MONDAY MICROFICTION CONTEST – I’m NOT Crazy

Every Monday, we’ll be doing a series of collaborative competitions where an artist provides us with a photograph or a painting (or something else) and we will attach a short story of 500 words or less. We ask you to do the same and give us your best story of 500 words or less. We’ll have a guest judge each week who will weigh in and choose the winner. The winners shall then be eligible for entrance into the Eternal Hall of Fame.

This week’s image comes to us from Danny Lewin, entitled I’m NOT Crazy. Our story follows below. Please add yours in the COMMENTS  (scroll to the bottom). We’ll announce the WINNER next Monday.

“Sir, that sign is obviously written to confuse the citizenry. If you look over here where I’m pointing, it’s says, no parking at any time except one hour parking Monday through Friday, meaning that there is no parking on Saturday or Sunday, but the sign is clearly designed to be mis-read, so that it appears that this street has one hour parking Monday through Friday and free parking Saturday or Sunday. “

“You’re free to appeal the citation, sir.”

“In fact, it’s been my understanding that tickets are never issued on Sundays at all, and yet, I have received a ticket, for 68 dollars. 68 dollars, sir. 68 dollars on a Sunday afternoon, when I have just attended a children’s birthday party, because of that sign. Sir, will you please look where I’m pointing?”

“Sir, you’re free to appeal the citation. That’s all I can tell you.”

“The residents of this street are at no risk of inconvenience from an excess of parked cars are they? No. The street is virtually empty and yet someone from your department has issued a citation in the usurious amount of 68 dollars for parking in a residential neighborhood, on Sunday, after I have attended a child’s birthday party, a child sir.

“You’re free to appeal the citation, sir.”

“I suppose it would be one thing if the ticket was for 20 dollars, which is something I could almost understand, but 68 dollars is quite frankly outrageous. Why not 150 dollars I ask, or 300, or 500? At what point does a parking ticket go from a simple civic fine and become a Dali-esque exercise is surrealism? I would suggest at 68 dollars we are getting dangerously close to such a line.”

“Move along, sir. I’m not going to ask you again.”

Danny Lewin

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