Yellow Mama Archives

Daniel N. Flanagan
Home
Adair, Jay
Adhikari, Sudeep
Ahern, Edward
Aldrich, Janet M.
Allan, T. N.
Allen, M. G.
Ammonds, Phillip J.
Anderson, Fred
Anderson, Peter
Andreopoulos, Elliott
Arab, Bint
Armstrong, Dini
Augustyn, P. K.
Aymar, E. A.
Babbs, James
Baber, Bill
Bagwell, Dennis
Bailey, Ashley
Bailey, Thomas
Baird, Meg
Bakala, Brendan
Baker, Nathan
Balaz, Joe
BAM
Barber, Shannon
Barker, Tom
Barlow, Tom
Bates, Jack
Bayly, Karen
Baugh, Darlene
Bauman, Michael
Baumgartner, Jessica Marie
Beale, Jonathan
Beck, George
Beckman, Paul
Benet, Esme
Bennett, Brett
Bennett, Charlie
Bennett, D. V.
Benton, Ralph
Berg, Carly
Berman, Daniel
Bernardara, Will Jr.
Berriozabal, Luis
Beveridge, Robert
Bickerstaff, Russ
Bigney, Tyler
Blackwell, C. W.
Bladon, Henry
Blake, Steven
Blakey, James
Bohem, Charlie Keys and Les
Bonner, Kim
Booth, Brenton
Boski, David
Bougger, Jason
Boyd, A. V.
Boyd, Morgan
Boyle, James
Bracey, DG
Brewka-Clark, Nancy
Britt, Alan
Broccoli, Jimmy
Brooke, j
Brown, R. Thomas
Brown, Sam
Bruce, K. Marvin
Bryson, Kathleen
Burke, Wayne F.
Burnwell, Otto
Burton, Michael
Bushtalov, Denis
Butcher, Jonathan
Butkowski, Jason
Butler, Terence
Cameron, W. B.
Campbell, J. J.
Campbell, Jack Jr.
Cano, Valentina
Cardinale, Samuel
Cardoza, Dan A.
Carlton, Bob
Carr, Jennifer
Cartwright, Steve
Carver, Marc
Castle, Chris
Catlin, Alan
Centorbi, David
Chesler, Adam
Christensen, Jan
Clausen, Daniel
Clevenger, Victor
Clifton, Gary
Cmileski, Sue
Cody, Bethany
Coey, Jack
Coffey, James
Colasuonno, Alfonso
Condora, Maddisyn
Conley, Jen
Connor, Tod
Cooper, Malcolm Graham
Copes, Matthew
Coral, Jay
Corrigan, Mickey J.
Cosby, S. A.
Costello, Bruce
Cotton, Mark
Coverley, Harris
Crandall, Rob
Criscuolo, Carla
Crist, Kenneth
Cross, Thomas X.
Cumming, Scott
D., Jack
Dallett, Cassandra
Danoski, Joseph V.
Daly, Sean
Davies, J. C.
Davis, Christopher
Davis, Michael D.
Day, Holly
de Bruler, Connor
Degani, Gay
De France, Steve
De La Garza, Lela Marie
Deming, Ruth Z.
Demmer, Calvin
De Neve, M. A.
Dennehy, John W.
DeVeau, Spencer
Di Chellis, Peter
Dillon, John J.
DiLorenzo, Ciro
Dilworth, Marcy
Dioguardi, Michael Anthony
Dionne, Ron
Dobson, Melissa
Domenichini, John
Dominelli, Rob
Doran, Phil
Doreski, William
Dority, Michael
Dorman, Roy
Doherty, Rachel
Dosser, Jeff
Doyle, Jacqueline
Doyle, John
Draime, Doug
Drake, Lena Judith
Dromey, John H.
Dubal, Paul Michael
Duke, Jason
Duncan, Gary
Dunham, T. Fox
Duschesneau, Pauline
Dunn, Robin Wyatt
Duxbury, Karen
Duy, Michelle
Eade, Kevin
Ebel, Pamela
Elliott, Garnett
Ellman, Neil
England, Kristina
Erianne, John
Espinosa, Maria
Esterholm, Jeff
Fabian, R. Gerry
Fallow, Jeff
Farren, Jim
Fedolfi, Leon
Fenster, Timothy
Ferraro, Diana
Filas, Cameron
Fillion, Tom
Fishbane, Craig
Fisher, Miles Ryan
Flanagan, Daniel N.
Flanagan, Ryan Quinn
Flynn, Jay
