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101 Word Short Stories

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1965

July 28, 2021 19 Comments

By Richard Otterwell

Walking back from the hospital, where the news had not been good, he encountered his old buddy from the sixties whom he hadn’t seen in forty years. In fact, he thought that he remembered having read his obituary. As they reminisced, he found himself confiding that he would give the rest of his life for another day in 1965.

Later, hearing the distinctive opening bars of ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ coming from a shop he was passing, he saw, in the shop window reflection, a man looking back at him wearing a pink paisley shirt, bell-bottom hipsters, and Cuban heeled boots.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve Bailey says

    July 28, 2021 at 7:57 am

    “Those were the days my friend.”

    Reply
    • Richard Otterwell says

      July 28, 2021 at 12:16 pm

      Thank you … yes they were!=.

      Reply
  2. Kevin says

    July 28, 2021 at 9:02 am

    -we thought they’d never end.

    Reply
    • Richard Otterwell says

      July 28, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      Thanks ….. Is that Mary Hopkin writing under a pseudonym?

      Reply
  3. Jillian Collette says

    July 28, 2021 at 10:45 am

    Really enjoyed this story. I like how it’s open ended and we are not sure if he is dead or not. Wish I was alive during those days. At least I got to experience the 80’s a little.

    Reply
  4. Richard Otterwell says

    July 28, 2021 at 12:22 pm

    Thank you …. liked your comment re: ‘open ended’ . Editor initially tried to persuade me to make it more specific.

    Reply
  5. Indra Raj Pathak says

    July 28, 2021 at 12:30 pm

    Unforgiving past chases like the ghost. Mysterious. Commendable.

    Reply
    • richard otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Thank you

      Reply
  6. Michael Slagle says

    July 28, 2021 at 2:13 pm

    Nostalgia with an eerie twist. Well done!

    Reply
    • Jeff says

      July 29, 2021 at 2:33 am

      Like!

      Reply
    • richard otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Thanks

      Reply
    • richard otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 8:23 am

      Thank you

      Reply
    • Richard Otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 1:08 pm

      Thank you Michael

      Reply
  7. Amanda Barusch says

    July 28, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    What a great story!
    So glad you didn’t listen to your editor.

    Reply
    • richard otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 8:24 am

      Thanks – glad you liked it

      Reply
  8. Michael D Brown says

    July 29, 2021 at 10:15 am

    Ooh I like that. That’s about how far wishing takes you.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 29, 2021 at 11:15 am

      I liked this piece! Its fun going back!

      Reply
      • Richard Otterwell says

        July 29, 2021 at 1:12 pm

        Thanks Karen

        Reply
    • Richard Otterwell says

      July 29, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      Thanks

      Reply

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