Short Story of the Month, January 2022

"He took a deep breath and punched the picture of the chocolate cupcake..." I mean you have to read a story that has that in it, don't you? Ed

The Willesden Herald Short Story of the Month

January 2022: Boardwalk Oracle by M. E. Proctor

“...Even in the fading light of the day that concealed the worst scars of decrepitude, the seediness of the place could not be ignored. Many shops were boarded up and metal curtains were down on those that weren’t. The coin-operated machines were battered, nicked and banged metal, flaked-off paint. Relics from the early age of automation..."

M. E. Proctor

M.E. Proctor lives in Livingston, Texas. After forays into SF (The Savage Crown Series), she’s working on a series of contemporary detective novels. Her short stories have been published in Bristol Noir, The Bookends Review, Beat to a Pulp, All Worlds Wayfarer, Shotgun Honey and others. On Twitter: @MEProctor3

Another useless cartoon

TYPICAL! YOU WAIT AGES FOR A RHOMBUS...

Cartoons by Zoz, by jingo

 A homemade slideshow of cartoons by Zoz, aka Smoran. Now with added pleasant music, courtesy of YouTube Studio, credit unspecified.

Petticoat Lane, London, c.1900 (film)

Men and women around an east end market in London, possibly Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street) around 1900 at this time a predominantly a poor Jewish working class area.
Credit: Huntley Archives pic.twitter.com/qtW523br9t

— Historygirl (@janeyellene) November 28, 2021

Wonderful scenes down Petticoat Lane market in the East End of London, circa 1900. Does that sort of joy even exist anymore? (Ed.)

Tim Berners-Lee Cried

The DotCom’s connected to the WordPress
The WordPress ’s-connected to the Facebook
The Facebook’s connected to the MySpace
Now fear the bulletin board

The MySpace ’s-connected to the WayBack
The WayBack’s connected to the NewsNet
The NewsNet's connected to the Archive
Now fear the bulletin board

Dem zones, dem zones, dem wry zones
Dem moans, dem moans, them shy moans
Dem groans, dem groans, dem sly groans
Now fear the bulletin board

The Archive’s connected to the Lib-’ry
The Lib-’ry’s connected to the Psal-ters
The Psalters connected to the Bi-ble
Now fear the bulletin board

The Bible’s connected to the proph-ets
The prophets connected to Ezekiel
Ezekiel’s connected to the toe bone
Now fear the bulletin board

Dem bones, dem zones, dem shy moans
Dem knowns, dem pomes, dem high tones
Dem’s flown, dem’s gone, dem’s by-gones
Now fear the bulletin board
Now surf the web of the Lord

--

Stephen Moran