"Just Pack Up and Go" by Matthew Oldridge and "Life in Hand" by Brenda Buchanan

Congratulations to Matthew Oldridge from my Wednesday night class and to Brenda Buchanon from my Tuesday afternoon class: They've both had pieces published on CommuterLit this week
- Brian

Just Pack Up and Go
by Matthew Oldridge“You can go somewhere in your armchair you know – just pack up and go.”

Dave Goodchild always said that with a chuckle and a laugh like it was the funniest joke in the world. He was always up for staying at home, in his favourite worn reclining armchair, remote control in his lap, bag of unsalted pretzels and bottle of diet ginger ale beside him.

“The travel shows they’ve got nowadays, they’re just as good as being there. I actually feel like I’ve been all over the world, but without the trouble of travelling, and the annoyance of getting on a plane. Think of all the money we’ve saved!”

That’s what he told his wife, Mary. She had practically all of his favourite lines memorized... more

 

Life in Hand
by Brenda A. Buchanan
The suitcase carousel stood frozen as people migrated toward it. Soon containers full of holiday dreams and business fortunes would drop from above. It’s like a strange birthing machine, Jane thought.  A bumpy ride into this new world but soon the suitcases would be paraded about, chosen then whisked away.

Jane stood waiting for her neatly packed suitcase — full of business suits, appropriate scarves, perfectly pressed and buttoned blouses. Boring, she thought. How boring my suitcase is. How reflective of my life.

Jane spotted a young woman in a bright orange t-shirt, wrinkled shorts, sun-bleached hair. I bet her suitcase isn’t full of boring clothes. Bet her life isn’t boring either.

As the mechanism started to hum and the carousel started to turn Jane got an idea ... more

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