The 6 Word Short Story

To say that my dad has an affinity for telling stories would be a gross understatement. If you've met him before, if you've received one of his emails, if you're a friend of his on Facebook and haven't hidden him yet - I know you understand.

It takes - and I say this with unconditional love - a certain kind of patience to sit through a Judd Peterson story. Oftentimes, it feels like you're perusing your favorite website on one tab, and waiting for your streaming show to buffer on another; anxious to get to the point, but entertained enough by the superfluous details to enjoy the wait.

Surely you can imagine my surprise when he told me he had submitted a 6 word short story to a writing contest not too long ago. With a smile, I remembered that he's always up for a challenge.

And what a challenge that one is.

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway won a bet by crafting a six word short story that could drive people to tears.

These six words inspired the literary community to such a degree, that flash fiction has now become a hugely popular style of writing. 

In the end, I never got to hear my dad's six words (or I did hear them and I've forgotten...) so, instead of posting his, here are mine:

"His mind changed

after the jump."

So, what's your 6 word short story?

14,000 things to be happy about.

On the rare occasion that I’m early to my appointment, I thumb through it. It’s as thick as the bible and as tattered as one that belongs to a minister. Its edges are browning from years of handling by the curious, the anxious, the depressed – all of whom either looking for answers, or simply wanting to be reminded. 

green grass

a two-person tent

soundscapes

that feeling you get when you write in a notebook, flip the page, and run your fingertips over the "braille"

Some days the list warms my heart and some days it chips at the stone in its place, but it's something to think about every day -- What makes you happy?