Short Stories, Thoughts and Poems

By CAL

CAL has decided to move away from children’s books and try her hand in different genre’s.
This book of short stories, thoughts and poems is an assortment of fiction and some are based on true stories but changed a tiny bit.
The author will leave those to your imagination.
We hope you enjoy this collection.
Keep your eyes out for CAL’s next books!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369404669

CAL

Actually started as a mistake. The trials of living in Florida / California and experiencing a slowly dwindling environment through the years. A native son of two worlds that could only seek refuge of medicine through the written word. The quiet monsters of distractions embedded in a modern world. (they call it progress)You could say I'm an industrial hippie thrown into this world. Influences of passionate native American roots taught the love of nature on one-side. The other-side filled with analytic reasoning to develop answers to a rapidly overdeveloped world. I have found my blanket being the last of the counter culture generation. Also finding out that my BEAT heroes Kerouac, Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, Burroughs, Carr, and Huncke helped us to find our voice in America are now once again called upon to find a BEAT world's voice.The realization to all cultures that the wings of our voice will fly again to regain the love of our earth. Only then will we love one another.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 by CAL.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 08/11/2023

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

850076

Contents

Leanne

There was a sweet little six year old girl who lived in an established neighbourhood with her brother and parents. She was your typical poster child. Long dark curly hair, blue eyes, ruby red lips and rosy cheeks. She was a small but sturdy child. All the neighbours loved her and welcomed her into their homes where she would ramble on about the exciting things she did in her day.

Catching butterflies was a big one for her. She would show all her friends her butterflies and then let them go so as not to be mean. Leanne just rambled every where in her neighbourhood oblivious to her surroundings because they were always the same. One day as Leanne was traipsing down the street, not paying attention to her surroundings, she bumped right into a man’s legs. She fell onto her bum and said Hey! You’re not supposed to be there! The man laughed and asked where am I supposed to be then

Not there! That’s why I bumped into you. I take the same path every day and you aren’t here!

Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know this was your path at this time of the day.

It is pronounced the young girl."

I’ll be careful from now on he said. Then could you show me more of the path that I should be careful not to walk on when you’re here.

I can show you the best part where I get all the butterflies from! Leanne announced enthusiastically."

Okay let’s go! You lead the way! said the man.

When Leanne didn’t make her normal appearances at everyone’s home, they individually thought perhaps she came down with a cold. It was getting late for dinner when Leanne’s mom started calling all her neighbours suspecting that Leanne could have invited herself for dinner although they would typically call her to let her know. Call after call and no one had even seen her today. Leanne’s mom was in a frenzy. Her husband was holding her as she started to shake and cry.

Let’s call the police before it gets too late. He suggested.

He called the police reporting Leanne missing and within minutes an army of police officers descended upon the neighbourhood. All houses and garages, yards and sheds were checked to no avail. Leanne’s parents were beside them selves. They stayed up all night waiting for her to be found but not even a clue was found.

Leanne held the man’s hand as she led him into the woods further and further as she chatted about all things interesting to her. Eventually the man noticed that it was starting to get dark and suggested they return Leanne back to her home. Leanne stopped and looked around. oh, oh, I think we went too far she exclaimed. I don’t know this part of the woods! The man grasped her hand again and said,

Let’s keep walking and maybe we’ll find someone. They continued on their way until they came up on a small cabin. The man tried the door handle and the door opened with a squeak. Leanne and the man walked into the cabin. There was a large bed, a big sofa, a table with four chairs in a small kitchen area.

Oh this looks nice and comfortable exclaimed Leanne. We could stay here tonight and in the morning go back the other way and find our way home!

Yes said the man let me see if there is any food in the cupboards for us to eat.

He looked through the cupboards and found lots of canned food and a can opener. He found several pots and put different food in each pot, then put them on the stove to warm up. The only thing in the fridge was water which didn’t go bad and they could drink it with their meal. The man turned on some lamps which made the cabin feel very cozy. After dinner Leanne asked the man if he could find any cards for them to play with. He found some and they spent several hours playing crazy 8’s and snap. Leanne kept giggling throughout the games which the man found very endearing.