Fortunato, Chris
Francisco, Edward
Frank, Tim
Fugett, Brian
Funk, Matthew C.
Gann, Alan
Gardner, Cheryl Ann
Garvey, Kevin Z.
Gay, Sharon Frame
Gentile, Angelo
Genz, Brian
Giersbach, Walter
Gladeview, Lawrence
Glass, Donald
Goddard, L. B.
Godwin, Richard
Goff, Christopher
Golds, Stephen J.
Goss, Christopher
Gradowski, Janel
Graham, Sam
Grant, Christopher
Grant, Stewart
Greenberg, K.J. Hannah
Greenberg, Paul
Grey, John
Guirand, Leyla
Gunn, Johnny
Gurney, Kenneth P.
Hagerty, David
Haglund, Tobias
Halleck, Robert
Hamlin, Mason
Hansen, Vinnie
Hanson, Christopher Kenneth
Hanson, Kip
Harrington, Jim
Harris, Bruce
Hart, GJ
Hartman, Michelle
Hartwell, Janet
Haskins, Chad
Hawley, Doug
Haycock, Brian
Hayes, A. J.
Hayes, John
Hayes, Peter W. J.
Heatley, Paul
Heimler, Heidi
Helmsley, Fiona
Hendry, Mark
Heslop, Karen
Heyns, Heather
Hilary, Sarah
Hill, Richard
Hivner, Christopher
Hockey, Matthew J.
Hogan, Andrew J.
Holderfield, Culley
Holton, Dave
Houlahan, Jeff
Howells, Ann
Hoy, J. L.
Huchu, Tendai
Hudson, Rick
Huffman, A. J.
Huguenin, Timothy G.
Huskey, Jason L.
Ippolito, Curtis
Irascible, Dr. I. M.
Jaggers, J. David
James, Christopher
Jarrett, Nigel
Jayne, Serena
Johnson, Beau
Johnson, Moctezuma
Johnson, Zakariah
Jones, D. S.
Jones, Erin J.
Jones, Mark
Kabel, Dana
Kaiser, Alison
Kanach, A.
Kaplan, Barry Jay
Kay, S.
Keaton, David James
Kempka, Hal
Kerins, Mike
Keshigian, Michael
Kevlock, Mark Joseph
King, Michelle Ann
Kirk, D.
Kitcher, William
Knott, Anthony
Koenig, Michael
Kokan, Bob
Kolarik, Andrew J.
Korpon, Nik
Kovacs, Norbert
Kovacs, Sandor
Kowalcyzk, Alec
Krafft, E. K.
Kunz, Dave
Lacks, Lee Todd
Lang, Preston
Larkham, Jack
La Rosa, F. Michael
Leasure, Colt
Leatherwood, Roger
LeDue, Richard
Lees, Arlette
Lees, Lonni
Leins, Tom
Lemieux, Michael
Lemming, Jennifer
Lerner, Steven M
Leverone, Allan
Levine, Phyllis Peterson
Lewis, Cynthia Ruth
Lewis, LuAnn
Licht, Matthew
Lifshin, Lyn
Lilley, James
Liskey, Tom Darin
Lodge, Oliver
Lopez, Aurelio Rico III
Lorca, Aurelia
Lovisi, Gary
Lubaczewski, Paul
Lucas, Gregory E.
Lukas, Anthony
Lynch, Nulty
Lyon, Hillary
Lyons, Matthew
Mac, David
MacArthur, Jodi
Malone, Joe
Mann, Aiki
Manthorne, Julian
Manzolillo, Nicholas
Marcius, Cal
Marrotti, Michael
Mason, Wayne
Mathews, Bobby
Mattila, Matt
Matulich, Joel
McAdams, Liz
McCaffrey, Stanton
McCartney, Chris
McDaris, Catfish
McFarlane, Adam Beau
McGinley, Chris
McGinley, Jerry
McElhiney, Sean
McJunkin, Ambrose
McKim, Marci
McMannus, Jack
McQuiston, Rick
Mellon, Mark
Memi, Samantha
Middleton, Bradford
Miles, Marietta
Miller, Max
Minihan, Jeremiah
Montagna, Mitchel
Monson, Mike
Mooney, Christopher P.
Moran, Jacqueline M.
Morgan, Bill W.
Moss, David Harry
Mullins, Ian
Mulvihill, Michael
Muslim, Kristine Ong
Nardolilli, Ben
Nelson, Trevor
Nessly, Ray
Nester, Steven
Neuda, M. C.
Newell, Ben
