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BRUCE MARTIN

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2022

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117 Followers
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41 Stories

1169 karma pts

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THE EXPRESS TRAIN

Weekly Contest #260

Jack stood on the subway platform awaiting his express train. It had been a long, arduous day at work, as usual, and he could think of nothing else but getting home to his loving family, having a warm supper and a good night’s sleep. His wife, Jill, despite being loud and shrill, was always there to greet him with a hug and kiss. And his three daughters, eleven, thirteen and fifteen, despite often sounding like a gaggle of honking geese, were always happy to see him.  Leaning against a subway post, he allowed himself to drift into ...

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THE COCKTAIL PARTY

Weekly Contest #194

As luck would have it, the cocktail party brought together two masters of the English language. On the one hand, Arthur Lambert was a highly respected professor of English and creative writing. On the other hand, Tom Salinger was a well-known and celebrated author of short stories and novels.Professor Lambert approached the famed author and introduced himself.“Hello, Mr. Salinger. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to meet you. I’m a great fan of your writing. In fact, I use your writing in my graduate classes as a...

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MY PREFERRED PRONOUNS

As a young child, Harvey Hickock tended to gravitate towards what one might consider feminine activities. For example, he preferred to play with dolls and flowers rather than the military figures, tanks and building blocks that were his older brother’s fascination. As a teenager, Harvey seemed to be more comfortable around girls, but only in a platonic sense. He did not seem to desire them the way his classmates did.Therefore, it was no surprise to anyone when Harvey announced that he identified as a woman.Feeling deep down that he would alw...

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FIVE POUNDS OF FOOD

Weekly Contest #191

The Big Texan is a ranch and restaurant in Amarillo, Texas. It was founded in 1960 on Route 66, serving the finest Texas barbecue, but moved to its current location just off Route 40 in Amarillo in April, 1971. The owner originated the 72-ounce Steak Challenge, and when the new facility opened, the Challenge became famous.   It wasn’t long before this ranch became an iconic destination. Many customers have tried their appetites on the 72-ounce Steak Challenge, but only about 10% succeed. The 72-ounce Steak Challenge is very simple.&...

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THE INTERVIEW

Weekly Contest #191

Fred burst into the kitchen and proclaimed excitedly, “Honey, I have great news!”His wife, Furn, spun around and responded, “Oh, Fred, you know I love good news! What is it?”Fred held back just for a moment to heighten the tension.“Well, do you remember the position I applied for last week?”Furn’s eyes widened. “Do you mean the director job at Platinum Industries?”Fred chuckled. “Director job? That’s a modest way of describing it. If I get this position, I would be running an entire division. Platinum is initiat...

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AN ATHEIST AND A RELIGIOUS ZEALOT GO PARASAILING

Weekly Contest #189

Allan Rivers had always dreamed of visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Several of his friends had been there and raved about the wonderful hotels, lavish dining, and excellent water activities. Most of all, Allan wanted to try his hand at parasailing, and the main resort specialized in that.  Arrangements were made, and Allan and his wife flew in for a week of relaxation and fun. Allan made sure to register for parasailing at the hotel concierge desk, while his wife signed up for an afternoon of spa treatment.   The following mor...

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THE POOL ROOM AT PELICAN POINT

Weekly Contest #188

In the quiet retirement community of Pelican Point in Boca Raton, the residents enjoyed lavish facilities and an active lifestyle. The clubhouse had an Olympic-size, heated swimming pool, a resistance pool for walking, two heated spas, a Swedish sauna and a steam room. There were three restaurants, offering everything from breakfast omelets and French toast to the finest steaks, chops and salads. Friday night seafood extravaganzas, Saturday night brisket and stuffed kishka specials, and Sunday morning bagel, lox and chopped liver jamborees k...

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IT'S ALL RELATIVE

Weekly Contest #184

In the doctors' cafeteria at a prominent medical university hospital, two young physicians were discussing their current patient census. Sitting at a table at lunch, one of the two was quite annoyed. Dr. Gary Houston exasperatedly complained about one patient in particular, an elderly man in serious condition. “I can’t believe how stupid this old guy is! It took me an extra 15 minutes just trying to find out what medications he is taking. The guy couldn’t remember a single one. Look, I know the guy is sick, but come on!”His lunch m...

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A NEW PRESIDENT - PART 1

Part 1:He seemed to come out of nowhere. Franklin Jacobson was a young, handsome, dynamic Republican congressman from Asheville, North Carolina. He was articulate and knowledgable, almost incredibly so. In fact, many listeners would comment that they had never before heard anyone with such a preternatural command of the issues.For example, during the three debates with his Democrat opponent, Franklin’s ability to formulate and express responses to the mediator’s questions was so acute that his opponent several times had either no respon...

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A NEW PRESIDENT - PART 2

Part 2: The first Tuesday in November was upon the nation, and the election turnout was the largest in the history of America. The outcome was a foregone conclusion. Franklin prevailed in all 50 states, winning the highest number of electoral votes ever. Franklin Jacobson was now President of the United States. And his ascension came at a very fraught time in the world. There were several hotspots that demanded the immediate attention of the new president and his team.  The most pressing problem involved the recent invasion of Russi...

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A NEW PRESIDENT - PART 3

Part 3: Needless to say, the USA and the entire world were rendered speechless by the President’s formal address. As predicted, many people were extremely frightened. Just as many dismissed all of it as simple jabberwocky. However, news reports began to filter in that, indeed, violent perpetrators on the streets of Chicago and New York and throughout the world were observed being instantaneously blasted into a cloud of white gas and powder by a beam that seemed to originate skyward. Witnesses stated that the beam appeared to have a deep pu...

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A MIRACLE

Weekly Contest #183

Many people would agree that to raise and love a child is the only thing in life that has any real meaning. Wealth, fame, athletics, even intellectual pursuits, all amount to empty achievements in comparison to the profound importance of creating and nurturing life. One might even say that accomplishments such as winning a race, composing a symphony, or painting a beautiful portrait represent two-dimensional creativity, since, once completed, are set in stone, so to speak. They no longer have the opportunity to change, grow or transform. Whe...

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THE BLIND DATE

Weekly Contest #183

It is a rare individual who does not desire and need the love of others.Larry Peppercap, an accomplished young man, but quite modest in appearance, longed for feminine companionship and love. Tall, muscular, handsome and athletic, he was not. But determined to find a genuine relationship, he was.Following the advice of his male friends, Larry opened a profile on an internet dating service, Lovemetonight.com. The posting of photos on this website was optional. And for that, Larry was most grateful. Larry was not photogenic, and usually had th...

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THE BTRK KILLER

WARNING: This story involves an onslaught of violence, sexual torture and gore. If you are squeamish, stop right here. I had just come home from my usual workout at the gym when the alarm at my house was sounding and I noticed a window in the back of the house had been pried open. This was a very frightening finding since everyone was on edge due to the activity of a serial killer in our town.  News reports described this serial killer by a self-proclaimed acronym: the BTRK Killer. BTRK apparently stood for Bind, Torture, Rape and ...

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A MOTHER'S LOVE

Weekly Contest #181

If you have a moment, I would like to tell you about a good friend of mine. His name is Jonathan Ackerman. He is a wonderful man with a beautiful family and loving wife. But something happened in his life that was really remarkable.I first met Jonathan more than 30 years ago when we were in college together. He was studying psychology at the time, expressing a desire to become a clinical psychologist, but ultimately did not go into that field. Instead, upon finishing his studies, he decided to pursue a business venture by opening a carwash a...

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