Author: Frank Hubeny

I enjoy walking, poetry and short prose as well as taking pictures with my phone.

Six Sentence Story: Adam and Evie, First Date, Second Try

Since the alternatives weren’t working, Evie decided to yield to grace rather than self-justification as she apologized to Adam when she and Lilith ran into him again.

Lilith quickly clarified that what Evie meant was they were not going to tolerate Adam’s abuse any longer and there would be severe consequences if he refused to cooperate with their demands which she took from her bag and began to read.

While Lilith was running her mouth Adam wondered if Evie’s sudden change of heart meant she didn’t know as much about what was going on as he thought. Deciding to gamble on Evie being deceived, Adam shifted his attention to Lilith abruptly interrupting her “demands” and telling her to “get the hell out of here”.

Offended by such rude behavior Lilith made a mistake – common among humans and common among her own kind – thinking she could take brief detours from her assignments to get even with someone who deliberately ticked her off and thereby expose her more authentic voice as a hiss and her more authentic body as that of a serpent now rising slowly above Adam’s head.

Standing his ground Adam baited the snake (or demon, or whatever it might turn into next) to increase its arrogance – bolder, louder, meaner – for all to see until it realized that it had to obey and the fastest way that this particular whatever-it-was knew how to obey was poof.

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Denise offers the prompt word “yield” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

One of my poems, Perfect Peace, appeared this morning in Whispers and Echoes. I am grateful to the editor for selecting it.

Cosmic Photo Challenge: Off the Beaten Track

Dale offers the prompt “off the beaten track” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Although there is likely a paved bikeway nearby in Florida you could get off that beaten track to walk on the sands of the ocean shore for many miles.

However, it is not as easy to walk on the shifting, unbeaten down sand as it is to walk on the bike trail. You do get to see all kinds of things the waves wash to shore.

More stuff washed upon the unbeatened down track
More stuff littering the track (or shore)
To the left footprints try to beat down the track; to the right waves keep the track unbeaten down.

Six Sentence Story: Adam and Evie, First Date

When Evie and her best friend Lilith started Poof, International it was Evie’s secret apple delight recipe, inherited from her great grandmother, combined with Lilith’s secret poof formula, inherited from some distant ancestor she no longer needed to remember, that put the company on a firm enough footing to attract investor interest.

Even though they were now both gazillionaires they remained graduate students at the University of Noital so they could find their Mr. Rights, or at least Evie was looking for Mr. Right, while Lilith would have been content with a boatload of Mr. Wrongs whom she could vanish when a fresh boat docked.

While wandering through the cafeteria they noticed Adam sitting across from some guy who looked like he didn’t know he was a guy, but then they realized to their horror that this was that very Adam, that notorious, deceitful, no-good, anti-poof terrorist, who was eating from a sack lunch containing a disgusting, greasy burger with wimpy fries. Evie grabbed a plate load of poof with the intent of making the terrorist eat it all in front of her while Lilith vanished the other guy since, whatever it was, it was getting in the way of Evie having a private moment with Adam.

When Evie returned after watching Adam abruptly leave the cafeteria Lilith asked, How did your first date go? – knowing full well how it went.

Evie was nearly in tears as she said, while Lilith cooed in sympathy walking her back to their waiting limousine, I gave him the poof and told him to eat it and he refused and so I told him we were finished – THROUGH – and he said that we were NEVER together – that this was the FIRST time we ever spoke a word to each other – which was ridiculous (and Lilith agreed) – and then he lectured me (and Lilith said, “How dare he!”) and then he had the nerve to just get up and leave (and Lilith said, “Men!”) as if I – I – were the one making a scene (and Lilith said, “Poor baby!”).

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Denise offers the prompt word “sack” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Six Sentence Story: Who Are YOU, Really?

While Adam ate his burger and fries, John, a graduate student at the University of Noital, sat across from him eating a double portion of Apple Poof Delight.

John said, You know, Adam, I identify as a woman.

Adam had been at Noital long enough not to peg his fellow students (nor his professors) with a level of intelligence greater than they were willing to display. Before lifting another spoonful of poof to his mouth, John pursued the topic he initiated by asking, So, Adam, who are YOU, really?

Adam knew he ought to come out of the closet and tell John the truth about who he really was, but he wondered if now was the right time. Then concluding that now was as good a time as any, Adam said – just after that last puddle of poof reached John’s stomach and just before John vanished – I identify as a son of God.

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Denise offers the prompt word “peg” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

August Limericks

All of these limericks were originally posted to Esther Chilton’s Laughing Along With A Limerick during the month of August. Some I have slightly modified.

I’ve added two photos for those who prefer a picture to a thousand words of nonsense.

There once was a la-de-de-da
who wanted a good rhyme for “ah”
like how “much” rhymes with “touch”
like how “such” rhymes with “Dutch”
like how what rhymes with “ah” except “ha”?
Prompt Word “touch” August 4, 2025

Sandy beach and what the ocean waves brought in

The old clock is as still as a rock.
It’s now timelessly ticking each tock.
It still hangs on the wall
since it’s pretty and all,
but it’s not of much use as a clock.
Prompt Word: “rock” August 11, 2025 (modified)

Well, I just want to say I don’t trust
all the news that I hear, but I must
let the dust settle, too.
It’s the least I can do –
and the most – since I can’t control dust.
Prompt word: “just” August 18, 2025

More sandy beach

The odd knowledge I once thought I had
is on sale and for cheap I might add.
I will sing a new song
and you may sing along.
That dumb knowledge is gone and I’m glad.
Prompt word: “sing” August 25, 2025

Cosmic Photo Challenge: Early One Morning

Dale offers the prompt “early one morning” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.

On Saturday morning I opened the door and asked myself: Just what photos should I take in this morning sun for the challenge?

The three below, all within 10 feet of the door, are what I found.

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One flower in the morning
Many flowers in the morning
An early rising stone with fossils