Five Minute Observations

Tag: Fiction

  • Truth Wears the Crown: Why Integrity Matters

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    No sugarcoating. No fibs. Not even the little ones grown-ups call ‘harmless.’ Tiny little Anya, four years old, wild blonde curls dancing in the sunlight when she ran. When adults looked her in the eye, they could see something missing in most people – honest, heartfelt emotions. At Happy Trails Daycare, Anya’s preschool, all 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?

  • Truth Is Always Stranger than Fiction

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    A late-night traffic stop becomes a reminder: storytelling connects us, grounds us, and makes us known. In a world of strangers, our stories are how we find our way home.

  • The Collector

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    When an aging coin collector discovers a strange coin outside a small-town store, he has no idea what secrets it holds. A quiet moment becomes the start of something far more unusual in this atmospheric tale of mystery and memory.

  • 🚨 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…

  • Swimming through Cultural Slime

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Two restaurants, one time for brunch, the second for an early dinner. Four retail stores, which included a stop at Target. One stop for gas. All that in less than twenty miles, round trip. Our smiles, sincerity, and caring attitude, netted us various replies, like “Wow! Thank you for being so considerate.” “I really appreciate…

  • The Funeral of Nickolas Gather

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “How would you describe Nick Gather?” Father John Jacobs, a Catholic priest stood in front of the pulpit in the viewing room, the guests, visitors, and family far exceeding the room’s maximum capacity. It was warm for the second day in May in Missouri. The central air conditioner unit barely kept the room cool enough…

  • 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…

  • Snoring at Sysoden Data

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “He’s snoring,” Jared complained. “Like loud snoring.” “Wait,” Kent asked. “Don’t the two of you share an office?” “What of it? It’s not like he gives a crap about the job. It’s almost as if he’s hoping they fire him. Can’t figure it out to save my life.” “What do you guys do over there…

  • 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…

  • The Stranger of Veritaville

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    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…

  • Kassie’s First Seattle Home

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    “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…

  • No Rides – Ever! Finale

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    Joe Class III
    in ,

    “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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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    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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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “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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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “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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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    “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…