fiction
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Please Be Seated
The narrative revolves around a person dealing with their mother’s declining health and family dynamics while juggling art submissions. They contemplate hiring help or considering a nursing home as their mother is increasingly dependent on a wheelchair. Amidst these challenges, they receive recognition for their artwork at an upcoming event, prompting reflections on meaning and…
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Under Pressure
The author reflects on a recent experience involving a flower arrangement inspired by lessons from Virgin Mary. Despite waiting for a meaningful message, the author feels frustrated and finds no enlightenment. Conversations with Jorge reveal that performing tasks without expecting rewards fosters personal growth. They discuss the importance of managing pressure, comparing it to a…
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Form Follows Function
Conversations with Virgin Mary I returned home from Milwaukee. I had time to visit the House and Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago, and Taliesin, his cottage in Wisconsin where he lived for 50 years. It was an interesting visit, almost like archaeology—uncovering the past, even if it is a relatively recent past. I…
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NowHere
The author reflects on personal struggles while in Milwaukee testing a new cashbox for buses. Despite facing multiple rejections in their artistic endeavors, they express resilience in continuing to experiment. The narrative intertwines themes of family challenges, particularly concerning the author’s mother with Parkinson’s, and philosophical musings on waiting and existence at a bus stop,…
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The Bulb in the Fridge
Conversations with Virgin Mary I took my car to the body shop to repair the antenna and the hole in the roof. I don’t need a radio in my car. I can live without it, but the hole in the roof is keeping me awake at night. There are features you take for granted until…
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Here Comes the Rain Again
The narrative revolves around the protagonist’s struggles with various personal challenges, including a damaged car, a sick mother, and a complicated family dynamic. He seeks wisdom from a friend, Jorge, who channels messages from the Virgin Mary, emphasizing life’s cyclical nature. The story highlights themes of care, communication, and the interconnectedness of struggles.
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Clean Up Your Windows
Conversations with Virgin Mary I saw a chicken trying to cross the road, just like in the videogame. There were no cars, only mine, slowing down. I think it was a chicken, the window was so dirty from the melted snow on the roads. What was a chicken doing there? I live on the rural…
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A Massage For Your Scalp
Conversations with Virgin Mary Everything I plan refuses to end as planned. I have been sending applications to every open call where I believe my work belongs, and the results have been the same: rejection. I have grown so accustomed to rejection letters that they no longer surprise me. I don’t ask why anymore. I…
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This is not a drill
Conversations with Virgin Mary “You should wait until I arrive. This task is hard for one person,” I tell Jorge as I watch him halfway up a ladder, a drill in his right hand, balancing. “I waited for you,” he says without turning. “You said five. It’s almost six-thirty.” “I sent you a message. Didn’t…
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The Drawer of the Forgotten Objects
Conversations with Virgin Mary Fourteen days after sending the bill proposal, the reply arrived. Not from the Member of Parliament himself, but from the system surrounding him. Good day, Thank you for reaching out to MP Jacob Mantle with your concerns. This message confirms that our office has received your correspondence. Due to the high…
Carlos Fentanes 