Private (a short story)

He had been wondering why the people in the street looked at him funny, 

nudged each other and sniggered softly.

It all became clear very swiftly when he got to work. 

Especially when a colleague could no longer contain himself, 

burst out laughing and asked him: 

'Why are you wearing a pair of women's knickers on your head!?'

Somewhat embarrassed he touched his head with his left hand 

as his right hand was still holding the entrance card to the company building.

There was indeed a piece of cloth on his head. 

Which he grabbed slowly, trying to regain his composure. 

His mind raced and he invented a bet: 

'She will do the washing up for a week 

if I dared go to work wearing her underpants on my head.'

Perhaps he should have told the truth but some stories are better kept private.

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Have we become more stupid?

The other day I shared this picture on Facebook:

All over the world you can find obvious warning signs.

But for some reason you find the most in America:

I fear for humanity if these signs were put up

after several people actually did what the signs warn for.

I have been to that country on occasions and wondered why lighters had a sticker: 'Warning: contains flammable liquid!' (a smoker should hope so), why a fire hydrant had a sign 'This is a fire hydrant' (in case a fireman tries to hook the hose unto a parking meter or a lamp post) and a sign at a railroad crossing: 'Wait for the train to pass before you cross' (because you have to clean up the mess yourself when you drive your car across at the height of train carriage 23c). 

Have we really become so stupid that we need to be told the obvious?

Apparently. Because signs like the above would not be needed if people were clever enough to take of their shirt before they iron it.

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Kiss me! (a short story)

In his head he had a myriad of images from his past. She was on at least half of them. 

Without her, his life would have been different. Easier probably, less complicated. 

But as a result, less beautiful as well.

It wasn't as if he was obsessed, he just thought of her excessively. 

Like someone with bowel problems needs to use the bathroom a lot; 

not because they want to, but because they have to.

Not that thinking about her was a problem, it wasn't. 

He only lost his job due to thinking about her once. 

Or was is twice?

Sometimes he even saw her in real life. Or thought he saw her. 

She hadn't changed much. She still had those deliciously wide hips, 

that cute, slightly oversized turned-up nose 

and that mouth that said but one thing: 

kiss me!

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Extreme weather

Examples of climate change are wreaking havoc all over the world right now. 

From torrential downpours to floods and wildfires, extreme weather is bearing down on regions across the globe.

Of course we could deny climate change. For some reason a lot of people have chosen to do so. But probably not so many in these areas:

Yes, the climate changes. That's a natural phenomenon. But it used to take Mother Nature some 10,000 years to drastically change a weather pattern in certain areas of the world. But now, thanks to human internvention, it's merele a question of decades for drastic changes in weather. Are we prepared? Not really. Tens of thousands of people will die and whole towns will perish. Like Lytton, Canada.

Who would think that a town in Canada would ever record one of the highest temperatures worldwide?

Perhaps it's time we put aside our differences and focus on the one thing that concerns us all: combating climate change.

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Future (a short story)

The night unfolded in a daze.

The hours that had just passed would be left out of his autobiography.

It was better that way, he thought.

Accompanied by memories in the form of scents he put her on the train.

She gave him a mischievous smile and blew him a kiss as the train started moving.

In the direction of their joint future.

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

What news do you spread and how do you convice yourself it's not fake?

Some people simply believe anything they are told. Not just ordinary people like you and I but even full pledged judges!

Here's some proof:

When they are told not to believe CNN, they won't. Even when they are told by Fox' Tucker Carlson, a known liar:

So, why do people believe and spread fake news?

What news do you spread and how do you convice yourself it's not fake? 

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

All right (a short story)

A wine bar in a middle-sized French town. It is late in the evening and the room is still full of smoke left there by guests who have left since.

A female singer (high barstool, the toes of one foot on the ground, the other loosely on the spoke that connects the two front legs. You know the type.) presents a very reasonable version of 'Ne me quitte pas' and a man sits alone at a table. Well, alone?

His company consists of two empty wineglasses and a bottle that holds one more glass. 

He grabs the bottle as if for a refill but changes his mind and simply lifts the bottle to his mouth after casting one last melancholy look at the empty chair across the table.

A not unattractive lady slides her ass smoothly onto the chair, her satin dress prettily rustling, and asks 'Did you miss me?' He looks at his watch and says: 'You were in the ladies' room a long time. Are you all right?' 

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

'Look, #Antifa is so stupid! They can't even set a car on fire!'

'Look, #Antifa is so stupid! They can't even set a car on fire!'

