Let’s eavesdrop on some of Wellington’s movers and shakers, gathered in a penthouse flat. “…generating dollars per hour…” “…they want me to start this contract in Geneva as soon as possible, the problem is the paperwork that the U.N. requires…” “…extremely busy, no sign of the recession…” “…I say, this pinot noir is tasty. Penfold’s? […]
Entries Tagged as 'shortfic'
Paradise Would Be A Parking Lot
August 16th, 2010 Comments Off on Paradise Would Be A Parking Lot
Will wants a car. His mates all wanted to know what he was looking for. “Personally, I’d like a 4 x4, at least a 3 liter. Manual, of course. I grew up with Holdens but I’m liking what some of the European makers are doing. That’s what I’d like. However, we’ll be parking it on […]
Valley of the Bachelors
August 13th, 2010 Comments Off on Valley of the Bachelors
There are only three escapes from the Flat of Legend. Moving in with a very serious partner – going overseas – or, for males, taking up their post in The Valley of the Bachelors. In Wellington, three features mark the abodes of men who choose to live alone after they turn thirty-five. Be they blokes […]
Tags: blokes · real estate · unreal estate
Wellington vs. Melbourne: The Case
August 11th, 2010 Comments Off on Wellington vs. Melbourne: The Case
Winona wondered who would actually call her, instead of sending a text. It’s her sister, Helena. To her delighted shock, Helena is inviting her on a long weekend to Melbourne, air fare and hotel paid, “…if you’d look after the boys a bit? Henry and I could have a little time together, it would be […]
Tags: helena · migrants · other cities · winona
Nerdxhaustion
August 6th, 2010 1 Comment
Five days after his vacation, Will is drained. An IT programmer and an introvert, he longs for the days, three short years ago, when being a nerd meant you didn’t have to be that social. You had your best mate and your girl and your computer, and Hell Pizza delivery, and life was good. He […]
Tags: geekery · social mores · will
The Wind Up
August 4th, 2010 1 Comment
There was a moment on the drive back to Wellington. Winona glanced up from the very back seat. In the rear view mirror, she saw her partner, Will, check out her and Ulrika, nearly nestled together as Ulrika murmured her story. Intuition twinged in her gut. Her partner was thinking about something, and she was […]
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Ulrika?
August 2nd, 2010 1 Comment
On the drive back from the ski weekend, somehow Winona and Ulrika wound up together in the furthest back seat of the 4 x 4. Dusk came down. Will was absorbed in driving. The two people in front of them fell asleep. And in the darkness and quiet, on the long dull rainy drive home, […]
Tags: migrants · social mores · ulrika · winona
The Escape Plan
August 2nd, 2010 1 Comment
Sunday, Wellington was hammered by vile weather. Shops were quiet while Facebook and TradeMe hummed. Woodrow the Weta contractor, didn’t really notice – he was working – but he does take periodic breaks. Little does he know he’s messaging Willow. Wazzer the bar manager wishes to God she didn’t have to work tonight. However, she […]
Unrecognizable For A Night
July 28th, 2010 1 Comment
Willow can hardly believe it. It’s Saturday night. Instead of curling up with her cat and the latest issue of Nature, she has been swept up in Wazzer’s evening. Dressed in gothwear from Wazzer’s capacious wardrobe (“that corset hasn’t fit me in years”), and wearing a kilo of makeup from Wazzer’s even larger cosmetics stash, […]
What Snow Is, and Will’s New Passion
July 26th, 2010 2 Comments
To Ulrika’s Swiss expatriate irritation, after five people have come all the way to Turoa with her, nobody else is particularly motivated to ski. They want to snowboard, drink, and send photos to their friends. Snow here is a toy, not a way of life. The only person willing to ski is, unexpectedly, Winona. “We […]
Tags: other cities · ulrika · will · winona