“Spreading your wings in a perplexing world”

Contents

• New story: “Bledsoe at Cuyahoga High”
• This month’s puzzler
• Writer’s Corner
• Winners of the 100-word story contest!
• How to purchase Wingspread: A Memoir of Faith and Flying
• Wingspread E-zine subscription information

*********************

Please forward or share this E-zine with friends. Thank you!

New story: “Bledsoe at Cuyahoga High”

After his divorce Harold Bledsoe decided to travel back to his Boston roots, arriving to a joyous welcome from his parents. His mother had always given him her unconditional support, never questioned his choices. “Harold; why don’t you move into your old room? Take as long as you’d like to heal from your disappointments.”

He walked into his bedroom, untouched since he’d left for college—family pictures, overstuffed chair, writing desk, body-building posters, the familiar smell. He took advantage of his willing parents—hibernated, paid no rent, didn’t help with household tasks, borrowed their car when his was in the shop. Such is the logic of the single man.

His divorce had shaken him. Thinking back to his high moral training at Plymouth Congregational, he resolved to straighten out his life by reducing his alcohol consumption, stopping smoking and even avoiding dating. . . . To read more, click here: https://jimhurd.com/2020/05/29/bledsoe-gives-up/

(*After reading the article, please leave a comment on the website. Thanks.)

Puzzler of the month:

(Credit: Bob Dinger)

All the words in this list share one thing in common. What is it?

Assess
Banana
Dresser
Grammar
Potato
Revive
Uneven
Voodoo

Answer to last month’s puzzler: If you wished to lose at a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” how would you do it? Answer: If you wished to lose, you would play the game exactly the same way you would play if you wanted to win.

Writers’ Corner

Word of the Month: Bildungsroman novel

A coming-of-age story where the protagonist matures emotionally and spiritually. (Think Dickens’ David Copperfield or Anne of Green Gables.)

Book of the month: John Grisham, The Appeal. 2008. A legal thriller that pits a billionaire against a poor woman in a small town. Spoiler alert—it does not turn out well.

Movie of the month: Call the Midwife. This Netflix BBC TV series is simply a delight. One of the few series my wife and I both like to watch. Set in the rough east end of London in the mid-twentieth century, it tells the story of a dedicated cadre of nuns and midwives who provide services to poor birthing women. Great characterizations. Redemptive stories. Dedication, compassion, dare I say love. Warm community. Positive treatment of religious values. I told my wife, “Except for the blood and screaming, and too many pregnant women, it’s a great show!” 😊 Highly recommended.

Thoughts to ponder:

• I thought I saw an eye-doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to only be an optical Aleutian.
• She was only a whisky-maker, but he loved her still.
• A rubber-band pistol was confiscated from an algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.
• No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
• A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
• Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
• A hole has been found in the nudist-camp wall. The police are looking into it.
• One of my all-time favorites: Why is it that time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana?

Watch for my upcoming novel: East Into Unbelief (provisional title)

Shawn and Kathleen grow up in the charmed world of 1950s California. But just after graduation, Shawn travels east to Torrey Bible Institute where he fails at his life ambition, loses his deep Christian beliefs, and loses Kathleen. How will he find his way back to his dream, his faith—and Kathleen?

Winners of 100-word story contest:

Ta Da! The results are in. Readers submitted their best stories—in 100 words.

Here are the winners:

Bill Doyle        While living in Germany, my young family traveled to visit friends in Austria. The American military hotel in Munich, our first night’s destination, was full, so we continued south on the autobahn. Soon we entered a small town with a quaint gasthaus, a combination hotel, restaurant, and bar. I asked the proprietor in my best German: “Haben sie eine doppelt zimmer?” (Do you have a double room?) He brusquely replied in good English, much better than my German: “What do you want?” Though I continued to study German, from that day I usually spoke English to start conversations with Germans.

Virginia Todd:      Jerry shivered in the cold and tried desperately to steel-away waves of panic. He had no coat, nor even shoes. His frail body went unnoticed by those who passed. No caring. No help. “Jesus, you will help me. You love me, and only you!”

The morning began to warm. Jerry, weak and teary-eyed, stood up. His languid blue eyes looked down the busy sidewalk. “God,” he breathed. “I see help. A lovely lady is coming my way!”

A warm coat and shoes were put on. Jerry smiled and praised God. Thank you too, lady, for caring. He smiled.

Eric Beck:     I had been carrying the stein around with me all day. The beer inside it was virtually gone. Now I entered the music store. I knew this would be where I’d find it. And though I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, I said to the clerk, “A bass.” Was it a word of knowledge directly from the Lord?

“What color?”

I hesitated. I held up my libation.

 “Ah,” he said. I went home that day with a red four-string.

I walked out of the house the next morning with a purple coffee mug.

Buy James Hurd’s Wingspread: A Memoir of Faith and Flying.  How childhood (Fundamentalist) faith led to mission bush-piloting in South America—and Barbara. Buy it here:  https://jimhurd.com/home/  (or order it at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc.) 

Follow “james hurd” on Facebook, or “@hurdjp” on Twitter

See pics here related to Wingspread: Of Faith and Flying: http://www.pinterest.com/hurd1149/wingspread-of-faith-and-flying/

Subscribe free to this E-zine   Click here https://jimhurd.com/home/  to subscribe to the WINGSPREAD E-magazine, sent direct to your email inbox, every month. You will receive a free article for subscribing. Please share this URL with interested friends, “like” it on Facebook, retweet on Twitter, etc.

If you wish to unsubscribe from this Wingspread E-zine, send an email to hurd@usfamily.net and say in the subject line: “unsubscribe.” (I won’t feel bad, promise!) Thanks.