Perfect, Episode Twenty-five

Finally! It's ready and available online.

My apologies for the delay - had some personal issues that put me behind a couple of days. Friday postings didn't seem to attract many readers. I'm looking to see how posting on a Wednesday pans out. After today, I'm planning to post every other Tuesday starting on 15 April 2014.

BTW, learn about the necklace in the photo here.

So, let's catch up with George and Anita Winston (fka Luis Antas & Avinashika Joshi) in Hannibal on the Mississippi. It's a couple hundred years or so in the future (from the time you read this): they live in the Perfect Age, a time without paper, a time with instantaneous access to information via a chip implanted in the skull, a time when three governments control the planet - and jostle for control.

But George and Anita are leaving that all behind. Hannibal on the Mississippi is a way station as they hunt for their guide west. Into the Great North American Wilderness Park - an uncivilized land stretching from the Mississippi to the Sierras and Cascades.

Last time, Mary said, "I am told trade beads are always useful." She curtsied and left George and Anita to figure out what to do next. They are also trying to solve a clue: "Be cautious. In Hannibal. Like Tabeau wrote of York."

Find out what happens next in:

Perfect, Episode Twenty-five ♦ Trade Beads

Perfect, Episode 25

I'm holding Episode 25 back for a couple days. Didn't think publishing on Fridays was working as well as I hoped. Look for it instead on 1 or 2 April. Thanks for the interest!

Perfect, Episode Twenty-four

Now that George and Anita are settling into a new life in Hannibal, it's time to make some sense out of the clues, "Beware of hucksters. Find Sid & Mary after church. Where Samuel played." and "Be cautious. In Hannibal. Like Tabeau wrote of York."


It's more fun in the future historic town - or is that historic future town? - of Hannibal on the Mississippi. With guest cameos from beloved Twain characters. Will your favorite be there? Find out what advice Mary has in...

Perfect, Episode Twenty-four ♦ Mary's Advice

Made it onto Web Fiction Guide

Perfect is now listed on the Web Fiction Guide, a great site to access all kinds of story-related fiction, available to read online, all free to read.

Perfect Episode Twenty-three

Last time George and Anita were stumbling around in the dark outside Hannibal until found by Jane Canary - you know who she was, right? She guides them towards town, but first they meet a very famous American writer and his wife and find out just what they'll be doing in the not-quite-right town of Hannibal in the Great North American Wilderness Park.

This week with special guests Mark Twain and his wife Olivia (hmmm, I thought she was married to Samuel Clemens) and of course Calamity Jane! Meet them all in...


Perfect, Episode Twenty-three ♦ Finding Hannibal

Amazing walk with Penny tonight

The last couple of nights have been short walks since I had to go places where she couldn't accompany me. It amazed me when she took off out the door and down the street, noticed Nice Kitty (but didn’t lunge at him), and just kept on moving. It was difficult for me to keep up with her for the first couple of blocks. That's NOT the way walking with Penny usually works. She's usually an anchor, nose just barely off the ground, constantly entranced with smelling EVERYTHING. She barely paused at her best friend's house to leave him a quick pee-mail on the fence and off we went along the sidewalk, past dog home after dog home.

After burning off that initial burst of energy it was more difficult to keep her on task, her nose lowered too close to the ground. We reverted to a shortened leash and the "let's walk now" command repeated many times.

We crossed Shute Park near the Senior Center and the almost ready library before heading for Arbor Roses, rounded the perimeter of that development, more or less, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset over Jackson BottomWetlands. Lots of pink, yellow, and orange dappled the cloud-covered sky - all but the section between the far western and southern horizons where deepening sky blue remained. A story below, ducks quacked and took to the water, and we made only an infrequent stop. The water level was higher than I remember, extending well into the low-lying forest and within a couple yards of one remaining, privately-held out-building below the bluff. Yes, we’ve had a couple weeks of wet and it shows.

And me without my camera as usual.

Leaving Arbor Roses, we crossed the Portland and Western tracks, returned through Shute Park, only stopping for a couple trees. By this time Penny’s mouth was open and her nose pointed ahead. She wanted to keep up with me, enjoy the walk, and, frankly, get home to her water dish and dinner. It’s rare for her to go two blocks without a break for an intensive olfactory investigation of trees, utility poles, street signs, and frankly, just about any blade of grass or other piece of landscaping material.

One last pass at her best buddy Noodle’s fence – he was inside – and we returned home. Can’t remember another time we spent an hour walking. She’s sacked out on her bed, stomach nowhere near what she considers full but well-fed and watered. Will her dreams be different tonight? Just endless legs twitching, covering remembered distance?

It’s nice to have a walking dog again.

Perfect Episode Twenty-two

Last time, George and Anita found themselves in a shipping crate. They've been there a couple hours. Will someone rescue them or will they have to find their own way out. It's all in...

Perfect, Episode Twenty-two ♦ Breaking Out