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See Through

December 15, 2022 19 Comments

By Jon M. Gluckman

When my Real X-Ray Glasses arrive from Fantasy Adventures—best comic book e-v-e-r—I jump on my vintage Stingray: monkey handlebars, silver streamers in the end-caps, banana seat—and pedal like a madman to the girls’ basketball game. I sit far back in the bleachers. Nevertheless, Principal Bradley sees me. He rips them from my face, tears the left temple clean off (cheap cardboard construction). My anticipations vanish like dreams. Bradley says I need serious therapy.

A week later, the feds haul him from his office. They take his computer and external hard drives. I don’t feel so bad after that.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 2912 says

    December 15, 2022 at 1:00 pm

    Oh the hypocrisy. Nice job.

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 16, 2022 at 7:29 am

      Ah, yes…so often the case. People in glass houses… Right?

      Reply
  2. Cathryn says

    December 15, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    Dear Jon,

    Nailed it!
    Succinct plot and subtle characterization.
    Nice piece of flash.

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 16, 2022 at 7:26 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Valli says

    December 15, 2022 at 5:57 pm

    Nice read… great ending… kudos…

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 16, 2022 at 7:27 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Tom Baldwin says

    December 15, 2022 at 6:36 pm

    Neat!

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 16, 2022 at 7:27 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Liz says

    December 17, 2022 at 1:17 am

    Classic pot calling the kettle black – good one!

    Reply
    • JMG says

      December 17, 2022 at 2:39 pm

      Thank you, Liz!

      Reply
  6. Rob Smentek says

    December 19, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    Love it.

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 21, 2022 at 11:10 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Andre says

    December 21, 2022 at 8:59 am

    Tragic. Funny. Engaging. The feeling of a “bemused shoulder shrug” at the end is such a nice contrast to the dark demise of Bradley

    Reply
    • Jon Gluckman says

      December 21, 2022 at 11:13 am

      Thank you, Andre! Such a sensitive description of your journey through this story. Much appreciated.

      Reply
  8. Bud says

    December 21, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    Great little story. Nice use of a vintage bike description from the 60’s.

    Reply
  9. Jean Barbaro says

    December 21, 2022 at 8:31 pm

    Yes. Those throwing stones are always the ones to watch. Very nicely written.

    Reply
  10. Chetana Vaishnavi says

    December 24, 2022 at 8:16 am

    Very good story. Not practising what he preaches.
    Kudos

    Reply
  11. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    December 30, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    Love the rich description at the beginning. It manages to throw you off the scent of what’s about to happen ..

    Reply
  12. Jai Gluckman Thomas says

    December 31, 2022 at 9:37 pm

    Takes one to know one (not you! Bradley, I mean!). Guess it doesn’t need a novel or even a short story to get a point across! Great writing!

    Reply

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