Day: December 6, 2017

Saints and Sinners

Fandango9 Comments

No one can say that the behaviors of either Senator Al Franken or Republican Senatorial candidate Roy Moore are saintly.

Both men have been accused of sexually inappropriate behavior toward women (or in the case of Moore, teenage girls). But that is where the similarities end.

Franken has admitted that he was inappropriate with the women who have come forward, he is contrite, and he is willing to submit to a congressional ethics committee investigation.

Moore has vehemently denied having done anything wrong, claiming that all of those who have accused him of sexual misconduct are lying.

I’m not condoning what Al Franken has done, but at least he’s manning up and taking responsibility. Roy Moore, on the other hand, is following the Trumpian path of deny, deny, deny, despite credible evidence to support the accusations against him.

But what I find truly remarkable is the difference between the way the Democrats and Republicans are handling these accusations.

Al Franken’s Democratic peers in the Senate are calling for him to resign his Senate seat, which he is likely to announce at a scheduled press conference tomorrow.

Republicans, however, are going all in for the accused pedophile Roy Moore. Trump has endorsed him. McConnell, who previously called for Moore to step aside, now says it’s up to the voters in Alabama to decide. The RNC has reinstated funding for Moore’s campaign. And if elected, it’s unlikely the GOP will not let Moore serve, since they need the votes for their draconian tax plan.

In a clear “party over country” message, the GOP would rather have a Republican pedophile in the Senate than risk having another Democrat in the Senate.

So here’s the double standard: Democrats are to be held accountable for bad behavior while Republicans are supported, no matter what abhorrent acts they’ve been accused of.

This is the height of hypocrisy. But this apparently is the way things are in the age of Trump.

Written for today’s one-word prompt, “saintly.”

Book ’em, Danno

Fandango10 Comments

It was a Friday night. I had been away for a few days on a business trip and was eager to get home, to unpack, and to have a nice, relaxing weekend.

Carrying my laptop bag and rollaboard, I walked up the two flights of stairs to my apartment. I got to my door, inserted the key, turned the knob, and walked into the narrow hallway.

I put my laptop bag down next to the door and started to roll my rollaboard toward my bedroom when I noticed a light on in the living room. I also heard what sounded like the TV. I never leave any lights on when I travel, much less leave the TV on.

I stopped short of my bedroom, turned around and walked toward the light and sound coming from the living room.

When I got there, I saw two young men, maybe in their early twenties, sitting on my sofa and watching TV. I had no idea who they were, why they were in my apartment, or how they got in.

I saw a small glass vial containing some white, powdery substance on my coffee table, along with a rectangular mirror with two short lines of the white powder neatly lined up on its surface.

These two men, total strangers to me, were snorting cocaine in my living room and watching my TV. They had apparently not heard me walk in.

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my apartment?” I yelled. They both looked up, shock on their faces. And then I saw one of them reach behind his back, pull a pistol from his waistband, and aim it at me.

It all happened so fast, so unexpectedly, that I didn’t have time to react, to move. I heard the shot and immediately I felt a pinching sensation in my stomach.

I was surprised that it didn’t hurt more; the pain wasn’t as intense as I would have expected it to be. I looked down and saw the red stain spreading rapidly across my shirt. I reached down and felt the warm stickiness on my hand.

My knees weakened and I started to feel light-headed. That’s when I felt the intense pain that I would have anticipated after having been shot. I fell to my knees as a veil of blackness began to drape my consciousness.

The last thing I remember seeing was my blood dripping and spreading onto the carpeting beneath me and knew that I would never get my security deposit back.

I could hear one of the men say, “Grab the shit and let’s get outta here,” and I sensed, more than saw or heard, the two men run past me and out the door.

Even though the darkness had descended fully upon me, I could still hear the TV. I think it was Hawaii Five-0, but I can’t be sure.

It’s funny, but “Book ‘em, Danno” ran through my mind. In fact, that was the last conscious thought I can remember.

“Book ‘em, Danno.”

And then I passed out.

#100WW — Enchanted Forest

Fandango11 Comments

BA64F1F7-C21A-406B-BDA4-8920BBD62D0FEllen hopped off her bicycle seat and planted both feet on the ground. Jeff caught up with her. “You okay?”

Looking down the road, Ellen said, “It’s like an enchanted forest.”

“More like haunted, I’d say. Look at those tree limbs up ahead. They’re like tentacles that will reach out and grab you if you try to pass.”

“You’re crazy,” Ellen said, jumping up on her bike and cycling down the road.

Grabbing his smartphone, Jeff snapped a picture as Ellen rode away. But when he looked to see how it turned out, Ellen was missing from the image.

(98 words)

Written for this week’s 100 Word Wednesday prompt from Bikurgurl. Image credit: Trevor Cole.