An Uncomfortable Bed by Guy de Maupassant

by Carol2 Comments
"An Uncomfortable Bed" by Guy de Maupassant I kind of promised myself that I would dedicate this morning and afternoon to cleaning - my house is a mess, and this evening we're going over to my mom's, so today's Short Story Monday is very short. I found "An Uncomfortable Bed" by Guy de Maupassant over at East of the Web. It's actually a somewhat amusing story, but not one I would say you have to go read. . A man is staying with several of his friends at a chateau. Now this man knows that his friends are found of practical jokes. When he arrives at the chateau, his friends greet him enthusiastically, are laughing too much at dinner. They are just too happy, which arouses the man's suspicions, he assumes they are planning some joke at his expense. The funny part is that he works himself up into such a state that through his own actions and an unfortunate coincidence, his friends...
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The Adventure of the “Gloria Scott” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

by Carol6 Comments
"The Adventure of the 'Gloria Scott'" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle I don't know why, but every so often I just need a Sherlock Holmes fix, so this week I read "The Adventure of the 'Gloria Scott'" which first appeared in The Strand Magazine and was included in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, published December 1893. I'm sure I've read this before, but it's not one that stuck in my memory, although it was Holmes' first case. Holmes finally decides to tell Watson about the first case he was involved in, while he was in college. "You never heard me talk of Victor Trevor?" he asked. "He was the only friend I made during the two years I was at college. I was never a very sociable fellow, Watson, always rather fond of moping in my rooms and working out my own little methods of thought, so that I never mixed much with the men of my...
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The Babysitter’s Code by Laura Lippman

by Carol2 Comments
"The Babysitter's Code" by Laura Lippman I was browsing through the archives at Fifty-Two stories again and came across this one by Laura Lippman. Laura Lippman is one of those authors who have been on my to-read list for what seems like forever, but somehow I just never seem to get around to. Based on this short story, I really do need to move her to the top. Terri Snyder is the most in demand babysitter in River Run and knows all the rules. She sneaks and peaks, snoops all she wants, but knows to make sure everything is in it's rightful place before the houses owners return, following the real babysitter rules. One of her weekly clients is Jakkie Delafield, a young rich housewife who just doesn't fit in with the neighborhood. While going through Jakkie's lingerie, Terri finds a small silver handgun. At first she doesn't touch it, but eventually the temptation proves too much. And that's when the husband comes...
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The Museum of Whatnot by Kevin Wilson

by Carol6 Comments
"The Museum of Whatnot" by Kevin Wilson I stumbled on this gem at Fifty-Two Stories this morning. Janey is the curator and only employee of the Carl Jensen Museum of Whatnot. The MOW is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the acquisition and preservation of the everyday made unique. Things that are ordinarily junk but not junk because someone, somewhere, made it more than that by their collecting, hoarding, and preserving it. Some of the museum's exhibits are creepy, like the toenail clippings, and some are sad, like a boy's collection of letters cut from magazines. Janey spends her days taking care of theses collections, of other people's stuff, things they cared about for whatever reason, but has no things of her own, things she feels attached to, things she wants. Her belongings come and go, she doesn't hold onto anything, or anyone for that matter. Her life is changed by a regular visitor to the museum,...
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Some Strange Experiences by Lafcadio Hearn

by Carol2 Comments
"Some Strange Experiences: The Reminiscences of a Ghost-Seer" by Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) I'm so glad I started reading short stories, thanks to Short Story Monday. These stories allow me to read new to me authors, or authors I've heard of but never picked up anything by, without the commitment of a full length book. The author of the story I read today sounds like he had a fascinating life. From Greece, to Ireland, to the US and finally to Japan, Hearn was a world traveler, writing about the people, places and stories he encountered along the way. It was during his time in Cincinnati, Ohio that he wrote this article, "Some Strange Experiences: The Reminiscences of a Ghost-Seer," a chat with a girl who sees things other don't. “They do say the dead never come back again,” she observed half dreamingly; “but then I have seen such queer things!” She tells stories about haunted rooms and roads where ghosts roam. She doesn't seek out...
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Silot, a Valet by Felix Feneon

by Carol2 Comments
"Silot, a Valet" by Félix Fénéon My selection for today is a very shot story, twenty words, but rather amusing. It's about a valet and what he leaves, and takes, from his master's county home. It's a cute story. Take a second and read it at Fifty-Two Stories. Obviously, in that short a space, you don't get to know the character too well, but I originally found it a couple weeks ago and remembered it when I was wondering what to post on today. It sticks with you. Although I read it on-line, the story is included in Fénéon's Novels in Three Lines. John hosts Short Story Monday at The Book Mine Set. Head over there to see what he and others have been reading. The above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon associate....
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