Mayo? And after telling him where the Plaza de Mayo is, he told him that a wiser and most intelligent man told him something else and that he would believe this man not him. The man furiously thought that he was calling him an idiot. And trying to make the old man angry, he told him that he didn't mention the Plaza de Mayo and that he wanted the Plaza San Mart'n, the old man got angrier and he left brusquely.
SO unmistakably, there was no moral to this story but it constantly makes me in a better frame of mind and it calms your temper. I truthfully love Fernando and his style and technique of writing; he makes me want to read more and more each day.
    
20. Tone by YZ chin 


This Story is one of my favorites since it brings up something really innovative, eccentric and unconventional. It puts in the picture a deaf girl called Sandy, who is actually familiar with the fact of being deaf; she informed us that she really like it when her friends introduce her to their other friends and say: "This is Sandy – she is deaf". At the very beginning of the story she told us that the entire deaf thing was the result of an accident or with more data, the "Stupid airbag". Although, she could use some help from her hearing aid, that she really likes.   
Later on she meets Colin, who she finds truly sweet and charming and by time they begin developing a breathtaking relationship that lately transforms into a love story. They actually met at a party and they were introduced by her friend Carol. Sandy actually had some difficulties at the beginning of her life-time situation but lately she got used to the situation and she liked the fact that she is unique and special throughout everyone around her and especially her friends. 
By time, they both found themselves dating and when his 23rd birthday came she got him two tickets from Rammstein Concert and they had so much fun. And when it was her turn, he got her tickets for her birthday to a very special event and she really has fun. But the appalling and gloomy moment finally came when they will fight since he will cancel their premeditated and planned dinner for a private movie show directed by his own friend. And as a consequence and outcome of the fight, they will break up or actually they already did. And the story ends by some lovable and sweet words that she said on how much she loved Collin and that he was her first boyfriend after the accident that caused all this anguish and agony and somehow a gloomy and happy life at the same time.   Maybe the moral of this story was tell us that we should all be grateful for what we have and that life should be enjoyed whatever and whenever.

21. They're made out of meat by Terry Bisson


One of the most tricky and guile stories to find a moral to. You know, there are some stories which have a message, but you need to decode and interpret in order to know, clearly it's an indirect message.  However, the whole story goes through two characters discussing something strange about a planet and living beings made out of meat, one of them seems to clearly understand the situation while the other is trying hard to get it. It is by no means, a fictional and illusory short story. 
Well well well, the discovery of a new "Meat Planet", what a breakthrough and an invention!!!   And which is really much more appalling is that they made machines which is utterly frivolous and ridiculous because how can meat possibly create machines. So it's time to meet meat, ready???? And oh, I almost Forgot, they have a Brain!!!! But it's made out of meat too; I am beginning to get hungry right now. The meats actually have their own personal legend and their goals, they want to talk and explore the universe, contact other sentiences, swap idea and information. Furthermore, they talk and use words, ideas and concepts just like us, but once again they do it with meat. They finally made an agreement, officially and unofficially and they turn to a new case with another galaxy.
Maybe the moral of this story was to communicate with others, the writer was trying to show collaboration and some sort of relation between the world, maybe he meant Globalization but not across earth, transversely and across the entire universe and galaxies, but the question to ask here is the following: are there any other creatures in another planets? 


22. A little Fable By Franz Kafka 


As story is actually the shortest of all, but it has a really great and vast meaning.  It tells us about a very miserable mouse who said those words:   "the whole world is growing smaller every day. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into." And as an answer the cat told him, that he only need to change his direction. 
Maybe the whole purpose of this story was to tell us that the world is not as it looks like, it is big and even your own world is so gigantic but it depends on your choices. You must always choose the right direction because it will lead you to happiness and to what you truly want. If you go on the right track, the world will be large, full of chances and opportunities in your way, but when you choose the wrong path the world gets slighter and less significant in front of you and your chances become less every day. So, the same with the story, the mouse is always running from the cat, it's because he is always choosing the wrong direction, if he chooses right, he will find his happiness and he won’t have to run anymore.  
So bear in mind and memorize that you must go on the right track and follow the correct way and what you truly want from deep within.  


23. Fishing for Jasmine By John Ravenscroft


This story can actually show us how can two persons that don't know each other can have a strong relation and rapport not only by names, also by habits and old times and some traits and qualities. However, the main character of this short story is a nurse, Jasmine, who is taking care of several patients in the hospital where she works. One of the patients is special for her, because they share the same name as I said at the beginning; in addition this woman is in a coma after a fishing accident and has never woken up since. Throughout the whole story, the narrator tells us the mutual things that they both share; she talks to her but Jasmine (The Patient) never answers. She tells us also, how beautiful she is and inevitable and predictable to touch, her beauty can somehow represent her personality throughout the analysis. As the days passes by, the nurse develops a strong sense of affinity for the patient, who one day wakes up the time necessary to say one single word: "Barracuda". Then she sinks back in her coma which is really eccentric and somehow insignificant, I don't even what does this word means. At the end, the ward door bangs, and the nurse see Jasmine's father walking towards them, carrying some beautiful flowers. He smiles at her. And the nurse said that: "Even in death, my own child had my father's smile, and Jasmine's will have this man's. I know it". He stops by her bed and touches her hair. Something stirs deep inside the nurse. She watches Jasmine's eyelids, waiting for her to bite. End of Story… 


