Deus Ex Machina by Chris Green 1: I’m not sure what sparked my interest in subliminal messages in songs. I was aware of the Paul McCartney is dead scam from the 1960s, but this was about it. The claim was that Paul was killed in a car crash in 1966 and replaced by a lookalike. … Continue reading Deus ex Machina
Tag: relationships
Lost
Lost by Chris Green I’ve no idea where we are or how we come to be here. Given the extraordinary aggregation of sophisticated satellite technology at our disposal these days, it ought to be impossible to get lost on the roads. GPS is supposedly millimetre accurate over the entire country. When Sophie and I have … Continue reading Lost
Dog Gone
Dog Gone by Chris Green It is Friday evening. Zoot has gone out with his friends and Stacey and I have the house to ourselves. Outside there is the persistent drizzle you often get at the end of a working week when you’d like to go for a walk on the hill. Not that we … Continue reading Dog Gone
Doctor Jive Goes to Mundesley
Dr Jive Goes to Mundesley by Chris Green 1: ‘I recommend you listen to two hours of Einaudi each evening,’ Dr Jive says. ‘Soft piano music is perfect for quiet contemplation. You will notice a significant improvement in just a few days.’ ‘Two hours of Einaudi?’ I say. ‘That’s not really my thing, doctor. I … Continue reading Doctor Jive Goes to Mundesley
ICKE
ICKE by Chris Green It was the summer I worked for the Parks Department. Tony and I had parked up our mowers in Cortina Drive, a quiet cul-de-sac in a residential area, a place where I reasoned, Nick Ford would not find us if he came to check. It had been a hot dry summer, … Continue reading ICKE
Basic Attraction
Basic Attraction by Chris Green When Eve pushes the cloakroom door shut, and with a rippling of her flame coloured dress, turns towards him, Dean knows he is in trouble. ‘I feel naughty today, Mr Jones,’ Eve says, rubbing her hand up her stockinged leg. ‘Don’t you think it’s time we got to know one … Continue reading Basic Attraction
Bougainvillea Heights
Bougainvillea Heights by Chris Green As she opens the front door, Angel hears the shower running in the upstairs bathroom. That’s odd, she thinks as she unzips her boots. Jason is never home at this time of day. Still, it is a pleasant surprise. Since he took up his post as CEO of Dozier and … Continue reading Bougainvillea Heights
Curiosity KIlled the Cat
Curiosity Killed the Cat by Chris Green 1: We don’t get many calls on the landline. It could be Rachel. She hasn’t called today. I pause the episode of Curiosity Killed the Cat I am watching on Netflix to answer it, hoping it’s her. I can tell her about my progress on my new story … Continue reading Curiosity KIlled the Cat
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes by Chris Green ‘What happened to the old bus station, Geoff?’ I say. ‘While I was driving here, I couldn’t help noticing it had gone. I know it was a bit of a monstrosity, but it was a landmark. I grew up around there.’ ‘God’s teeth, Vince!’ he says. ‘They knocked that old thing … Continue reading Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Domino Logic
Domino Logic by Chris Green ‘I am not Dirk Vandenberg,’ I say. ‘No one called Dirk Vandenberg lives here. There has never been anyone going by that name on this number.’ This is the eighth or ninth phone call for Dirk Vandenberg I have had on the landline this week. At first, I put the … Continue reading Domino Logic
Gone Fishing
Gone Fishing by Chris Green I have no recollection of how I arrived at this remote place or where it might be. I have lost my phone, and have no means of checking my location. I have trudged several miles through dense wild scrub. The only feature I have come across was an old pickup … Continue reading Gone Fishing
Bird
Bird by Chris Green ‘You’re telling me you found it in the car park and you thought you’d just plug it into your workstation,’ says Frank Flint. ‘It’s a fucking data stick. What did you suppose it might be doing lying there in the car park of a high-security organisation like this?’ I had an … Continue reading Bird
Summer Sisters
