Saint Valentine's Day features prominently in my novella Broken Buckets. Here is an excerpt.
Richard parked in front of the school, pulling into a “no parking” area. He reached over and opened the glove box, slowly pulling out the Valentine’s Day card he had bought for Sarah a couple of weeks ago on a whim but had ended up shoving away when the whim had passed. He knew he couldn’t interrupt Sarah at this time of day, but he thought he would quickly drop the card off in the office for her and then make his way up to his lookout bench along the jogging path. He found a pen and opened the card to write something inside. Struggling with the words that he really wanted to say, he scrawled simply, “I’m sorry. Love always, Richard,” his signature almost illegible. He concluded that there really wasn’t much else to say to anyone when you are going to off yourself. He tossed the pen aside and put the card in the envelope.
While raising the open envelope to his lips, he looked through his windshield at the front doors of the school. With his mouth agape and his tongue slightly protruding, he stared as the school door closest to him opened wide. He withdrew his tongue and shut his mouth, his face hardening one micro-movement at a time. His hands froze in front of him, the card dropped in his lap, and moments later, without turning his head, he reached for the gun. Swiftly he removed it from the bag and shoved the bag aside.
He opened the car door and stepped out into the small space between his car and the car parked beside him. As he did so, he held the gun beside his right leg, in a familiar fashion. He shut the door and he began marching toward the building. With a slow to and fro, the valentine wafted to the pavement.
Broken Buckets is available from all eBook sellers, and will be delivered free of charge to book reviewers.
Richard parked in front of the school, pulling into a “no parking” area. He reached over and opened the glove box, slowly pulling out the Valentine’s Day card he had bought for Sarah a couple of weeks ago on a whim but had ended up shoving away when the whim had passed. He knew he couldn’t interrupt Sarah at this time of day, but he thought he would quickly drop the card off in the office for her and then make his way up to his lookout bench along the jogging path. He found a pen and opened the card to write something inside. Struggling with the words that he really wanted to say, he scrawled simply, “I’m sorry. Love always, Richard,” his signature almost illegible. He concluded that there really wasn’t much else to say to anyone when you are going to off yourself. He tossed the pen aside and put the card in the envelope.
While raising the open envelope to his lips, he looked through his windshield at the front doors of the school. With his mouth agape and his tongue slightly protruding, he stared as the school door closest to him opened wide. He withdrew his tongue and shut his mouth, his face hardening one micro-movement at a time. His hands froze in front of him, the card dropped in his lap, and moments later, without turning his head, he reached for the gun. Swiftly he removed it from the bag and shoved the bag aside.
He opened the car door and stepped out into the small space between his car and the car parked beside him. As he did so, he held the gun beside his right leg, in a familiar fashion. He shut the door and he began marching toward the building. With a slow to and fro, the valentine wafted to the pavement.
Broken Buckets is available from all eBook sellers, and will be delivered free of charge to book reviewers.
