He sits all day, trapped in his glass prison. Sometimes he taps against that glass, drawing the museum visitors closer, so they can hear what he says. Pinocchio’s nose is not large now. He has learned his lesson and long since given up lying. Instead he tells the truth.

Life is short.
Hunger always returns.
Everyone dies.

The museum’s guides sometimes cover the case with a cloth in the hope that will quieten him. It doesn’t help.

You are growing apart from your son.
The cat isn’t coming back.
It is cancer.

Always the truth, whether you want it or not.

Background

This piece was written in the Not for the Faint-Hearted workshop as a three-minute response to a picture of a wooden puppet. It was included in the Quick Fictions app, and used for a promotional postcard. It’s weird how many of my best stories are such quick responses to chance prompts; and also weird how little I actively lean into that.

Newsletter Changes

I’ve been sending out mailing list posts every week for a couple of years now. I’ve enjoyed writing for an audience in that time, even with my misgivings about Substack turning itself into a social platform.

The commitment of a weekly email comes at a cost. Instead, I want to focus on some longer projects. I need to bury myself in some weird ideas without the rhythm of a weekly post. So, these posts will no longer go out weekly.

Advent Calendars

I’m still waiting for the Advent Calendars to come from the printers, and hoping that they all turn out OK. Meanwhile, I’m preparing the envelopes and getting ready to send them out. December 1st is closer than I’d like, but it should all work out.