Summer Sisters by Chris Green Sisters Claire and Lucy were born on the Summer Solstice, one year apart. They shared the same genes, the same upbringing and went to the same schools. Yet they were like chalk and cheese. Claire liked pressing flowers and playing with dolls. Lucy trashed Tonka toys and read Viz magazine. … Continue reading Summer Sisters
Dress
Dress by Chris Green I saw Doug Morales as someone you could rely on. He was a man of his word. He was a born organiser. His was a world of order. If Doug said he was going to do something, he would do it. If he said he was going to be somewhere, he … Continue reading Dress
Bunny Boiler
Bunny Boiler by Chris Green I hadn’t seen Guy Manson for nearly twenty years, so to find him in front of me at the checkout at Sainsbury’s was a bolt out of the blue. When I had last seen him, he and Sadie were moving to the Medoc in France. They had inherited some land. … Continue reading Bunny Boiler
Lost in Space
Lost in Space by Chris Green When it was just keeping up with social media and a bit of casual surfing, it was manageable. But since the gambling and online dating kicked in, it has become uncontrollable. I’m spending too much time on the internet. Every time I find myself with a spare moment, I’m … Continue reading Lost in Space
Mojo
Mojo by Chris Green 1: Dan Lomax has lost his mojo. He woke up one morning, and it was gone. A mojo, of course, is a magical or supernatural quality that attracts people to you and makes you successful and full of energy, sometimes represented by a good luck charm. But to see it in … Continue reading Mojo
On the Origin of On the Origin of Species
On the Origin of On The Origin of Species by Chris Green The port of Falmouth boasts a rich maritime history. It has all the right features for seafaring. The River Fal has a wide estuary and Falmouth has the deepest natural harbour in Europe. It was turned from a sleepy village where Cornish fishermen … Continue reading On the Origin of On the Origin of Species
A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life by Chris Green As he drives along Great Western Avenue to work at Trask and Wherry, Lenny Fusco is a worried man. So, he thinks, should everyone else be. He cannot understand why so many people are still going about their lives as normal. The people he passes seem not … Continue reading A Day in the Life
Balaclava
Balaclava by Chris Green The coach has just left the bus station. We are waiting at the lights when, through the back window, I catch a glimpse of a man in a balaclava, running through the crowd. He is waving a handgun around. He shouts out something. He fires shots indiscriminately at the passengers … Continue reading Balaclava
Missing You
Missing You by Chris Green Helen often comes this way. A short ride on the light railway and she can walk the whole length of Harmonica Way, along Mandolin Avenue and into Dulcimer Street. It’s not the most direct route to the office, but this way, she feels there’s a chance she might see Youssou. … Continue reading Missing You
Philanderer
Philanderer by Chris Green I have lived in the same town most of my life, yet I almost never bump into anyone from my past. This is surely beyond the realms of coincidence. I remarked on this to Suzi only this morning. She maintained we often come across people I know, but could not come … Continue reading Philanderer
James Brown – The Godfather of Soil
James Brown – The Godfather of Soil by Chris Green Susanna and I were having a lunchtime glass of Chardonnay at Café Rouge. She had called me earlier at work. She had sounded a little distraught, so I had rearranged my diary for us to meet up. She suspected Charlie was seeing a younger woman. … Continue reading James Brown – The Godfather of Soil
Trust
Trust by Chris Green Following the split with his long-term partner, Darci, Nick Parks feels at a loose end. He cannot face the idea of singles nights and has heard nothing but horror stories about dating agencies. He does not want to go down to The Gordon Bennett to be asked where’s Darci, or be … Continue reading Trust
Google Knows
Google Knows by Chris Green ‘You may have a point with what you were saying last week,’ Max says. ‘Every time I search for something online, I get adverts for products vaguely related to it for days. Nine times out of ten, I didn’t even want whatever it was in the first place.’ ‘Frightening, isn’t … Continue reading Google Knows
