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101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

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Playground

December 29, 2020 3 Comments

By Alison Lowenstein

The masked mother toted baby wipes in one hand and hand sanitizer in the other, and called out, “Keep your distance” as she raced behind her rapidly moving, unsteady toddling son who approached a child climbing off the slide. Her voice was louder as she instructed him to “Remember six feet!”

The child was barely two years old. He did not comprehend the concept of measurement. The mother pried her child from the other, while her slighter older son fearlessly swung from the playground’s germ-covered metal monkey bars. Unwatched and unnoted, it was the first time he reached the final rung.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AJ says

    December 29, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    Nice story! Reflects the sad reality of these times.

    Reply
  2. Stella Klein says

    December 30, 2020 at 7:04 am

    Nice shift of perspective in the very last line. The upbeat message that the little milestones of life go on 🙂

    Reply
  3. I.R.Pathak says

    December 30, 2020 at 10:59 am

    Ferocity of covid explained in a few lines. Amazing plot.

    Reply

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