"You're here because someone recommended you to me. Someone who passed the test. Someone who promised you that you'd be a better financial trader."

The Banker nodded. "Peter. Pete sugg…"

"No names. No pack drill. Only one condition. If…"

"When… When, surely?"

"If… you pass the test, you have to recommend someone to go after you. Someone you think needs to be a better banker. And you DON'T tell them about the test."

"Agreed."

"Ok then. I'd hate to have to kill you." I smiled conspiratorially.

"During the day this park is full of dog walkers. And dogs. And shit."...

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In 1921, he flew from the Great Rift Valley to the California shore

In 1934, he was spotted near a bank robbery that had gone bad

In 1937, he was in Acapulco, Mexico working the bar at the El Luna Hotel

In 1942, he was in love but it wasn't mutual

In 1953, he discovered the secret of anti gravity

In 1963, he made his first suicide attempt (pills)

In 1967, he bought a grocery store in El Segundo

In 1971, he became tired and bored

In 1974, he wrote that song - the one she loved

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My sister signed me up for yoga the day before yesterday. And all I could think about were the yoga girl's toenails. She was the participant in front of me, on a pink mat patterned with yellow flowers. Sitting in the most uncomfortable position of my life, it was her toenails that bothered me. Sitting 10 inches in front of my face, yellowed and cracked, with an attempted cover up of aquamarine polish. "Excuse me, " I wanted to say, "That toenail polish does nothing for you." Or perhaps, "Excuse me, could you help me get my elbow out of...

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I saw it then, I see it now but somehow the access or more the feeling of ownership yes the feeling of ownership over the feeling has changed morphed become murky like I am seeing a man who was me thinking the thought but not remembering the thought myself

Orton stretched his arms and yawn smiled for a slight moment and then he pounced

Like the idea was implanted?

He stretched out this last word let it dangle in the dry air of the back office

Jim blinked, stared, coughed

Yes, yes just like just like that an implanted idea...

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Trivia. I only found out when one of my (many) credit cards was refused. Then a debt collection agency letter arrived. Finally, some landlord of office space told me I was 9 months in arrears and I had two days to remove my stuff.

Of course, I went round there. Not enough room to swing a cat DOT com would have been a good name for them. However, when I was given the key by a guard who joked as if he knew me, and "at least this time you're wearing clothes." I entered the storage room (closet?) to find...

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then the cold
A wet cold that moves through you that clings to your insides
A cold that whispers soft and true
_You will never be warm

Smile and huddle and see that here too in this fog, this unrelenting mist that covers everything
Here too is warmth, here too is a God

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The time it will take is an enormous thought. Just to really accurately describe the amount of time it would take would in and of itself take a mind boggingly large amount of time. Big project. Big, big project. But if you start at one end and finish at what I assure you is the other end even though you can't see it now and likely won't for several months. If you bring enough soup and a change of underwear and mittens for the winter months then I can guarantee you and I mean rock solid guarantee you that at...

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"Lifetime Warranty - Satisfaction Guaranteed" the adverts had promised. "No one has ever returned a loveBot 7000 in the history of the company."

He flicked through the manual. Ah there it was: "If you are genuinely unhappy call THIS toll-free number…"

After keying in a few tones - he hated automated call centres - he had been put on hold by what he assumed to be a clever computer, but was in fact a rather stupid one.

The loveBot sat up, watching him lovingly, with her 'come to bed' eyes. It had entranced him at first. That, compliance, and...

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The farmer, his wife, the plough boy, and both maids set off towards the barn, with the old woman hobbling after. She muttered incantations as they walked through the village, then whispered to herself:

"All shall be well. All manner of things shall be well."

When they were within, Will took Pog's hand. "Will ye dance as we did at our wedding?"

"Happen I will, Master." she replied with a courtesy. Meg saw, if none other (saving maybe Will himself) the years fall from her face.

Mary didn't wait to ask, or be asked, but simply grabbed and pulled Tom's...

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Bess lock eyed Meg as their minds circled each other warily.

"if I were a cat I'd scratch you." she ventured.

"A dog, I'd bite you." Meg countered.

"As a bear I'd press you down…"

"A horse I'd kick…"

"If I was a buzzard I'd swoop with talons…"

"A Magpie, I'd mob you with heavy wings…"

"A hornet I'd sting…"

"A swallow, I'd flit and dart with sharpened beak…"

"And what would it get you, Old Meg?"

"Methinks the same as you,Young Bess. Naught but ill."

They stopped mentally pacing. A battle over that had never begun.

"What now then,...

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