Common Things by ucarr

Dale Collins sat straight up in bed, wide-eyed and excited. It was 5am Saturday morning. Normally, he wouldn’t be up until 6am. Today, however, he finally had an answer to the burning question plaguing him for the better part of a month. He knew what the surprise birthday gift for his son Jasper would be.

Show rather than tell. The vibe felt a bit like a black and white holiday movie, which was not at all a bad thing!

Also, this bit reminds me heavily of the prose of Philip K. Dick, one of my favorite authors. Just another quick note, as I feel I'm not great at giving feedback on the stories here.

Dale Collins sat straight up in bed, wide-eyed and excited.

Today, however, he finally had an answer to the burning question plaguing him for the better part of a month

I’ve got the answer to the puzzle of Jasper’s surprise birthday gift next Saturday!”... I’m going to give him the same treat I got on my ninth birthday, a trip to the circus! How’s that for synchronicity?!”

Sounds expensive.”
“Well, I’ve got to have bragging rights at work. You know Chambers will ask for details of what I did for the boy this year.

“How commonplace can you be? Knots can’t compare with exotic wild animals, juggling acts, clown hijinks and feats of daring-do upon the high wire.

“If you want to be assured of getting there, you’d better make the hardware store your first stop. This morning we got a foot of snow, with more predicted. You know the ploughs don’t always make it up here when we need them.”
“You’re all business, aren’t you?

Dale stood in the kitchen with a sulky face, staring at Collette, his palm resting upon a brand-new snow shovel held upright. “Now I’ve got to go back on my promise to take Jasper to the circus. And just wait ‘til Monday. I’m really going to hear it from Chambers. Where is Jasper?”

What happened? Why aren’t we going?”
“You’re so practical, aren’t you! When I got stuck in a snowbank halfway to the box office, I decided to take your advice and detoured to the hardware store. Nightmare! Got the last snow shovel by snatching it before the groping paws of a mouth-breather claimed it. Next stop: long lines stretching all the way to the entrance. Got stuck again in route to the box office. Shouldn’t’ve bothered digging out. Sold out! Why, I’m lucky to be here. The blizzard raging outside has us snowbound. Honey, you’ve wrecked our boy’s great day!”

Believe it or not, Chambers’ wife called. Since he has an emergency board meeting at the Kiwanis Club, he wants you to have his two tickets to the circus.

Well, at least your love for common things has paid off. Here’s your shovel.” With that, Dale thrust the shovel forward to Collette.

Jasper, excited, ran into the kitchen. “Hey, dad! The ploughs have piled up a mountain of snow on the street and all of the kids are sledding it down! Can I roll it down?”
“Why roll it down when you can sled it down?”
“But, dad! I’ve got no sled!”
“Use the shovel, boy! Turn it round backwards and away you go!”
“Yippie!”

“Collie? As usual, you were right. All of my problems got started when I woke up full of myself. Forgive me? A tender kiss was her answer.

Seventy years after its release, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life remains a holiday classic, with warm and fuzzy messages about the importance of love and family. But the movie’s plot also touches on some still-relevant financial topics, including the nature of banking, the philosophical calculus behind issuing loans, and the way American families’ financial fates are intertwined (and, we swear, we aren’t just saying that because we both happen to report on business and economics at The Atlantic)...

Below is a conversation we had after (re-)watching the film about the various questions it raises about mortgages, banking, and financial solvency.

Gillian B. White: I forgot how much commentary there is in this movie about the economics of how banks and loans work. I want an audio file of George Bailey saying “The money’s not there!” as he tries to explain how deposits get rolled into other products,

This is the kind of constructive feedback any author or reader I imagine is glad to hear and learn from.

Philip K. Dick is a relatively new find for me.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Be sure to count those digital sheep.

Dale and Collette stood at the living room picture window, looking out on the street scene. Jasper was in the thick of things, screaming, frolicking and sledding it down the mountain.
“Collie? As usual, you were right. All of my problems got started when I woke up full of myself. Forgive me? A tender kiss was her answer.

Hmmm, in my world this would be the moment that a neighbouring country decides to invade, forcing the family into an arduous journey to safety with only a shovel to help them succeed.

Enjoy the wonderful stories and the holiday season.

Jasper, excited, ran into the kitchen. “Hey, dad! The ploughs have piled up a mountain of snow on the street and all of the kids are sledding it down! Can I roll it down?”
“Why roll it down when you can sled it down?”
“But, dad! I’ve got no sled!”
“Use the shovel, boy! Turn it round backwards and away you go!”
“Yippie!”

:scream: :gasp: :chin:

Where in the world do you live ?
According to profile:
Location is 'presiding the metaphysical court of law'.
Curiously cool :cool:

Blitzkrieg, that goes without saying, encirclement, cutting the lines of communication, the works... Selling it now to the highest bidder, metaphysical mercenary that I am. We all have our antidotes to loneliness Amity..