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Murray Burns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2022

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305 Followers
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150 Stories

5032 karma pts

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Loving

Weekly Contest #325

Loving“No, that’s not what I mean. No, no… I mean that I love them. I’ve beenso lucky to have been able to have someone to love so much.”-Bessie (Diane Keaton); Marvin’s Room “Let’s hit the bars, Henry. The ladies are waiting.”“You go, Jack. I’m tired of trolling for women at the bars and clubs. I want a more meaningful relationship.”“The girls I meet at the bars hold a lot of meaning for me. A man has his needs, you know.”“No, I’m good here tonight.”“Your loss, Henry. I’m feeling lucky tonight.”“You always feel lucky.”“You’re not going to f...

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Redemption

Weekly Contest #324

RedemptionJune, the month the Colorado River gorges itself on mountain snowmelt as it picks up steam, weaving its way down the Western Slope. Rapids, calm, wide, narrow, shallow, deep, left turn, right turn. Six million years in the making, but it was today that mattered.Carl often came to this place at river’s edge, the magnetic pull of the imagined and the unforgettable. The images played in his mind as often as the sun rises, creating a tapestry of memories and dreams competing for places in his mind. God made the human brain in such a wa...

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Sisyphus, Beans, Zucchini, and a Pumpkin

Weekly Contest #323

Sisyphus, Beans, Zucchini, and a Pumpkin“Who will help me plant the wheat?”“Not I… Not I… Not I… Not I.”-The Little Red HenHerb missed his time. He couldn’t forge his way through the Kentucky wilderness with Daniel Boone, roam the Plains with Buffalo Bill in search of life-sustaining game, or team up with Lewis and Clark to blaze a trail across an untamed land. With his fanciful imagery of the rugged individual vs. the land, he even sometimes (with an assist from Camus’ take on Sisyphus- the struggle is what gives our lives meaning) thought ...

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Winning

Weekly Contest #322

Winning“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”-Vince Lombardi It was a different time. Joey could walk six blocks in three different directions and usually find a pickup game on one of the baseball diamonds that had evolved naturally in empty fields over the years. He didn’t care where he played- infield, outfield, catcher, whatever. He pitched once in a while, though his “stuff” was limited to a pretty respectable straight ball. Position didn’t matter to this thirteen-year-old boy who had pictures of Aaron, Adcock, Matthews, and Sp...

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Peeling the Orange

Weekly Contest #321

Peeling the Orange“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”-Anthony Weldon, The Court and Character of King James, 1651“This is pretty exciting, Roy, my first President’s address to Congress. I’m nervous.”“This is my 17th, and I still get goosebumps, Fred. It’s such an honor just to see him in person.”“Well, I’ll just follow your lead, you know, for when to clap and for how long.”“It’s not complicated, Fred. Basically, every time he says something, you clap. Stand up when I stand up and sit down when I do. You’ll be fine. And...

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One Afternoon in a Physical Therapy Waiting Room

Weekly Contest #297

One Afternoon in a Physical Therapy Waiting Room“Excuse me, Miss, could you hand me one of those magazines?”“Which one?”“I don’t think it matters. They’re all a year old.”The old man laughed and the young girl smiled. Personal connections have been born of less, but none had bridged so many years. Fate has an interesting way of bringing people together, even the very old and the very young, and sometimes in the most surprising of places.“You are going to dramatically affect the average age of the clientele here, young lady. You could bring i...

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Friends on Ice

Weekly Contest #290

“Friends on Ice”“It’s a great day for hockey.”-Bob “The Hawk” Johnson, former University of Wisconsin hockey coachA visitor couldn’t tell the color of the walls in little Lincoln’s bedroom. They were covered floor-to-ceiling with posters of the all-time hockey greats- Howe guiding the puck down the ice, Gretzky dropping one in coming around the side of the net, Lemieux hoisting the Stanley Cup, and Hashek with a spectacular skate save.Lincoln’s Grandfather was once the stick boy for Chicago’s hockey team, so the Blackhawks were well-rep...

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Herb Meets His Maker... Maybe

Weekly Contest #289

Herb Meets His Maker…Maybe                                             “Which door will it be?”                                     &nbsp...

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A Rainy Day in 2348 BC

Weekly Contest #288

A Rainy Day in 2348 BC“Often it does seem such a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat.”-Mark Twain“Looks like quite a storm brewing, Pops. We better call it a day.”“Nope, my itchy toe says no rain today, Shem. You’re just trying to get out of work early. Get back to the sheep.” “You and your stupid itchy toe. I’m telling you this one is going to a barn-buster.”“That’s why I call you ‘Chicken Little’. You worry too much. Now get back to work.”Noah was tough on his kids. His wife, whose name he somehow never learned (he affe...

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Confession is Good for the Soul

Weekly Contest #287

Confession is Good for the SoulTimmy always had trouble coloring between the lines, and he questioned why the 6 on his paint-by-number kit didn’t infringe a bit more on the 7. He was disturbed by the differences between blue, light blue, sky blue, and pale blue. Corn Flakes vs. Post Toasties. Coke vs. Pepsi. Porridge vs. oatmeal. It was all so confusing. Timmy wanted clear demarcations for all elements in his life. The subject matter of his angst had always been of little consequence until his 2nd grade class at St. Mary’s began preparation ...

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Those Darned Socks

Weekly Contest #286

Those Darned Socks“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”-Hector UrquhartIf Tom Zachery had better stuff that brisk fall day in the Bronx in 1927, none of this might have happened. Working out of a full windup, he delivered a fastball right down the pipe, but the batter showed little interest. Zachery felt he got away with one and threw the next pitch high and out of the strike zone. With only one more game remaining in the season to get it done, the overflow crowd could almost feel the tension and the power in the batter’s grip as the ...

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Snowballs, Clown Cakes, And Boots With Buckles

Weekly Contest #285

Snowballs, Clown Cakes, And Boots With Buckles“I hope we never lose some of the things of the past.”                                                                          &nb...

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The Fortune Cookie

Weekly Contest #284

The Fortune Cookie“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”-Yogi BerraBecause most people don’t have the answer, they make every effort to avoid the question. Marty had no answers, but he was obsessed with the question. It is generally phrased as "What is the meaning of my life?" Marty liked to simplify things, and he regularly asked himself, "Why am I here?"Guided by a well-intentioned father, Marty’s first plan was to get a college degree, make a decent living, and acquire a lot of stuff. He did all those things and ye...

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Frozen and Furry Foes

Weekly Contest #283

Frozen and Furry Foes“Competition reveals character and tests mental fortitude.”                                                                           -Oprah Winfrey“Ar...

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No, Timmy, There Is No Santa Clause

Weekly Contest #283

Yes No Virginia  Timmy, There Is A  No Santa Clause “The greatest thing is not to believe inSanta Clause; it is to be Santa Clause.”                                                                  &nbs...

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