October 2010, Vol. 9, Issue 10

Welcome back. The October issue of Truckin' is upon us.

1. The Wait by Paul McGuire
Blake was so weighed down by the downers -- anti-psychotics, anti-anxiety meds, and anti-depressants -- that she was constantly fighting against the heaviness of what her shrinks prescribed her. She combated her sleepiness with sugar-free Red Bull, 5-Hour energy shots, and triple Espressos from Coffee Bean -- which only proved to be a costly way to stay awake. That's when she turned to me for help... More

2. Burial Detail by Martin Harris
The skull was cracked across the front ridge and titled backwards, away from the rest of the skeleton. The lower jaw was apparently still somewhere beneath the dirt, and you could see a couple of fillings shining there in back in the upper jaw. Further down was the breastplate and the sternum or whatever you call it, with pieces of red-checkered material stuck to it here and there... More

3. The Find, Part Two by Mark Verve
It was clear that I couldn't just walk into the bank and make a large cash deposit. Any amount over ten thousand must be reported. Making lots of deposits under ten thousand was also not realistic. It could attract the attention of local authorities and would definitely interest the IRS at tax time. I would deposit an odd two or three hundred every now and then to cover checks but that was it. Likewise putting it into a safe deposit box was not a realistic option. The sheer space the cash took up was too much... More

4. I Screwed Your Sister In High School by Johnny Hughes
Ronda had heard talk that Dewey was a lecher with the girls in small towns. She had lost her own husband, an evangelist, when they were teaching at a Christian summer camp in New Mexico. Her husband had been caught giving two teenage girls LSD and malt liquor. They were thrown out that night. Their marriage did not survive the long, painful bus trip back to Texas... More

5. Andy, Andy, and Dali by Wolynski
Dali planted himself firmly in front of me and said "Madmoiselle!" He launched into a very long, important and animated speech in French aimed directly at me. I was mesmerized. I examined the famous face and the mustache and the eyes boring into me, wondering when he would reach for some change. What was so important he had to tell me? I understood not a word, but enjoyed every minute, especially when he jabbed his fingers into the air... More

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been...

From the Editor's Laptop:

The October issue marks the debut of one of my favorite scribes, Martin Harris, who shares a pulpy tale. Wolynski joined the Truckin' ranks last month and she returns with a story describing the events of a surreal Halloween in the 1970s. Everyone's favorite West Texas author, Johnny Hughes, is back with a witty piece of political-inspired fiction. Mark Verve contributes the second part of his epic series "The Find." And lastly, I whipped up something that may or may not appear in a future novel I'm writing about druggies living in the City of Angels.

The scribes at Truckin' write for the pure love of self-expression, which is a fancy way of saying that they write for free. I kindly ask for your assistance and help spread the good word about your favorite writers and your favorite stories. Good karma and many blessings will come your way for helping us out.

If anyone desires to being added to the mailing list, or any scribes (published or non-published) are interested writing for a future issue, then please contact us.

I can never thank the writers for taking a courageous leap of faith with me. That tremendous risk inspires me to no end. And thanks to you, the readers. The written word is slowly dying off, but you're keeping the spirit alive month after month with your unwavering support of Truckin'.

Be good,
McG

"That path is for your steps alone." - Robert Hunter