Rough Day

The rain wasn't something I wanted to get caught in these days. Just a little too acidic for my taste. It had been a hard day at the creamery today. My refrigeration unit kept shutting down. Fuse kept blowing. Ruined at least three vats before I could get the machine to operate according to specs. It's funny how you spend the whole day around food and somehow forget to eat. I guess I was just so wrapped up troubleshooting that piece of crap fridge unit that I lost track of time. Next thing I know, I'm handing the controls over to third shift. It's not raining hard. Just a little more than a sprinkle, but I'm glad my umbrella wasn't stolen today. It took a week for the acid burns on my skin to clear up after the last rain. Lenny looks bored. I don't think the guy ever leaves his stand. "Hey, Lenny! How's business today?" I call across the street. "Same." Lenny is a man of few words. "The usual?" He offers. "Yeah, that sounds great," I say as I make my way over. A thought occurs to me as I cross the vacant street. It's been two years to the day since I last walked into Sakukido next door for a drink. I guess today isn't so bad after all. I’d like to invite you to write your own piece of flash fiction based on this image. Set a timer for 10 minutes and see what you can come up with. Then, share a link to your story in the comments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theartifact.substack.com