It was getting late so the man suggested they go to bed and get some sleep. He slept on the couch and Leanne slept in the very comfortable bed. In the morning the man made Leanne some breakfast and they both cleaned up the cabin with Leanne chatting all the while. It was a beautiful sunny day as they set off to find their way back. Leanne held the man’s hand all the while chatting.

Meanwhile the search for Leanne had grown substantially to every available person in town. They were getting frantic as night closed in. Leanne’s parents were inconsolable. In the morning the search resumed with double the people looking for her.

Mid afternoon Leanne strolled out of the woods, chatting away as usual. Everyone rushed to her and asked her a million questions. Leanne very cheerily told everyone about her adventure with the man. How they stayed I the cabin and played cards. She told them everything she did with the man. The police chief looked around and asked Leanne wheat man she was with.

There, over there by the bush Leanne replied. Everyone looked where Leanne pointed but saw no one. Leanne insisted he was there then she waved her hand goodbye and yelled thank you. The man that only Leanne could see walked away back into the woods.

Poor Leanne was questioned over and over by different people and her story was always the same. Finally her parents said it was enough and took her back home. Leanne never saw the man again and she continued walking around her neighbourhood visiting all her friends. She never saw the man again or got lost again.

If Only

I’m finally going out with my friends

To a bar with a popular band and a lot of people

Which I don’t really do but my friends dragged me out

If only I could have as much fun as they do

I stand at the bar and watch the band

Smiling when the drummer winked at me

I would glance at people standing around the bar

If only I could find someone like my friends do

They have no problem hooking up with guys

But I’m too shy, I can only smile at someone

I’m tall and attractive, a lot of guys look

If only I could approach them to get to know them

I need a partner, a protector, a lover

I’m solid, not clingy, would give him his space

Because I need my space as well

If only I could find someone like that, but how

Being shy and quiet doesn’t mean we don’t have

Thoughts and desires, ideas, we listen to you

I’m passionate, creative, I yearn for an intimate relationship

If only I could have someone to wrap his arms around me and tell me it’s okay

The passion inside me is at a boiling point

I desperately crave a man’s body to love

I desperately crave a man to love me

If only I could find him, where is he?

If only

A Young Girl

A young girl with sparkling eyes

Fresh faced and daring, yet shy

She plays with the other girls and boys

Never showing her hurt, her real feelings

No one knows what goes on

In other peoples houses

And if they do, it is never spoken

For some it can make you weak and broken

For others it can make you STRONGER!

Stronger will never let anyone hurt her again!

Is this a good resolve, always cautious

And keeping the most special feelings to herself

But then she meets a special boy

Her heart all aflutter, her eyes sparkling again

She slowly lets herself go and her love flourishes

And then this special girl and special boy

They marry and have children

It takes awhile but slowly things change

She is starting to hurt again, more and more, slowly

And the hurt builds and builds

Until she realizes she has to leave

She can’t go through this terrible hurt any longer

She doesn’t want to ever feel this bad again

So she closes her heart forever

She strives to make a happy home for her children

She struggles to make ends meet

The children want so many things as children do

She meets someone, he’s nice but…

He is so opposite to her and problems develop

He has a family and they do not like her

However, her family likes him

More hurt occurs, over and over again

She’s strong, at least she thinks she is

She is in a situation again

All she wants is a good life

Why are there always, always problems

She searches for peace, the love she’ll never have

He tries to be good to her, but it’s not there

She is getting older now and very sick and handicapped

She lives with a lot of pain and is still seeking peace

She thinks she has finally found a comfortable place to live

But the peace she’ll never have

The wild passion of love she will never have and craves so much

After so many years of struggling and combatting everything that went wrong

She ends up with her peace not her love

Snooker

There is a story that I feel I have to tell. It is about an incredible animal and I am sure that only an animal lover can identify with this story. But, hey, even if you aren’t an animal lover maybe you can appreciate a story about love.

My cat is 16 years old and as my vet has stated a couple of time, he is living on borrowed time. My vet actually once said that my