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101 Word Short Stories

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Bear Hugs

November 7, 2024 19 Comments

By Charles Gray

After Dad passed, my brother and I decided to secure Dad’s house and sort out who wanted what. My brother wanted all the furniture. I stared at the 1966 edition of encyclopedias. As a five-year-old, I remembered spending hours looking through them.

“Helen, do you want the encyclopedias?” asked my brother.

“Just the letter A.”

“Why A?”

I opened it and turned to the Animal section showing a picture of a polar bear lovingly hugging its cub. “When I was a kid and Dad was out of town working, I would hug that picture and pretend it was him hugging me.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dave Barlow says

    November 7, 2024 at 4:20 am

    Love the simplicity; an evocative and heart-warming vignette.

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 13, 2024 at 1:15 pm

      Thanks, Dave.

      Reply
  2. jaxson-dan says

    November 8, 2024 at 9:29 am

    ending so unexpected but authentic

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 13, 2024 at 1:16 pm

      Thanks, Jaxson

      Reply
  3. Nina Miller says

    November 13, 2024 at 7:17 am

    So sweet!

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 13, 2024 at 1:16 pm

      Thank you, Nina

      Reply
  4. Janet says

    November 13, 2024 at 9:25 am

    Sweet! Hugs are the best

    Reply
  5. Ed Kratz says

    November 13, 2024 at 10:35 am

    Great simple tale.

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 13, 2024 at 1:17 pm

      Thanks, Ed (fellow Authors Collective member)

      Reply
  6. Sue says

    November 13, 2024 at 12:07 pm

    Gentle, kind memories. We need some soft and sweet today.

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 13, 2024 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks, Sue

      Reply
  7. Dart Humeston says

    November 13, 2024 at 8:21 pm

    Wow, terrific story!

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 19, 2024 at 8:05 pm

      Hey! Thanks Dart! (Fellow Authors Collective member)

      Reply
  8. Margie says

    November 13, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    This brings back old memories.

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 19, 2024 at 8:06 pm

      Thank you, Margie!

      Reply
  9. Jane B Hirschhorn says

    November 15, 2024 at 11:57 am

    We are about to clean out a deceased person’s house, so the timing of your story was perfect. Lovely story, lovely writing. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 19, 2024 at 8:07 pm

      Thank you, Jane!!

      Reply
  10. Marie Barski says

    November 16, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    So much said in so few words, well done!

    Reply
    • Charles Gray says

      November 19, 2024 at 8:07 pm

      Thanks Marie!!

      Reply

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