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We’re having a lot of babies, not more than we can handle, but still, many, many babies. Last week we had six. Tuesday alone, we had three more babies. Read the rest of this entry »

First of all, I’m not saying whether I saw anything or not unless I already know you, be that as it may, but on top of that, why you’re asking me is what I want to know, with those fake-looking credentials. Let the evidence speak for itself is all I’m saying. They tore that place apart for two days. There’s probably DNA and forensics all over that place, instead of sending you out looking for witnesses. Otherwise, they can frame some other poor sucker from some other poor neighborhood. You know I’m right about that. Nothing more frustrating than watching justice come down on some harmless punk because he doesn’t have a job. Guilty isn’t the question! What makes them think he’s guilty is the question. Shut up, man, you know what’s good for you. I didn’t say I know any harmless punk. Let me ask you this, since you know so much. You feel confident about making it home safe, black Honda Prelude, AKE-383? That’s like a song. No way I could ever forget that. Maybe we should talk about that. You haven’t tried to live here. You can’t just look at this from one side or the other. This whole thing is a system. When do you hear about cops arresting cops? Are they innocent? You have no idea what goes on with the people you’re asking us to talk about. Crooked judges—do they get turned in by other judges? No, but everybody expects us to turn ours in. People get themselves killed around here. You understand? The only reason I’m here is I don’t get myself killed. You want to investigate something, you should investigate who stays alive. That’s somebody who can teach you something. Stop wasting time on the ones that get themselves killed.

Copyright © May 4, 2007

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299-WORD NOVELS

Character, conflict, emotional impact. And sentences! Everything you want in a novel, without one extra syllable.
  1. davidbdale's avatar

    Thank you so much, anhinga, but I wouldn't want to try it without the other 199. —David

  2. davidbdale's avatar
  3. anhinga's avatar

    All you need is 100 words to make an emotional impact. Touching.

  4. Unknown's avatar

    Brilliant, brother. Just simply brilliant.

  5. davidbdale's avatar

    This Very Short Novel has a strong resemblance to Simple Lessons of War from almost 20 years ago, but is…

Behind the Pseudonym

The pen name davidbdale honors my mother Beatrice (Bea) and my father Dale

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