Travel by Train
Travel by Train by Chris Green I have never taken much notice of the station at Nevermore. In my experience, the train always passes through it without stopping. Nevermore appears to be a place of little significance. It has no Wikipedia page and is difficult to find on the map. All I have ever registered … Continue reading Travel by Train
Ki
Ki by Chris Green I have just taken a photo of the blue sea with the bank of cloud over the dark headland, when the stranger with the mirror sunglasses appears out of nowhere. He asks me if I am a professional photographer. ‘Not at all,’ I say. ‘It’s only a Canon PowerShot. But there … Continue reading Ki
GUN
GUN by Chris Green Gary Bilk works as a tyre technician in Camborne, an old mining town in Cornwall. Most evenings after work, he picks up his girlfriend, Suzi Foxx from outside HairCraft salon and takes her to The Cock Inn. They have a bite to eat, play pool, darts or dominoes and chat with … Continue reading GUN
Strike While the Iron is Hot
Strike While The Iron Is Hot by Chris Green She has fought against it for too long. If she doesn’t do it now, she never will. What is so difficult about telling Dirk he has to leave? Each time that her friend Marie has said; you’ve got to do it, Donna, she has said; it’s … Continue reading Strike While the Iron is Hot
The Start of Something Big
The Start of Something Big by Chris Green ‘There was no before the beginning of the universe, because once upon a time, there was no time. Big bang or no big bang, it makes no difference. Even if God created everything, the argument still stands. There, that solves that one, Vincent. That will save years … Continue reading The Start of Something Big
PROG
PROG by Chris Green I hadn’t seen Nick for many years when he got in touch with me on Facebook. My name, Chance DeVille, is of course so unusual that if someone were trying to look me up, I would not be hard to find. Few people had taken the trouble to look me up, … Continue reading PROG
Call Wyatt on the Western Front
Call Wyatt On The Western Front by Chris Green Penny hits the button on the bedside clock. 4:33 AM. We’re hardly going to get up and answer the door at this unearthly hour, she thinks. No matter what is going on. She tries to drift back off, but again the doorbell rings. She turns over to … Continue reading Call Wyatt on the Western Front
The Book
The Book by Chris Green When I was growing up in the nineteen-sixties, I was surrounded by books. The bookshelves in Grey Gables, the big old Gothic revival house in Gloucestershire where we lived, were full. Fiction and non-fiction, there were books from all around the globe. There were books of every classification. but there … Continue reading The Book
Light
Light by Chris Green ‘Purple Haze was never Number 1,’ the girl at the bar says. ‘Nor was Strawberry Fields Forever. Odd for two such famous tunes, don’t you think?’ Matt is taken aback. It’s a strange way to open a conversation. Is she talking to him? He does not know her. He looks around … Continue reading Light
Strangers When We Meet
Strangers When We Meet by Chris Green How many miles do you need to have the same car in your mirrors before you become suspicious? How many turnings before alarm bells ring? Emma Fox has no idea, but the black SsangYong appears to be tailing her. At times right up her rear bumper. SsangYongs are … Continue reading Strangers When We Meet
Rain Check
Rain Check by Chris Green It was clear from the start that Rain was a little strange. Certainly, her name was unusual, but even before she introduced herself, something about her struck me as kooky. In the nicest possible way. Perhaps she thought the same about me. Perhaps I struck her as odd. Who knows … Continue reading Rain Check
All About Jazz
All About Jazz by Chris Green All About Jazz tends to be quiet in the afternoon. After the lunchtime rush, things do not pick up again until the evening. We are a small establishment down a side street on the edge of town. If you were driving along the main road out of town, you … Continue reading All About Jazz