Newman, Paul
Nielsen, Ayaz
Nobody, Ed
Nore, Abe
Numann, Randy
Ogurek, Douglas J.
O'Keefe, Sean
Orrico, Connor
Ortiz, Sergio
Pagel, Briane
Park, Jon
Parks, Garr
Parr, Rodger
Parrish, Rhonda
Partin-Nielsen, Judith
Peralez, R.
Perez, Juan M.
Perez, Robert Aguon
Peterson, Ross
Petroziello, Brian
Petska, Darrell
Pettie, Jack
Petyo, Robert
Phillips, Matt
Picher, Gabrielle
Pierce, Curtis
Pierce, Rob
Pietrzykowski, Marc
Plath, Rob
Pointer, David
Post, John
Powell, David
Power, Jed
Powers, M. P.
Praseth, Ram
Prazych, Richard
Priest, Ryan
Prusky, Steve
Pruitt, Eryk
Purfield, M. E.
Purkis, Gordon
Quinlan, Joseph R.
Quinn, Frank
Rabas, Kevin
Ragan, Robert
Ram, Sri
Rapth, Sam
Ravindra, Rudy
Reich, Betty
Renney, Mark
reutter, g emil
Rhatigan, Chris
Rhiel, Ann Marie
Ribshman, Kevin
Ricchiuti, Andrew
Richardson, Travis
Richey, John Lunar
Ridgeway, Kevin
Rihlmann, Brian
Ritchie, Bob
Ritchie, Salvadore
Robinson, John D.
Robinson, Kent
Rodgers, K. M.
Roger, Frank
Rose, Mandi
Rose, Mick
Rosenberger, Brian
Rosenblum, Mark
Rosmus, Cindy
Rowland, C. A.
Ruhlman, Walter
Rutherford, Scotch
Sahms, Diane
Saier, Monique
Salinas, Alex
Sanders, Isabelle
Sanders, Sebnem
Santo, Heather
Savage, Jack
Sayles, Betty J.
Schauber, Karen
Schneeweiss, Jonathan
Schraeder, E. F.
Schumejda, Rebecca
See, Tom
Sethi, Sanjeev
Sexton, Rex
Seymour, J. E.
Shaikh, Aftab Yusuf
Sheagren, Gerald E.
Shepherd, Robert
Shirey, D. L.
Shore, Donald D.
Short, John
Sim, Anton
Simmler, T. Maxim
Simpson, Henry
Sinisi, J. J.
Sixsmith, JD
Slagle, Cutter
Slaviero, Susan
Sloan, Frank
Small, Alan Edward
Smith, Brian J.
Smith, Ben
Smith, C.R.J.
Smith, Copper
Smith, Greg
Smith, Elena E.
Smith, Ian C.
Smith, Paul
Smith, Stephanie
Smith, Willie
Smuts, Carolyn
Snethen, Daniel G.
Snoody, Elmore
Sojka, Carol
Solender, Michael J.
Sortwell, Pete
Sparling, George
Spicer, David
Squirrell, William
Stanton, Henry G.
Steven, Michael
Stevens, J. B.
Stewart, Michael S.
Stickel, Anne
Stoler, Cathi
Stolec, Trina
Stoll, Don
Stryker, Joseph H.
Stucchio, Chris
Succre, Ray
Sullivan, Thomas
Surkiewicz, Joe
Swanson, Peter
Swartz, Justin A.
Sweet, John
Tarbard, Grant
Tait, Alyson
Taylor, J. M.
Thompson, John L.
Thompson, Phillip
Thrax, Max
Ticktin, Ruth
Tillman, Stephen
Titus, Lori
Tivey, Lauren
Tobin, Tim
Torrence, Ron
Tu, Andy
Turner, Lamont A.
Tustin, John
Ullerich, Eric
Valent, Raymond A.
Valvis, James
Vilhotti, Jerry
Waldman, Dr. Mel
Walker, Dustin
Walsh, Patricia
Walters, Luke
Ward, Emma
Washburn, Joseph
Watt, Max
Weber, R.O.
Weil, Lester L.
White, Judy Friedman
White, Robb
White, Terry
Wickham, Alice
Wilhide, Zach
Williams, K. A.
Wilsky, Jim
Wilson, Robley
Wilson, Tabitha
Woodland, Francis
Woods, Jonathan
Young, Mark
Yuan, Changming
Zackel, Fred
Zafiro, Frank
Zapata, Angel
Zee, Carly
Zeigler, Martin
Zimmerman, Thomas
Butler, Simon Hardy

