The Short Story blog series is an experiment where I create short stories one week at a time before they’re actually published. Get the whole archive here: charleskunken.com/season6
The Half-Buttered Croissant
A day of hooky in search of purpose. Part 1 of a short story.
Part 1: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-one
Part 2: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-two-the-diner
Part 3: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-three-the-rose-garden
Part 4: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-four-the-finale-the-avant-garde
Full PDF: charleskunken.com/s/The-Half-Buttered-Croissant-by-Charles-Kunken-June-2020.pdf
His jaw dropped as he laid the obituary section back down on the table next to his half-eaten croissant.
He looked up at the wall. John Eldridge was dead.
After a moment, he pulled the paper close and read it again.
Not only was John Eldridge forty-seven years young, but he had a wife and two kids as well.
He was also pretty certain that John Eldridge was currently sitting at his kitchen table reading the newspaper with a half-buttered croissant left to enjoy.
His eyes looked up and to the left, the rest of him perfectly still. He patted himself on the chest and then got up to go check with his wife. She always had the last word.
“Honey,” John yelled through the door, “whose turn is it to pick up the kids?”
He heard the squeak of the faucet over the fan. “Yours.”
This was reassuring. Judy never messed up the carpool. He looked down the hall for another moment. “I’m off to work.”
“Honey,” she called out.
John stopped.
“Don’t forget to pick up some milk.”
He went back downstairs, grabbed his keys, hat, and jacket, and made his way for the door. Just before leaving, he went back and grabbed the obituary section off the table, put it in his carry bag, and headed out.
* * *
As he made his way towards town, John eyed the bag sitting next to him on the front bench of the Buick. He scratched his chin and squinted out the windshield.
When he pulled up to the Doubleday Animations building, he noticed the flag out front was standing at half-mast. His boss, a military man, must have already read the paper.
And at that, John threw the Buick into reverse, rightly guessing that they wouldn’t be expecting him in the office today.
To be continued…
Part 1: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-one
Part 2: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-two-the-diner
Part 3: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-three-the-rose-garden
Part 4: charleskunken.com/blog/the-half-buttered-croissant-part-four-the-finale-the-avant-garde
Full PDF: charleskunken.com/s/The-Half-Buttered-Croissant-by-Charles-Kunken-June-2020.pdf
Have some thoughts? Feel free to drop a comment or hit me up: charlie@charleskunken.com
Other Posts In The Hollywood Heist Series
What would you do if you read your own obituary? Part 4 (the finale) of a short story.