The brains of the family
by Mink | Sep 20, 2023 | historio-tragicomedy
A bedroom. The fuddy-duddy lays in bed with the blankets pulled up to his neck. His sister enters with a second blanket and tosses it over him. Fuddy-duddy: Stop! Sister: I thought you would be cold. Fuddy-duddy: How will my farts escape if I use another blanket?…
Sans leash
by Mink | May 9, 2023 | historio-tragicomedy
A man and an old dog walk through the park sans leash. The man pauses to look at a bird. The old dog pauses, too. Then, the old dog looks up at the man as if to say, “Shouldn’t you put the dog leash on me now? I don’t really trust myself in this park. I mean, it is…
This is how the cookie deconstructs
by Mink | May 9, 2023 | historio-tragicomedy
Dermot walks into an art gallery. He or she — I’m never sure what the plumbing is — stands in front of a painting of a large cookie. After a moment, Dermot says aloud: “This is how the cookie deconstructs.” Fin
Eggy Portuguese cakes
by Mink | May 1, 2023 | historio-tragicomedy
Dawn. A café in Portugal. A fat tourist stands at a cake vitrine and ponders which cake will pair well with an Earl Gray tea. A second customer stand behind the tourist in line. Tourist: Portuguese cakes are too eggy! All that egg is just disgusting! Second customer:…
An eighth power outage at a restaurant
by Mink | Apr 29, 2023 | historio-tragicomedy
Evening. A crowded restaurant. A man and woman sit at a table. The man stands. He hits a fork against his wine glass. Everyone in the restaurant turns to look at the man. Man: Clink, clink, clink. Can I have everyone’s attention? Yes? Thank you! I just want all of you…
A cautionary tale about tepid coffee
by Mink | Nov 21, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Morning. A kitchen. A man sits at a breakfast table. He picks up a coffee mug in both hands. He blows on the coffee. He sips. He spits the coffee back into the mug. Man: Tepid. The man carefully sets his mug on the table. He stands. He grabs the table, lifts, and…
Stone soup
by Mink | Oct 13, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Midday. A restaurant. A tourist enters. Waitress: Hi. Are you here for lunch?Tourist: Yes.Waitress: Would you like the plate of the day?Tourist: Yes.Waitress: And a soup?Tourist: What kind of soup?Waitress: Stone soup.Tourist: What kind of stone? The end.
Camouflage trousers
by Mink | Oct 13, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
John walks down one side of the street. He wears camouflage trousers. A friend walks up the other side of the street. They wave at one another and continue. The friend stops suddenly. Friend: JOHN! WHERE ARE YOUR LEGS? John looks around confused. He looks down at his…
In which Rufus puts pen to paper for the gentle reader
by Mink | Aug 19, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Oh, god, how long has it been since I put pen to paper and recounted any of the amazing adventures into which my artwork has led me? Yes, some would say landed me – as in landing me in the shit – but I don’t see it that way. I rise above even my dead and bleeding…
Johnny pitches a movie idea to the philosopher (12)
by Mink | Aug 2, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Jail. The incarcerated philosopher and Johnny enjoy a bottle of wine in their jail cell. The philosopher sits on the bed and Johnny sits on the cement floor. Johnny finishes telling a story. Johnny: …that’s what she said. The philosopher laughs long and hard….
In which two old men have a fight
by Mink | Jul 29, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Midmorning. An old man stands outside of a building and eats an apple. A second old man hobbles up the road with a walking stick. Bill: Hey, smoking kills!Jim: This is an apple.Bill: Is it?Jim: Go get new glasses, bitch.Bill: Who are you calling bitch, punk. Bill…
A seventh power outage at a restaurant
by Mink | Jul 19, 2022 | historio-tragicomedy
Evening. A restaurant. Ask and Embla sit to eat. Ask: Did you see how much blood came out of that man’s face? Embla: He hit his head hard. Ask: He passed out; maybe from the heat. Maybe from something else. Embla: Hush! That’s dangerous to say in public. Ask: It’s…