Sophie’s Choice
Sophie’s Choice by Chris Green I haven’t seen Sophie for years. Not since she moved up north. So, I am surprised to find her in the wines and spirits aisle in my local Tesco. She is looking at the Sauvignon Blanc range. This was always her favourite tipple. I would always go for Italian red. … Continue reading Sophie’s Choice
One-Eyed Jack
One-Eyed Jack by Chris Green Most people associate the name, Jack Dempsey with Boxing. He was the undisputed World Heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. He was a legendary puncher and won most of his fights by a knockout. Few fighters in history have been so feared. But I will always think of Jack Dempsey … Continue reading One-Eyed Jack
Travelling Light
Travelling Light by Chris Green It didn’t work out at first. Things often don’t the first time you try them. Suzi and I only got into it because Milo and Clover gave it the hard sell. It was simple, they told us. ‘You just lay down, close your eyes, relax your muscles, channel your thoughts, … Continue reading Travelling Light
MURDER MYSTERY – a murder mystery
MURDER MYSTERY – a murder mystery - by Chris Green My head is pounding. My mouth feels like a dried-up drainage ditch. I am used to more formal surroundings when I wake. A comfortable bed, and if I’m lucky, a cup of tea. This room is unfamiliar. I have no recall of how I came … Continue reading MURDER MYSTERY – a murder mystery
Every Picture Tells a Story
Every Picture Tells A Story by Chris Green 1: I bought my first SLR camera, a Canon EX, in 1977. I had been asked to take some shots of Ibiza. Ibiza wasn’t chav central back then. It was a magic white island populated by bohemians and artists. The photos came out well, and I used … Continue reading Every Picture Tells a Story
Call Me Lottie
Call Me Lottie – by Chris Green LOTTIE 'Pale blinds, drawn all day, I'm afraid,' says Landon Truitt. 'Upstairs and down.' 'I remember getting those blinds fitted,' I say. 'Local fellow. He called himself The Blind Man, which at the time I thought was amusing.' 'The Blind Man. Good name. Very droll, Mrs Crenshaw.' 'Lottie. … Continue reading Call Me Lottie
No Dark Side of the Moon
No Dark Side of the Moon by Chris Green ‘Don’t blow in a bear’s ear.’ the stranger in the Astrakhan coat says, as he passes me on October Avenue. I am puzzled. Does he not realise there are no bears in these parts? The nearest thing to a bear is the Sonny Liston lookalike who … Continue reading No Dark Side of the Moon
Tomorrow Never Knows
Tomorrow Never Knows by Chris Green Vicky was finding it difficult to remember things. Friends of hers, in their fifties and sixties, suggested that her memory was unlikely to get any better. As you grew older, they said, those peripheral places where the past was stored were harder to find. They told her how they … Continue reading Tomorrow Never Knows
Snow
Snow by Chris Green ‘It’s getting very cold. I wonder if it’s going to snow,’ the text message reads. It’s an odd message and I do not recognise the number. But to get into the spirit of things I reply, ‘It’s only August.’ This appears to strike a chord because immediately I get a reply … Continue reading Snow
Clumpton
Clumpton by Chris Green Having taken several wrong turns on our way to the coast, Holly and I find ourselves in Clumpton. We start to blame each other for unforgivable navigation errors. We need a break from driving to get our bearings and compose ourselves. We park up on one of the narrow streets and … Continue reading Clumpton
Mario and Lorelei
Mario and Lorelei by Chris Green Lorelei Love possesses a rare talent. She knows that things are going to happen before they do. As a result of her premonitory powers, Lorelei’s life has been alternately comforting or frightening, depending on what is scheduled to happen. Unfortunately knowing something is going to occur does not give … Continue reading Mario and Lorelei
A Blacker Shade of Blue
A Blacker Shade of Blue by Chris Green Tiffany Blue wonders why she is so unhappy. If all the things she is doing are so good for her, she should be in seventh heaven. She gets up at five each morning and does a half an hour’s Tai Chi before her bowl of wholegrain cereal … Continue reading A Blacker Shade of Blue
