Jimmy Wilde - Short Stories

Albania & the Moon
They weren't there. There was supposed to be ten to fifteen of them, a dozen at least, but here he was, on his own. The place was choc-a-bloc too. How come they weren't there?The sweat was dripping off him. He wasn't well. Not that there was anything wrong with him, but he wasn't well.He gulped at the pint. He didn't want…
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Curtains
Sammy McShane was in a good mood the minute he opened his eyes. Nothing was going to change his mind on that score. In three hours time, he would be standing godfather to his best friend's son; an honour that made him proud to the point of tears. He was rich, having watched five of his numbers, plus a bonus ball, come up on the lottery the pr…
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Taking in the Nothing Going On
Archie McGuire's physical appearance was enough to leave a man breathless.He had peroxide blond hair sticking out of his head, like snakes frozen in time. His bikers' jacket, covered in studs had once been painted with the names of bands. The paint was old and chipping off, his trousers growing holes. His boots were fucked, scuffed and…
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Statuesque
Sitting on a bench, donated by a fellow from New Jersey, 'that others enjoy, as I did, Berkeley Square', amidst the trees, the breeze, the fallen leaves, gravel and traffic. Sexy stockinged ankles pass on heels, stop, cross themselves. Pigeons flutter, regroup just feet away. London on an autumn afternoon, so mild it could be a lost day from ou…
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The World Turned Upside Down
I take my place at the end of a row of seats, using my jumper as a pillow against the Perspex divider and prepare to watch the show. The Northern Line, a tableau of freaks, weirdos and preternatural creatures. It's a travelling circus with a constantly changing cast of characters. Occasionally, it's so bizarre it touches on the beautiful. {p…
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Cauld Enough Tae Freeze Yer Baws Aff
Jist walking up Acton Lane the other night and ah see this guy and say tae myself, fucks sake, he's no got any troosers oan. And then ah notice he's got bare feet oan an aw. Fuckin freezin it is, foggy and that, know? Ah clock his eyes tae see if he's a sleepwalker and ah think ah'm right, because he's jist staring straight ahead. He …
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Bitten By Nostalgia
'Never mind that hard-faced boot,' said George. 'She's got no say in the matter'.He was talking about his missus. I exhaled, slowly, exasperated. It had been a long day and this was the point we had come to.If you've never seen the inside of an asylum and wondered what it might be like, then this was the place to wet your w…
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Some Man, The Jinky
Just as it was getting to the stage where things couldn't get much worse, McKenna sliced off the lid of his digit and bled all over the lunch. It was a tin of sardines. He had been trying to open them with a Swiss Army knife and a sandy boulder. The boulder kept disintegrating, causing his concentration to err, and off went his fingertip, taki…
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The Headless Horseman
Thomas can’t concentrate. He looks at his watch. 11.40am. Fuck it, he says, I’m taking an early lunch. He’s not grabbed by the McDonalds, Greggs or 7-11, so he wanders into Fernando’s Chicken Restaurant on the Green. It’s not really a restaurant and it might not even be chicken, but it does have places to sit and it’s tasty. On days like thi…
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Small Mercies
He was still new, Jamesie, a bit unsure, sitting on the bench with the rest of them waiting for the six beeps. They kicked their heels and double-dragged their cigarettes, the initial banter reduced to a few disparaging asides.If they could be anywhere other than here…No-one mentions it, ever, but surely it crosses their minds. Anyw…
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Jimmy Wilde - Writing & Photography

Short Stories