To update the old saw; whether you believe we are in the middle of a global pandemic, or not – you are right.
There is plenty of ‘evidence’ to bolster either conclusion. And that, in a nutshell, is precisely at the core of our immediate dilemma; in the face of a poorly coordinated, half-hearted, largely disrespected, lack of an honest plan for moving forward, the people are the losers.
A Reminder: These short stories are from a writing program called Round Robin. Write something every day, set the timer for 12 minutes, the title of each piece is the daily prompt. Stop writing once the alarm goes off.
75 years ago, on June 6th, 1944, the western Allies began to kick in the front door of “Festung Europa” a). Almost four years to the day since being expelled from the continent by the victorious Wehrmacht b), they were returning….with a vengeance.
The intervening four years had been hectic. The ground war had been extended not only southward to North Africa, but also eastward, as Hitler had invaded Russia in June, 1941. The two dictators had embarked their respective peoples on an ideological struggle to the death.
Related story can be found here
I aspired to reach for the stars. To invoke the jealousy of those persnickety Gods we hear so much about. My uber-laudable mission was to procure a birthday gift for my wife of such incalculable magnificence that any trite concerns of time and tide would be completely obliterated by the light of its epic-tastic magnificence. Countless worthy avenues of unparalleled largesse were furiously explored and discounted. Stones of-an-unturned-nature were becoming rarer than award-winning documentaries on fish dentistry.
BINGO!
A Quick Note from the Author….
This giddily insouciant and hopefully risible treatise was penned as I was unknowingly perched on the very precipice of falling gravely ill and nearly being shipped home from Italy in a pine box (which is only slightly less comfortable than Economy). That will be the subject of my next bravely jocular but tear-inducing column. Stay tuned, but keep those hankies at the ready.
Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 