| These short stories highlight the author's experiences while growing up in the small towns in Kansas. Stories about other kids are linked at the bottom of the page. Settles Site Map |
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Competing with his older sister, little Bobby is an accident in progress, yet he survives all mishaps until one fateful day. |
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Older cousin, Robert, puts a whole new meaning on what it means to hang out at the ice cream store on a hot day. |
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Little Bobby worries about his older cousin leading him astray on a midnight escapade, but then cousin Robert has always been a little bit crooked. |
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In the second grade, Bobby learns first hand about meat eaters and other creatures, seen and unseen, while skinny dipping. |
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This high-risk story details the inevitable childhood experiments with physics and flatulence while the parents are away. |
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In preparation for a costume party, the lady in black prepares for many responses as a cross-dresser in a small town culture. |
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Acquiring a gender identity before television is an uphill battle. The girlie show at the county fair is no exception, a complete bummer. |
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While racing Whizzer bicycles, every trick at winning fails except on one very tricky stretch of road out of town. |
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On returning from an out-of-town football game, Wakefield's old three-story schoolhouse is ablaze. What had been a sorry schoolhouse produces a magnificent bonfire. |
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After relocating school in ten different temporary sites, lightening strikes a second time exactly where the band played |
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Skipping class one beautiful spring day, and driving a Model-T with one pedal too many produces some startling downsides. Two fourteen year olds learn a lesson. |
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The Keener brothers, with contrasting styles known throughout school, entertain their classmates through John's novel way to enter shop class late. Even John could not have planned this entrance, with its high degree of difficulty. |
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Learning to drive on country roads produces wisdom in the face of all distractions, except for one, the perfect distraction. |
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Wakefield's Board of Education plans the perfect inducement to attract a top-notch coach to our fair little city by bribing Blackie. |
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Football games in Longford in 1948 provide an exhilarating experience for all in attendance. The necessity of a level playing field in Longford was a foreign concept, and is greatly exaggerated in importance. |
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"Blackie", our football coach, plans and executes perfect revenge on a team of skunks, who refuse to follow the rules of combat in sports. |
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Blackie's Brainstorm works magic on the football field until one day a fatal flaw is discovered. |
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According to selected girlfriends, some very special services turn little Milford, Kansas into a secret retreat for the rich, the famous, and others in need of a somewhat personal recharge. |
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So many homegrown goblins, so little time on the night the spooks arrive in Wakefield. |
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Going for a spin in a Funk on Sunday morning brushes with disaster, and reveals a few of the talents of Wylie Walno, Wonder Pilot. |
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High school boys conduct a behavioral experiment on the town drunk, and are out-foxed when they discover the town's third watering hole. |
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Wakefield's notorious basketball court gives rise to both the three-point and four-point field goals, and are told you can't do that. |
The author's other personal websites
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Surviving childhood and adolescence was a miracle and a blessing.
The smaller towns in Kansas, the rural culture, the schools, and the
great people offered an incomparable milieu for whatever was to
follow. These short stories cover the highlights while
surviving from early childhood through adolescence. Piece of
cake! |
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The first career was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride for seven years with the U.S. Navy. The first four included college training through the N.R.O.T.C. at Oregon State and Kansas University with summer cruises each year. The last three were shipboard tours as a Supply Officer on the Gardiner's Bay (AVP-39) and Hamilton County (LST-802) in the Western Pacific. The ride was awesome! http://navystories.net/ |
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These short stories document the winding road of unusual, unexpected, humorous, and outrageous experiences that all persons encounter while interacting with other folks, all of whom are living and struggling on the funny farm. These short stories document the funny farm on the open range. http://trueshortstories.net/ |
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| In 1993, the retirement plans are detailed and ambitious, none of which are actually followed. As random events often become our master planners, we move to Florida where I start four more careers: 1. photographer, 2. webmaster, 3. world traveler, and 4. golfer. This picture and 600 more are displayed by category at http://spectacularscenery.com/. |
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While searching for an enduring project, Barack
Hussein Obama's election provides a virtually
limitless opportunity to respond with
shock and awe.
His ultra liberal voting record plus the rogues'
gallery of former and current associates should
provide years of fascinating stimulus material.
A collection of white papers has already been
posted, and he has yet to be sworn into office.
What a magnificent goose. http://obamasgoose.com/ http://baracksgoose.com/ |
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This is a
collection of stories about other kids as they grow up,
and do what kids do. A few are liberally sprinkled with
pictures. One picture is X-rated for parents, but the
kids will thoroughly enjoy it, 'cause they are still
kids. Want to know which story includes the picture?
No telling! http://bobandlois.net/bobandlois_files/kidscorner/kids.htm |
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Seated on
a one-legged milk stool, I am hanging uselessly on the
hind one strictly for the camera. Taking pictures has
been a hobby since elementary school. These photo
albums are a collection of random personal and general
interest photos. Check these albums out to see if one tickles
your fancy. http://bobandlois.net/bobandlois_files/picturealbums/picturealbums.htm |