Practical Research (a 250-word story)

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Ralph took out his notebook. Time to put theory into practice.  This endeavor had cost him three months of his life.  Time to see how well he had done.  He just wondered which one to try out first.  Ralph closed his eyes, spun his finger in the air and plopped it down on the page. 

Nope, that missed every single one!

He closed his eyes and did it again.  This time, when he opened his eyes, he found his finger pointing at number 22.  That one should be a good one.  The butterflies in his stomach started to tango.  He read it over five times and then silently mumbled it until it felt natural.

Ralph turned to the person sitting on the barstool beside him.  She wore a black dress that left everything up to the imagination.  Her hair was tied back.  She stared at her drink like it held the secret of life. 

She was perfect!

He took a deep breath and said, “I’m no physicist, but even in zero-g I would fall for you.”

She looked at him, and he had hope.  “But honey, I am a physicist.”  She picked up her glass.  “And everything creates gravity.”  She proceeded to pour the contents of her drink into his lap.  “Just it’s a bit stronger here.”  She slowly got up and sauntered away.

He took out his pencil and crossed out 22.  Only one 199 more to try.  He just wished he had brought a spare pair of pants.

Ear (an acrostic poem)

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Everything he heard was a gift ever since he received his hearing aids

And this coincided with his daughter having her first lesson for the French horn.  How exciting!

Realized the next day, when she began to practice, that the off switch on them was a blessing as well.

Adventure (an acrostic poem)

 

As you sally forth into your day

Do you practice safe socialization?

Verify sane hand sanitation?

Ensure quarantine if feeling ill?

Now if we all partake this journey together

Then the fellowship will succeed and the foe will be vanquished

Unless we show weakness in solidarity

Releasing the hordes of invaders onto the vulnerable of our clan

Everyone wants to be the hero.  Now is your time!

 

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Lacking (an acrostic poem)

Leaving Nashville behind, Gary almost left his guitar there too

As if he was going to use it ever again

Couldn’t believe that no one would take him seriously

Killing his dream of becoming the next rockabilly star

Instead it was back to the same old corporate grind

Needless to say they would regret their ambivalence

God knows he had practiced enough for two whole months to make it big

 

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