The Outlaw Steve Corbett ink splotch

Big Mike’s Christmas Miracle: A Short Story

December 23, 2021

News of the ceramic baby Jesus stolen from the church manger scene broke like five-dollar dinner plates in a drunken wedding anniversary argument. In the chilly aftermath, Big Mike’s words went viral, shooting off from his big Pittsburgh mouth like fireworks or foam from a shaken can of Iron City popped the day bosses at […]

Where the Love Light Gleams: A Short Story

December 21, 2021

“Where you going, old-timer?” “Home for Christmas.” “Need a ride?” “No, thank you, I’ll walk.” When Richard Arnold left the house at 8 a.m. Friday morning, he wore his good blue polyester sportcoat, a white shirt, tan dress slacks he bought at Sears before he retired, brown socks and black dress shoes he polished to […]

Fore! A Short Story

December 16, 2021

Fore! Taking a swig from the freshly opened bottle of Bacardi 151 rum left over from Christmas 2010, Brad Brigham leaned on a 4-iron like a cane and wiped his sun-cracked lips with the back of a liver-spotted hand. “Politically correct corporate hacks should have never discontinued this brand,” he said. “We’re not supposed to […]

Smile: A Short Story

November 30, 2021

“Can you pull back the sides of his mouth more toward his ears to show all his teeth?” The undertaker fidgeted. He looked at Gary Capehart stretched out on the embalming table. “People don’t even want the hint of a smile. A smile would be creepy,” he said. “Goddammit, show some respect,” Maureen said. The […]

Gobble Gobble: A Short Story

November 24, 2021

Laughing aloud at the far end of the state prison cell block, two veteran prison guards on duty in the hospital unit for the criminally insane snuck Marlboros under the stairs and gawked toward the cell in the middle of the isolation unit. “Go on,” Christopher Rawlings said. “Go on down and see this crazy […]

The Outlaw Steve Corbett ink splotch