Harry and Kate
Harry and Kate by Chris Green Black cats are supposed to be lucky, aren’t they? Harry Regis thinks so. What he doesn’t realise is that in many cultures, black cats are seen as an evil omen. Most of Europe, for instance, considers the black cat to be unlucky, a harbinger of doom. Fortunate then that … Continue reading Harry and Kate
Ten Twenty-Four
Ten Twenty-Four by Chris Green You may not have heard of Trethowan. Most people haven’t. It is a tiny hamlet, remote even by Cornish standards. Although I keep hearing that providers are investing millions to tackle poor reception in rural areas, I have no phone signal where I am staying at Cosy Cottage, a rural … Continue reading Ten Twenty-Four
Puff the Magic Dragon
Puff the Magic Dragon by Chris Green Before he met Prism, John Straight seemed destined for success. He had a Degree in Business Management from a top university, a big black BMW with bull bars and he was willing to travel. In a word, John’s future looked rosy. He was the son of Sir James … Continue reading Puff the Magic Dragon
Pulp Friction
Pulp Friction by Chris Green Nancy fancies Tafelspitz and I haven’t had Wiener Schnitzel for a long time, so we are going to treat ourselves. Things have been a little fraught since our Schnauzer, Max had to be put to rest. Respiratory disease, very sad at the end. Max was more than just the family … Continue reading Pulp Friction
Bad Karma
Bad Karma by Chris Green Eight million pounds give or take, Des Hattersley’s Lotto win set him up with a life of leisure. Being single with no family or close friends to speak of, Des did not have to share his winnings. His new found wealth enabled him to give up his position as a … Continue reading Bad Karma
Phone BIll
Phone Bill by Chris Green I read somewhere that over half of all the people in the world have never received a telephone call. Sometimes I wish I was one of these. The phone should be a comfort but it can also be a curse. Unwanted calls can outnumber the ones from family and … Continue reading Phone BIll
It’s Not Unusual
It’s Not Unusual by Chris Green 1: Because of my vertigo, crossing the Severn Bridge has always been a problem for me. On account of my phobia, as I live in the south of England, I don’t tend to visit Wales. I don’t even know any Welsh people. I once worked with a Dewi Davies … Continue reading It’s Not Unusual
Pub
Pub by Chris Green 1: ‘You’re probably wondering why the pub is called The Skydog Slaver aren’t you?’ Nigel Slough says. As it happens, I am not. I have been coming here for several weeks. At first, I may have been curious about the name but now I just take it for granted. ‘I’m just … Continue reading Pub
The Early Worm Catches The Bird
The Early Worm Catches The Bird by Chris Green ‘You’re telling me you found it in the car park and you thought you’d just plug it into your workstation,’ says Frank Flint. ‘It’s a fucking data stick. What did you suppose it might be doing lying there in the car park of a high-security organisation … Continue reading The Early Worm Catches The Bird
Black Hats
Black Hats by Chris Green Promise and I are looking out onto a rocky outcrop in Es Calo de Sant Agustí in Formentera. We are sitting under a sun-bleached parasol outside a small café in the secluded bay. We are staying a hostal nearby. Beyond the pier, a handful of fishing boats rock gently in … Continue reading Black Hats
The Schrödingers’ Cat
The Schrödingers’ Cat by Chris Green Each, evening, Mr and Mrs Schödinger liked to walk their salt and pepper schnauzer, Ernst along the Promenade. Mrs Schrödinger would take the opportunity to window-shop in the fashion boutiques while Mr Schrödinger used the time to fantasise about what he would like to do to Hermione Shakespeare in … Continue reading The Schrödingers’ Cat
No Elle
No Elle by Chris Green Not wishing to start the day just yet, I listen to the springtime chirping of the birds outside the window while I piece together the events of last night. The concrete that seems to be lining my head suggests to me I had a fair bit to drink. I remember … Continue reading No Elle
