Winona nurses a perry cider and peeks around the garden of the Flat of Legend with interest. In daylight, this flat of flats retains its charm. Its small courtyard garden is hemmed with exuberant roses and dahlias, mismatched, charmingly worn chairs, and mismatched charming barbecue guests. No “snarlers” on the grill here: they have brought […]
Entries Tagged as 'shortfic'
That Guy She Knows
January 19th, 2011 Comments Off on That Guy She Knows
“Is Wazzer here?” Winona croaks. She’s at the bar where, a month ago, she and Will and Ulrika were all hanging out, and where everything turned to custard. After fleeing her own flat, she realized that, in the middle of the day, she could call either her mother or Wazzer. And she wasn’t at the […]
Tags: downtown · drama! · glbt-queer · winona
The Nice Thing About Living Downtown Is You Can Go Home At Lunch
January 17th, 2011 2 Comments
Will failed to mop up Ulrika’s tears in the cafe. She had a long, tangled story about going to Kaitaia with her boyfriend Wayland, getting shouted at when no-one was around to admire how smooth Wayland was, the Christmas awkwardness, overhearing Wayland telling a cousin about hoping to move to Europe on Ulrika’s passport. Their […]
The Salt Mines
January 12th, 2011 1 Comment
Around town, from register to register, cubicle to cubicle, the workers are back and the moan goes up. “Too good to last…back to the salt mines…did you have a nice Christmas?” The last question has derailed quite a few conversations around town, as Will has just learned. Back at the office, he has, all innocence […]
A Country Mile
December 22nd, 2010 Comments Off on A Country Mile
After last Friday, a crabby, errand-packed weekend, and three hectic days at work, Will and Winona landed at his parent’s house for Christmas. In Eketahuna. They still live in the same shabby small farmhouse Will grew up in. They never did get around to repainting its neglected weatherboards, but they’ve put up a big new […]
Tags: country! · other cities · winona
Final Christmas Drinks
December 17th, 2010 1 Comment
Friday at Wazzer’s bar, and it’s getting weird before Christmas. People dash in and out, double- and triple-booked for the evening. After-work drinks at work get further drinks poured on top of them. It can be fraught. Winona and Willow had been a peaceful oasis at one end of the bar, comparing office party notes. […]
Ready to Rumble?
December 13th, 2010 1 Comment
Sometimes, when you live in the Hutt, you have to be hard as. No nonsense. Rough as guts. This is one of those times. The black SUV circles the parking lot, then circles again, the driver spewing profanities. Finally, it wedges into a space and disgorges its passengers. One, two, three tough-looking blokes, in stubbies […]
Tags: food · helena · holidays · hutt valley
Some Junket?
December 8th, 2010 Comments Off on Some Junket?
Willow, a laptop tucked under her arm, is traversing more rarefied environs of the University of Victoria. Finally, she comes to a room full of people wearing rumpled shirts and eyeglasses that, one way or another, are straight from the 1950s. This, she thinks, has to be the place. She’s right. To freshen up her […]
The Do
December 6th, 2010 Comments Off on The Do
This week and next, spare a thought for all the service staff and restaurants hosting Wellington’s annual “dos”. They’re playing to a tough crowd. As budget belts stay tightened around town, staff have often contributed out of their own pockets to these events. Wellington is the wrong size for falsehoods, and it’s too easy to […]
O Hypno Tree
December 3rd, 2010 Comments Off on O Hypno Tree
Winona has had an excellent day. For once, she managed to get a Jewish holiday right, winning a real smile from a dry manager and a squealing hug from a labile American co-worker. It’s a dazzling evening, and her friends are all around her. Her partner Will, sweet geeky Willow, Will’s best mate Wayne and […]