Five Minute Observations

Author: Joe Class III

  • Healthcare Priorities and Distractions

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    Joe Class III
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    Human beings are dying every day in our country. Focusing on real issues instead of highlighting the opioid crisis, fentanyl, and substance abuse disorder, is what is your life worth? The correct answer is saving lives, right? So, what costs more lives in the United States? Is it Cancer? Heart disease? Or is it fentanyl?…

  • What’s It Worth?

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    Joe Class III
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    In 2023, the opioid crisis claimed over 100,000 lives. That’s one family without a mom or dad, a brother or sister, a niece or nephew, or a close friend, fiancé, husband, or wife. One hundred thousand people dead. What’s the cost of leaving countless families in mourning, dealing with the aftermath of trauma and grief?…

  • Lila Leaves Flibberflop

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    Joe Class III
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    “Did you ever wonder what it would be like?” Lila asked Glitters. “What it would be like? You mean?” her talking horse, resembling a unicorn, looked down below, disgusted by the mere mention of ‘earth.’ “Um, down there? Yeah. No way. Nothing doing. Look how much fun it is to just float. I mean, down…

  • Destination Elysium

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    Joe Class III
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    In 2145, humanity embarks on its most daring mission yet: exploring the distant planet of Elysium. This planet holds the key to humanity’s future with its rich deposits of uranium, a mineral long depleted on Earth. Captain Elena Rodriguez, a seasoned astronaut of the newly formed United Earth Republic, is chosen for this mission due…

  • The Stranger of Veritaville

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    Joe Class III
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    Between verdant undulating hills, where nature’s splendor met the skyline, frigid streams glistened as they flowed from the imposing Verita range. Their icy summits towered above, guardians over the expanse below. Nestled at the base of this mountain chain lay the hamlet of Veritaville. The settlement was a mosaic of picturesque homes, lush gardens, and…

  • Cheetos Truck

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    Joe Class III
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    Thomas sat back in the wooden rocking chair, creaking on the ratty boards that Chris said needed replacing on the front porch. “Chris? You ever thought that at this very moment, there is a Cheetos truck driving down the interstate towards the Gulf of Mexico?” Tipping back the can, he swallowed the last Pabst Blue…

  • Kassie’s First Seattle Home

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    Joe Class III
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    “Caleb?” She whispered his name again, thinking that he didn’t hear her. Granted, she was doing her best to stay as quiet as possible, the house dark and empty. Caleb and Kassie were moving out of the house, upsetting as it was to Kassie. The old house had character, panache. Style. That’s the reason the…

  • Soap Bubbles with Strings

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    Joe Class III
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    Kids love bubbles. Big or small. Doesn’t matter. All kiddos love delicate, intricately-shaped, thin soap bubbles. As simple as it is to create bubbles, some of us are much more adept at getting the soap-to-water ratio just right, creating the perfect formula for long-lasting bubbles. Picture this: kids of all ages playing with soap bubbles…

  • Her First International Flight

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    Joe Class III
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    “Caleb.” Her whisper carried through their empty house. “Caleb? Can you hear me?” The house was dark, with creepy shadows dancing on the walls from the yellowish streetlight outside. Caleb and Kassie gathered the last of their things, doing their best to finish moving before it got dark. Kassie hated this house, hated it when…

  • Because of a Pepsi

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    Joe Class III
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    Sitting at Barry’s Bar and Grill, Bonnie brought Bruce an ice-cold Coke in a 16oz glass bottle. Condensation formed on the outside, which is why Bonnie had a paper napkin wrapped around the base of the glass. That and Bonnie didn’t feel like getting reprimanded by Bruce. Before that, Bonnie and Bruce rode the bus…

  • No Rides – Ever! Finale

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    Joe Class III
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    “Whew. That was a close one, dude. Wasn’t it, Tommy?” Preacher started to pull out another Marlboro light, ready to spark the lighter. “Don’t even think about it. Do that again and I will make a point of dropping you on I-55. Late or not. I won’t even mind being ten or fifteen minutes late…

  • No Rides – Ever! Part II

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    Joe Class III
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    The ride to the interstate was short but quiet, Preacher halfway leaning back in the reclining seat. “Not to make you nervous or anything, but how many times have you been pulled over?” “You have what?” Tommy did his best to concentrate on his northbound lane of Interstate 55. After 8 p.m., traffic lightened to…

  • No Rides – Ever

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    Joe Class III
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    “I don’t give rides to hitchers,” said Tommy Granier, an over-the-road driver for Pepsi-Co. A big guy, Tommy wasn’t prone to giving anyone a ride, let alone friends and family, even though he’d been a pushover to his two nieces who asked him to let them ride up to Saint Louis Lambert International Airport. Tommy…

  • But I’m telling you, Mike! It’s SPAM!

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    Joe Class III
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    “Mike, this is the third time I’ve received a message from JX_DTWN,” Jared grumbled. “I think it might be spam.” He scowled at the screen, rereading the post from Nextdoor. Drumming his fingers on the desk, he looked up at a poster hanging over his side of a shared desk, which read, “Life would be…

  • Commotion Outside Vrbinski, Neil, and Kurt – Part II

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    Joe Class III
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    “It’s none of your business,” Emily hissed at Amy. “If you think I’m going to sit down and talk to the police, you are even crazier than Brian is!” Amy nodded, watching two officers climb the stairs. Brian breezed right by both young men, smiling as he went, making it to the Maserati before they…

  • Built Ford Tough

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    Joe Class III
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    Forty years ago, Ford Motor Company developed a slogan, ‘Built Ford Tough,’ highlighting their quality, durability, and strength. GenXers like me were bombarded by the message. We didn’t have a way to stop its assault. Either you pressed the magical mute button, or you turned it off. But one thing was clear. Ford trucks were…

  • Commotion Outside Vrbinski, Neil, and Kurt

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    Joe Class III
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    A commotion outside the door of Vrbinski, Neil, and Kurt brought all the work inside the law firm office to a complete stop. No typing. No talking. Even Ms. Amy Kurt, starting to make her usual vanilla latte, stopped dead in the tracks from tamping her espresso. Voices on the other side of the heavy…

  • Ms. Francelli, VP of Human Relations, Graymer Inc.

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    Joe Class III
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    When she stood on the other side of her desk, it intimidated everyone on staff. Mickey worked hard for her position at Graymer Incorporated. It took years of 80-plus hour weeks, countless hours in pointless meetings, and naive supervisors that she knew, without a doubt, that she was above them in intellect. Armed with only…

  • Portuguese Divider

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    Joe Class III
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    1987. President Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” It was also the same year Mr. Martim Silva, an English teacher at California High School, started his first day of class poking fun at his culture and heritage.   True to teachers’ style of the time, he wore tan-colored slacks, ironed with tight creases,…

  • Darth Vader is Dead

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    Joe Class III
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    From age six, I watched the Star Wars films, anticipating every climax, all the plot twists, and the fantastic visual effects through my six-year-old eyes. Star Wars holds a special place in my heart, even as a teenager and adult. With many more years behind me and more characters and spin-off series created from the…