You may have seen a post like this on social media, accompanied by words like 'Just this morning, in my street in Hamburg/Chicago/Birmingham/Zevenaar!' and by this clip:

Besides the fact that 'just setting a car on fire' is not as easy as in the movies - and not everyone learned in school that it's not the gasoline itself that is flammable but the fumes are - this 'news'  is simply false. 

A simple 'image reverse search' teaches us that the woman in the video is so angry at her ex boyfriend that she decided to torch his car in 2020. 

You don't have to be a 'member' of Antifa to wear a hoodie and commit acts of violence. But you can show people a random street and tell them it's in your hometown without them questioning it.

The full clip (and story) is here:

It took me a bit under five minutes to do the research on this. So I find it really strange thousands of people who like to state on social media: 'Do your own research!' simply believe it was 'Antifa being dumb'. And actually believing something is true 'because I saw it on social media!' without doing any research whatsoever is smart?

'Antifa' is not an organised group but consists of thousands of groups and individuals who speak out against fascism. Strange that people who express themselves against 'Antifa' are basically calling themselves fascists. 

These two skills are required when you want to distinguish actual news from fake news, nowedays: some elementary computer skills ('How to type a question in the Google search bar') and the ability to realize that perhaps not everything you see is true.

But luckily for some demagogues quite a few people are actually stupid enough to belief literally anything you present to them as fact. If you know a stupid person (or pick a random stupid person from social media) and you happen to find yourself in one of their 'bubbles' (you both like the same sportsteam, music, conspiracy theory, food or whatever...as long as you are 'on the same team', part of the same 'tribe'), simply state some random made up fact and be amazed how many of them will actually believe what you just made up. 

If you find it difficult to lie, try stating stuff like 'I read somewhere that Oprah Winfrey is Michael Jackson's stepsister'. It won't be actual lying if you had previously written it down...

Of course 'stupid' is a rather harsh word. Let's just say 'gullible'. Or 'uneducated', 'At the back of the line when IQ's were handed out'. Or stick with 'stupid'.

Have you ever believed something someone in your 'bubble' told you to later find out it wasn't true?

 

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

To water (a short story)

While making love they would feed each other strawberries, biscuits and water. Lots of water. The risk of dehydration was real and in the few months they had been together he had had to see a doctor twice for various types of 'wear'. They hardly slept at all and eating was mostly done - as said - 'during'.

Of course there was work. He had the advantage of a fairly quiet office job. Boiled eggs were cheap in the cafeteria and walking three flights of stairs was beneficial to his health. And somehow he always found the energy to please her right after coming home.

His coat still on he put the potatoes that she peeled on the stove. Meanwhile she set four fresh glasses of water on the second-hand bedside table. She knew from experience that they wouldn't take the time for a refill after drinking two of them.

In the meantime he had laid his coat over the back of a chair and was taking off his shoes sitting on the foot of the sofa bed. He could feel her hot breath in his neck. Literally. Shortly followed by her teeth.

An hour and a half later he only got up to go to the kitchen. To turn off the stove underneath the burnt potatoes and to open a window because of the black smoke that had filled the room. 

And to refill the four glasses of water.

He didn't want to admit it then but he was addicted. And not to water.

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

What lies do you believe to be true?

We lie constantly. Yes, you too. We lie to our children about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, grandmother's death, et cetera. We even tell them that they will be succesful if they do their best in school! Even though we know (*COUGH* Trump *COUGH*) some of the richest and most succesful people are simply rich or succesful because their parents were:

We not only lie to our children but also to our partners ('No darling, you don't have a big behind') and bosses ('I'm sure I can do it, boss!'), friends ('You'll be over her in a few weeks. Just you wait and see.'), to complete strangers on the street and on social media and even to ourselves! I'm sure you told yourself things like: 'Just one more cigarette and then I'll really quit' or 'I'll start my diet right after my coming birthday party'.

Let's face it: lying is a part of everyday life. Most of us even believe almost anything 'Hollywood' tells us! Remember the president who believed dropping a nuclear bomb on a hurricane would make it disperse? He came up with that idea 'himself' after he saw an old Science Fiction movie in which that happened. Perhaps you even believe you can pull the pin out of a hand grenade with your teeth or other war 'facts'. Here's a list of such lies.
 

Once you believe something it's really hard to start believing you've been lied to and thus have been lying to others. That's okay. It happens to all of us. Really. Although lying starts before we go to school, school is a major source of lies.

Which is your favourite lie you'd wish to be true?

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon