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    Putting Asunder And Other Stories
    Putting Asunder And Other Stories
    Putting Asunder And Other Stories
    Ebook57 pages1 hour

    Putting Asunder And Other Stories

    By Les Broad

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    About this ebook

    The author is perhaps not the most romantic of men, but despite this has, over the years, participated in his share of relationships with those of that incomprehensible breed known as woman. Sometimes they have been satisfying and of the happily-ever-after sort, of interest only to those actually involved; sometimes they have been, shall we say, turbulent. Those are far more interesting and it is those he had used as the inspiration for these stories.
    As a guide to maintaining a happy love life this collection fails miserably, but it is far more successful as a graphic illustration of what not to do when dealing with those of the opposite gender.
    One story here is wholly fictional: it is up to the reader to determine which.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLes Broad
    Release dateSep 2, 2011
    ISBN9781465997845
    Putting Asunder And Other Stories
    Author

    Les Broad

    That picture isn't me. It's my much-loved Border Collie bitch, who I lost to a spinal tumour in April 2011. She deserves this memorial.I was born a very, very long time ago, very close to my mother in England. Now I live in Wales, which isn't England but is part of the UK. I've written all sorts of stuff, but mostly science fiction. It's sort of believable sci-fi - maybe it can't happen today, but might tomorrow, you know? The sci-fi novels are all on the theme of 'first contact' and the first one is being given away free. You'll have to pay for the others. Sorry.I've got other novels, short stories and things that are supposed to be funny too but whether they are is your decision, right?Some of the books are based on real incidents - I know they are, because they happened to me. There are five in total, I've released two, two are being tidied up and the last one won't be finished for a while yet. If you read one, remember it all happened to me and that I don't mind being laughed at. I'm used to it.A while back I released a free book, 'Top Of The Shop'. (If you're a writer you might want to read it. I'll say no more.) I've since released another one, 'Tea, Drums And Speed'. So now the first sci-fi novel is free, 'Top Of The Shop' is free, and there's a free volume of short stories. I must be mad, giving this stuff away. Mind you, it hasn't stopped me giving away a book of political thoughts. If you're from Wales, or British, or even interested in Welsh politics, it might be worth reading.There's also a free book about some films that appeal to me. You might find it interesting but I thought it would be a bit cheeky to want money for it. Have it on me.There's one little thing I don't understand. Of everything I've put on this site, I think the stories in 'Swift Shifts' are the funniest, yet it's the title that's looked at least often. Why is that, do you think?After a gap of several months I've now added a new three-story volume of funny stories. To balance this, there's a thoroughly miserrable one on its way!A word or two about my pricing strategy might be worthwhile. A lot of people on this site (and I apologise if I've got this wrong) quote prices that are just a bit cheaper than you'd see in a bookstore. I don't do that. Ebooks don't have production or distribution costs, so why should you, the book buyer, have to pay even a tiny share of something that doesn't exist? Isn't it better to spend, say, $3 on three little books than on just one? I want you to enjoy what I've written, and at a realistic cost to you that I can live with. Simple, isn't it?I'll add to this from time to time - there's no point saying everything at once, is there? You'd have no need to come back, would you?

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      Book preview

      Putting Asunder And Other Stories - Les Broad

      Putting Asunder And Other Stories

      Les Broad

      Published by Les Broad at Smashwords

      Copyright 2011 Les Broad

      Discover other titles by Les Broad at Smashwords.com

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      PUTTING ASUNDER

      and other stories

      NAOMI

      October that year, near the end of the twentieth century, was cold, wet and gloomy. In the late afternoon - it was a Tuesday - the pub on the outskirts of the equally gloomy city in Northern England was quiet. Just one customer, a man in his early fifties, sat at a corner table staring glumly at a half-consumed pint. He was greying of hair yet trim of figure, a man who had made the effort to keep himself fit. He wore a dark suit; it seemed to be in keeping with his mood.

      Gerry! The voice belonged to a newcomer and addressed the occupant of the corner table, who looked up. Afternoon Jack, he replied without enthusiasm. The newcomer, Jack, joined the other; obviously they were well acquainted as Jack pushed a fresh drink towards Gerry as he sat down, but Jack was balding and a little overweight. Why so miserable, chum? he asked after taking a long pull at his own drink.

      Row with the wife, Gerry replied. Well, no, it's more than a row. She found something she shouldn't have found, and is threatening divorce. That'd cost me too much.

      I see, Jack returned, although he didn't. Want to talk about it?

      Not really. Well, maybe..... No...... Yes.

      Jack smiled and said, make up your mind. Anyway, I'm all ears. If you want to talk, that is.

      Well, it really started at my tennis club back in the Spring. It's not a big club, and there's a woman who plays there...

      Aha! The classic 'other woman' story!

      No Jack. Well, not the classic one anyway. This woman, Mary, her surname doesn't matter, has been a member for years. We get on OK, as fellow players, no more. I've met her husband, nice enough bloke, a hard worker but pretty unremarkable really. This year Mary turned up with her daughter, Naomi. She was seventeen, a bit unsure of herself, you know, a bit nervous. So Mary encouraged her and it turned out she's a really good player.

      The exuberance of youth, I suppose, Jack remarked.

      "Maybe, Gerry, yes. After a few weeks it was obvious that Naomi was in the top two or three lady players in the club, and fit too. Then the local tennis league started up and I found myself partnering Naomi in the mixed doubles. Straight away we started winning, so nobody was about to split us, from a tennis viewpoint of course. Mary was delighted with what Naomi was achieving and said she was glad I was looking after her only daughter.

      We got to talking, inevitably, I mean when you're at an away match on the other side of town it happens. I told her what I did for a living - Naomi's a medical student, by then she'd turned eighteen - and said I went up to Scotland a lot, sometimes in the evenings to meetings. She seemed interested: no, that's not right, her interest was genuine. She suggested she should come with me one night. I think she suggested it, but it might have been me. I don't remember now because it seemed insignificant at the time.

      As Gerry paused to collect his thoughts Jack interceded. But it wasn't insignificant, was it? he asked, seeming to have decided that the unfolding story wasn't something to be joked about.

      "No it wasn't, the trip I mean, but who asked who probably was. It was a complete cockup. The guy I was meeting in a pub in the Scottish borders didn't turn up because he'd forgotten about the meeting, so Naomi and I just sat there having a couple of drinks. We left about ten, perhaps a bit before, and set off home. But it had been a long day and I was more tired than I'd realised. About two thirds of the way home my eyes were playing tricks on me and I had to stop for a walk about and some air. In the middle of nowhere it was, hardly a light to be seen anywhere. Naomi got out of the car and looked around, but before long she was cold. So I ushered her back to the car with an arm round her shoulders. Somehow, and I honestly don't know how it happened, when I opened her door for her and helped her into the car our faces got close. Did I kiss

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