I just published The Uncapped Pen, a collection of fifty short stories dealing with writing in some way. Most were previously published – on my website or blog – but the rest are brand new stories. This previously published story was in my “If I need it pile,” but in the end I didn’t need it. So I’m just posting it here as a bonus.
“It’s a Fine Line”
Joan returned home from
work on Monday to see her husband Ben sitting on the couch watching a
movie. She walked over to him and asked,
“Are you rewarding yourself for finishing your novel?”
Pausing the movie, Ben
said, “I didn’t actually get any writing done today.”
“But weren’t you going to
spend all day writing?”
“Oh, that had been the
plan.” After a moment he added, “But didn’t I tell you I decided to take it
easy this week?”
Joan frowned. “How is that different from what you did last
week?”
Ben shrugged. “Last week I was just being lazy.”
After a few moments of
silence, Joan asked, “The difference
being ….”
Ben thought for a
bit. “This week I’m at least trying to
make it sound like I’m not just being lazy.” He then gave a weak smile.
Joan stood looking at him
for several long seconds. She then
turned and went up the stairs.
After he heard their
bedroom door slam shut, Ben unpaused the movie.
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