Five Minute Observations

Tag: books

  • The Missing Building – Part III

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    The shower didn’t help. Twenty minutes of hot water, and I still couldn’t figure out what to say to Agent Johnson. Or whoever he really was. After eight men show up at 3 AM looking for my cousin Ruby, I need answers. But when I dial the number on his business card, nothing is what…

  • The Missing Building – Part II

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    An impossible photograph and a woman who knows too much. A grandfather dead for thirty years, alive. Paul’s quiet retirement? It’s over.

  • Bringing Funnel Cakes to Homecomers

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Nervous parents take a risk, driving to Jackson, Missouri in 1981. What starts as a five-minute chat becomes a glimpse into how a Homecomers tradition was born.

  • The Missing Building

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    One unexpected photograph lands on the table at Dan’s Drive-In Diner, and the building in the picture? It might not exist anymore.

  • He Knows My Name

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    A stranger in Pioneer Square quotes lines from banned books. Ink-stained fingers. Knowledge of old stories makes him dangerous. But it’s what he knows about me that turns my blood cold. In a world without books, how does he know my name?

  • Avo Meets Liberty

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in , ,

    A simple dog walk turns complicated when Avo meets Liberty, a beagle whose owner has strong opinions about the neighborhood. Five minutes of polite conversation leaves me wondering: How well I really know the people living next door? And what do they really know about me?

  • Good Neighbors Gone Bad

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in , ,

    “She said WHAT? Who says that?” “Hold on, they’re sayin’ somethin’ about meat…” “Attention shoppers, we have a special on Chuck roast, three ninety-nine a pound—” “Okay, I’m back. Yeah. Beth straight up tells her the check ain’t good till Monday!” “Lord, Crystal, that’s exactly the kind of mess I got tired of. Nobody in…

  • Seventeen Minutes

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    It started with a bank envelope. Fat with cash. Eight hundred and fifty dollars. Carl’s and my paychecks—cashed and crisp, now bulging in my pocket. Not what I expected to carry that morning. I thought I was grabbing wipers and running errands, not stuffing Carl’s dad’s rental envelope into my jacket and slipping behind the…

  • The Post

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    One post. One friend. A lifetime of trust—shaken. When Gwen sees Rob’s inflammatory social media post, it’s not just political—it’s personal. The Post explores how a single moment online can fracture years of friendship, and asks: can we still reach across the divide before silence becomes permanent?

  • 🚨 Book Launch Alert! 🚨

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    I’m thrilled to share that my new book, Stories, Anecdotes, and Real Life, is now live on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)! 🎉📚 This collection brings together heartfelt stories, personal experiences, and reflections that speak to everyday life — the funny, the meaningful, and the unexpectedly profound moments we all share. Publishing through KDP…

  • Key? What key?

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “You don’t have the key?” Marcus yanked at the handcuffs, chaining his wrist to the steering wheel. The metal clinked, sharp, final. “What do you mean you don’t have it? Where’s the key?” Sunlight reflected off the chrome cuffs, flashing straight into his eyes. No sunglasses? Zero mercy from the star. His hangover pounding behind…

  • Invited to Mrs. Ellington’s Estate

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Julian! Welcome. Please won’t you come in?” Sandra, opening the door let out a surge of cool air. It was the middle of July in Alabama and here Julian wore a long-sleeved, button-down forest green shirt buttoned up at the wrists, black jeans, and Birkenstocks with his stark white socks. Sandra Fredrickson, a co-worker, invited…

  • Timing. It’s EVERYTHING!

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Trying to write in the later part of the afternoon or early evening is super hard for me. I function so much better in the morning. All my creative energy is focused on the time of day when it makes the most sense. Not that I cannot be creative later in the afternoon. But I…

  • Cham Shows Up

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Brrr!” Sandy exclaimed, voice quivering. Rubbing her arms vigorously, she did her best, chasing goosebumps erupting like tiny mountains on her pale white arms. Skin-to-skin friction didn’t seem to help much. “What, brrr, Sandy?” Trent asked, lowering his sunglasses just enough to peer at his girlfriend. His expression of concern and amusement flickered across his…

  • Can’t Do It.

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Just drop me off at the dispensary.” Take the job. Drive for fun and profit. You love to drive. Why the hell not? It won’t ever be crazy. You won’t be asked strange, weird things. It’ll be fine and normal. You live in a small town. You are far enough from Los Angeles unless you…

  • Seraphina and her companions – Meeting in Veritaville

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    “Seraphina, you can’t be serious!” Alexander’s voice boomed through the tavern, his fists clenched in frustration. Six men. Four women. That was the council and Seraphina? She was the natural choice to lead Veritaville. Alexander, a natural-born leader and herder of goats on the outskirts of their village, protested Seraphina’s announcement. “I thought we were…

  • Lila Leaves Flibberflop

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “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…

  • Her First International Flight

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “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…

  • Carter Calls Bianchi

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    (Continuation of Bullets and Frozen Bananas) Heather Bianchi looked down from the 18th floor of 610 Newport Center, expecting a call from Alex Carter. Alex took his orders from Heather and Heather only. Sighing, Heather looked out to the Newport Harbor and the massive yachts. She knew her boss, Marco Rossi, wasn’t a patient man.…

  • Bullets and Frozen Bananas

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Have you ever smelled gunpowder, like the Fourth of July smell, hanging in the air, smoke still floating like a whispy ghost? Yeah, me neither. But all that changed literally five minutes ago. The wrong side of town, you might ask. Or maybe some criminal types were loitering outside a liquor store? Perhaps it was…