DreamCatcher
DreamCatcher by Chris Green Matt and Miranda make their way home after a bracing walk by the sea. They are striding out along Roald Dahl Avenue, one of a cluster of roads that are referred to simply as the mystery writers’ estate. All the roads here are named after masters of suspense. Although the … Continue reading DreamCatcher
Be Here Now
Be Here Now by Chris Green 1: 'I recommend you listen to two hours of Einaudi each evening,' says Dr Hopper. 'His soft piano music is perfect for quiet contemplation. You will notice a remarkable improvement in just a few days.' 'Two hours of Einaudi?' I repeat. 'But I like listening to experimental jazz on … Continue reading Be Here Now
The Moons of Uranus
The Moons of Uranus by Chris Green 'Look, Sean! There are some avocets,' says Mara, excitedly. 'They are avocets, aren't they?' Mara turns and notices that instead of looking out of the window at the expanse of estuary they are passing, Sean is studying his train ticket. 'You've been poring over that ticket for about … Continue reading The Moons of Uranus
Tequila Mockingbird
Tequila Mockingbird by Chris Green When Max turned out the light last night, he assumed he would wake up in the morning, pull back the chintz curtains to let in a little light and listen for a few moments to the birds singing in the back garden. Apart from a small corner in front of … Continue reading Tequila Mockingbird
MISSING
Missing by Chris Green Not wishing to start the day just yet, I listen to the springtime chirping of the birds outside the window while I piece together the events of last night. The concrete that seems to be lining my head lets me know I had a fair bit to drink. I got in … Continue reading MISSING
The Life and Times of Chadwick Dial
The Life and Times of Chadwick Dial by Chris Green 'It's him,' screamed Eve. 'It's Chadwick Dial. Look!' Eve Laszlo and I were aboard a coach on its way to Bath. We were going to see a new band called Oasis play at the Bath Pavilion. We had stopped off at Stroud to pick up … Continue reading The Life and Times of Chadwick Dial
MURDER MYSTERY
MURDER MYSTERY – a murder mystery - by Chris Green My head is pounding. My mouth feels like a dried up drainage ditch. I am used to more formal surroundings, when I wake. A comfortable bed. If I'm lucky, a cup of tea. This room is unfamiliar. I have no recall of how I came … Continue reading MURDER MYSTERY
A Stone’s Throw From The Beach
A Stone's Throw From The Beach by Chris Green Lastminuteholidays.com did not actually specify that Sea View had a view of the sea, but there again it did not say that it didn't. The default position, you would have thought, was that it did, especially as there were pictures of the waves rolling in on … Continue reading A Stone’s Throw From The Beach
Quicksand
Quicksand by Chris Green It is May 1967. I am fifteen years old. I am walking through Wellesley Park with my friends, Dezi, and Keith. I should be at school but I'm not. Dezi is two years older than me and should be at college but he's not, and Keith has tagged along. I'm not … Continue reading Quicksand
Norwegian Wood
Norwegian Wood by Chris Green Rubber Soul is one of my favourite Beatles albums. I am looking at the cover photo by Robert Freeman, which is one in a collection of Freeman's Beatles images that line the hallway at Florian and Rhonda's house in Hanover Hill. The Rubber Soul photos, taken in late 1965, capture … Continue reading Norwegian Wood
A Change is as Good as a Rest
A Change is as Good as a Rest by Chris Green 'I recommend you listen to two hours of Einaudi each evening,' said Dr Hopper. 'His soft piano music is perfect for quiet contemplation. You will notice a remarkable improvement in just a few days.' 'Two hours of Einaudi,' I repeated. I had explained to … Continue reading A Change is as Good as a Rest
Cotswold Life
Cotswold Life by Chris Green I hadn't seen Ron for many years when he got in touch with me on Facebook. My name, Chance DeVille, was of course so unusual that if someone were trying to look me up I would not be hard to find. Not many people had taken the trouble to, so … Continue reading Cotswold Life
Chris Green Stories 