Laura Gibson & Ethan Rose - "Knife". Richard was kneeling on the institutional carpet and, for the thousandth time in his life, showing his students how to plant new rhododendron in a plastic container. His shirt-cuffs were dusted with soil. One of the students said something witty and Richard took a little breath and said, "No kidding." I do not know why this was the thing to flick Richard's heart like a cricket breaking from the grass. He was leaning over the plastic container, his shirt-cuffs dusted with soil, and he realised that if he wished to run away with L. and spend the rest of his life with her all he had to do was to get up and tell them so. His car was filled with perennials.

[buy]

Bakers at Dawn - "Lester". L. watched Priya approach with her cup of tea. "Thanks," she said. They both took out their instrument-cases and opened the snaps with clacks and in that instant L. recalled the moment of last night, late, when in fatigue she had pulled apart her clarinet and chipped the cork all around the middle section. L. stared at the instrument swaddled in black velvet. "Fuck," she said. "What?" Priya asked. "The cork." "Oh," Priya said, "whatever." But L. spent the whole morning thinking about it.

[You Must Hide Your Love Forever is a free download.]

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Carl Wilson has written a short story (!) about a Charlie's Angels lunch box thermos. You can also bid on this item on eBay. All proceeds to 826 National.

(photo source unknown)