24. The Story of an hour by Kate Chopin

An amazing, remarkable, exceptional and breathtaking story written by the startling Kate Chopin. In fact, the story has a twisted ending and will really be surprised if you read it.  The main character is Louise Mallard who has heart trouble, so she must be informed carefully about her husband’s death. Her sister, Josephine, tells her the news. Louise’s husband’s friend, Richards, learned about a railroad disaster when he was in the newspaper office and saw Louise’s husband, Brently, on the list of those killed. Louise begins sobbing when Josephine tells her of Brently’s death and goes upstairs to be alone in her room. Later on, she opened the window in her room and she was watching the trees and feeling the air repeating continuously the word free.  
Louise knows she’ll cry if she sees Brently’s dead body. His hands were caring, and he always looked at her lovingly. But then she imagines the years ahead, which belong only to her now, and spreads her arms out joyfully with expectation. She will be free, on her own without anyone to repress her. She thinks that all women and men oppress one another even if they do it out of kindness. Louise knows that she often felt love for Brently but tells herself that none of that matters anymore. She feels delighted with her brand new sense of independence. But of course she must be depressing and sad to lose the one person she always loved. Lately, Josephines comes to her door and begs her to open the door since she can make herself ill. And the final moment came when she opens and brusquely a door opens, and Brently comes in. He hadn’t been in the train accident or even aware that one had happened. Josephine screams, and Richards tries unsuccessfully to block Louise from seeing him. Doctors arrive and pronounce that Louise died of a heart attack brought on by happiness.
Oh my god!!!!! This is like the most unbelievable thing that could ever happen on earth. Eventually, throughout the story existed some symbols and themes like the open window, which symbolize her new life alone and freely and the theme of independence and joy. The Story is actually amazing and I suggest and advise you all to read it.

25. Phase in Space by Paul O'Neill 


This story is really hilarious and witty and you must read it, trust me you will laugh at the end. It tells us about a man who is present in a jungles, he thought that it is nice, full of interesting birds and animal and lots of wonderful plants growing all around. Later on, he didn’t like the situation; he was even attacked by an animal and the attractive moment came when he woke up surrounded by four dozen young and pretty women. He didn’t pinch himself as if it is a dream but he softly said hello. One of the girls asked him:"Are you a male?" And he began playing with Words, they asked his help since All their men were killed several years ago in a bizarre accident involving a herd of Tortoise and They have spent the last few years searching the jungle for more men to help with the whole 'having children' thing.  He was furious and excited but he started pinching himself when they told him that the children are over there and he must raise them. What a shock!!! I almost died of laughing when I read it. OMG


26. My Name is Electra 


"He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy." Family, what about it?? A very little word that means your life, you mom, your dad, sisters and brothers and mostly your cat or dog. This story by Joanna Leyland brought up the subject of family and old times. It is a really sweet story that reminds of old times when I used to read Cinderella and Snow-white. It is about a girl who introduces us to her family. Actually they are a very charming and lovable family; the story takes a little bit the form of a fairytale since the narrator actually said numerous times the expression "Happily ever after". The girl is named Electra, she introduces us to her family and how do they live. 
When they are out, they must behave but inside their houses, they are free and they act really like a crazy lovely family. She began the story telling us the following: "I am a very lucky girl and my family is the nicest in the world. Mummy and Daddy are important of course…" Later on, she begins telling us about hoe her parents met and how they love each other. She loved each of them in a different way, she loved him since he was her hero and you may hardly believe this but when she was little, she wanted to marry her daddy. However, she loves her mommy because she tells her bedtime stories about her and her husband. 
Maybe this was the author's life when she was a child. The author was actually trying to tell us the importance of family and the fact of being surrounded by people you share love with. Peace. 


27. Things we do not want to hear by Marcela Carbajo


Every day in our lives, we get angry over too many things, some of them are serious and other are frivolous, like fighting with my sister at night and getting angry over the light, screaming out loud when my brother try to make me angry. But otherwise some things may be serious and worthy. But the thing is that when we are angry, we rather shut our mouth and avoid any conversations with anyone because we might say things that we don't mean and we may hurt someone we love.
This story tells us about a woman who is in a really bad mood and her husband was talking to her from a time to another. She kept saying that she was tired and she was depressed and finally her husband asked her "Still depressed? Truthfully, she did not answer. He replied:  "Then I'd rather not speak to you." he decided, "When you are like this it is better not to talk to you." And she kept asking him why and insisted on getting an answer to her question, so he answered by saying: "Because you are going to say things that are going to hurt me." Poor man He is scared of what she might say to him. At least, that was the most sincere thing they had said to themselves in a long time.  I felt sorry for him… did you??? 


28. The tell-tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe


The story begins with the unnamed narrator of the story telling us that he is nervous but not mad. He tells us a story to prove his theory, every night; he went to the old man’s apartment and secretly observed the man sleeping. In the morning, he would behave as if everything were normal. After a week of this activity, the narrator decides, somewhat randomly, that the time is right actually to kill the old man.  
When the narrator arrives late on the eighth night, though, the old man wakes up and cries out. The narrator stood still. The narrator understands how frightened the old man is, having also experienced the lonely terrors of the night. Worried that a neighbor might hear the loud thumping, he attacks and kills the old man. He then took the body and hides the pieces in a place inside the bedroom. He is careful not to leave even a drop of blood on the floor. As he finishes his job, a clock strikes four. At the same time, the narrator hears a knock at the street door. The police have arrived, having been called by a neighbor who heard the old man screaming. The narrator is careful to be chatty and to appear normal. He leads the officers all over the house without acting distrustfully. To show that he is not nervous, he even brings them into the old man’s bedroom to sit down and talk at the scene of the crime. The policemen do not suspect a thing.
 The narrator is comfortable until he starts to hear a low pounding sound. He recognizes the low sound as the heart of the old man, pounding away beneath the floorboards. He panics, believing that the policemen must also hear the sound and know his guilt. Driven mad by the idea that they are mocking his agony with their pleasant chatter, he confesses to the crime and shrieks at the men to rip up the ground. 
So After this entire and intact plan, and appearing normal and everything, the man will confess for the crime. 


Thank you,