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101 Word Short Stories

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A Box of Memories

June 8, 2023 11 Comments

By Michael W King

There’s a shoebox in the closet near the bathroom. The running shoes that once occupied the box are long gone. Today, it has things I bought when she would spend the night. There’s a pink loofah and the coconut-scented body wash she liked. Her almost-empty deodorant and cologne remind me of the night we met. A toothbrush and paste that kept her smile bright and breath minty fresh. A hairbrush with a few strands of hair still tangled in the bristles. The last item in the shoebox—a diamond ring. Like her, it’s beautiful, but she will never wear it.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David says

    June 8, 2023 at 5:20 am

    Excellent. Poignant and hints at a much bigger story.

    Reply
    • Michael W King says

      June 17, 2023 at 1:48 pm

      Thanks

      Reply
  2. Dick Noble says

    June 8, 2023 at 9:00 am

    one of the best drabbles I’ve read for a while. Good job

    Reply
    • Michael W King says

      June 17, 2023 at 1:49 pm

      Thank you

      Reply
  3. Robin says

    June 14, 2023 at 7:52 am

    Great ending.

    Reply
    • Michael W King says

      June 17, 2023 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks

      Reply
  4. Toni Brayer says

    June 14, 2023 at 3:55 pm

    So sad. And real.

    Reply
    • Michael W King says

      June 17, 2023 at 1:50 pm

      Thanks

      Reply
  5. Jennifer J. says

    June 15, 2023 at 4:27 pm

    You packed a lot of story into this piece. Well done.

    Reply
    • Michael W King says

      June 17, 2023 at 1:50 pm

      Thank you

      Reply
  6. Sandra says

    June 23, 2023 at 8:39 pm

    Memories, that’s all we have. Sad. Thank you!

    Reply

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