A young man blocked a doorway with the door partially open. When he saw I wanted by, yet refused to yield, I waited a little longer then made an obviously playful gesture: I pretended I was going to shut the door on him. “Dude, I’m half your age-” His first mistake. Panic spread across my friend Mike the Marine’s face. Let it go, his eyes shouted to me. Just walk away. “- and I’ve been shot before.” The kid emphasized the word shot, then waited as if the matter between us was now closed, resolved in his favor. His second mistake. “Shot?” I asked. “Yeah.” He lifted his shirt to reveal a scar about the size of a pencil eraser just below his sternum, dead center of the celiac plexus. “Really.” I said softly. “Yeah.” “I see.” I looked up from his scar and into his eyes. “Well, I’ve been shot, too.” Without blinking, I slowly began to raise my shirt and revealed an entry scar. I raised my shirt higher and revealed another. Then another. And another, still. All stragglers that had spread from the main cluster. When the fist-sized main scar was unveiled, the color ran from the kid’s face. I turned to show the exit wounds, and when I turned back, the kid was gone. |
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There’s Always a Bigger Dog by Boudreau Freret
Filed under Boudreau Freret
Just such a perfect display of a “pissing contest” contest, Boudreau. The stories of the characters who face each other down hold so much more than what’s told. Nice!
So typically male, and relatable. Nice job with this theme.
Loved it at FN and love it here!
Ah, you can just smell the machismo… :) Nice one!
I wish we girls could do this ;^) Great story, and wonderful take on the theme. Peace…
Can’t image why. This is not exactly our most endearing trait. :)
‘imagine’
I loved the threat of impending violence that never materializes. Nicely done.
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Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I just realized this was here. And there were comments.
I can look at this a couple of ways: one, I’m really slow, or two, 2011 is the year I catch a clue. I’m going with option two. So happy I found this / realized what was happening! :)