topaul.jpg
Art by Jack W. Savage © 2014

To Paul, With Love

 

Daniel N. Flanagan

 

Exposition (the introduction of setting, situation and main characters).

 

And there I was, just a young guy. Twenty-one years old, taking a walk out to my car. My wicked sporty, red, Ford Taurus. I had left a 30-rack of Busch Light in the trunk; it was a cold Massachusetts winter, so I didn’t want to leave them for the night to freeze. Beer is mostly water, and when water freezes, it expands, and pushes the lid and ass of the can outwards; it ruins the taste too. And this was clearly quality beer.

          See, the reason I even had to go grab my rack in the freezing cold, snow crunching beneath my Timberland Pro’s at 2:34 in the morning is as follows.

          I live with my grandfather; my seventy-seven year old, health riddled, patriarchal grandfather. And out of respect to him…well my actions are only partly performed out of respect. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not tryna annoy or aggravate my own fucking grandfather, who is nice enough to house me while I work on my writing career, but there’s more to it. He has the temper of a tyrant. And while his rage relates straight to his dying heart, I am also egocentric. I don’t want to get yelled at any more than you do. And so I sneak the beer in, even though I’m of age; even though I have no dependence. I do it for him.

          Anyways…

#

 

Complication (the event that introduces the conflict), rising action.

 

          So I had stomped out there, in my aforementioned boots; I mention them twice for a reason though, a short side note for you. The date is January 3rd and these were a Christmas present from my current girl, my main broad. She shall remain nameless though; she hates when I write about her.

          And so I grabbed my icy, metal Ford key out from my toasty, red and black, plaid pajama pants; compliments of Gramma Bitsy. Dangling from the keys was a Framingham State University lanyard, which is a constant reminder of the education I decided to abort, but alas. I inserted the key and turned right, in the trunk, and raised the gate, letting key stay stuck, and lanyard dangle, waving in the breeze.

          I leaned into the barren trunk and pulled out the previously opened case; I had taken just three out earlier. As you know, I sneak in my beer, so I only grabbed three, and transported them in my Bruins gym bag, from car to fridge. Such a low number would never raise the irate man’s ever raising voice.

          I scooped up and cradled the beer like a football player, having his photo leisurely taken for a trading card. Against my right forearm, as 27 beers are quite hefty. Anyways, as the trunk began to descend downwards, a car pulled up towards me, red and blue lights flickered just once or twice. “Great…” I said under my breath. This is just what I needed.

          My family doesn’t have the best last name to broadcast around officers of small town law.

#

                                                                                                                 

Crisis (the decisive moment for the protagonist and his commitment to a course of action).

 

          He shut his lights off, as to not create a scene and wake up my grandfather. I appreciated this and was quite surprised that he did not feel the need to validate his authority by demanding a crowd. I leaned at the waist, bent my knee and set the alcohol down, on the two inch barrier of snow.

          The officer pulled up alongside my house’s separate garage, perpendicular to my vehicle several yards over, which was parked outside. He hit the gear shift north and opened the driver’s door of his Crown Vic. Stepping out I was sure this would go smoothly, although inside I was beginning to become flustered; the flood of anxiety’s deathly undertow was ever-present.

          “Is there a problem, officer?” I inquired this honestly and without an attitude. While I refuse to call any cop “Sir”. For passing a routine police training course and having a GED does not make you a “Sir”; I remained congenial. 

          The driver of the cruiser came forward, squared up with me, hand on his jam-packed belt and told me there had been local reports of breaking and entering lately, and he had been patrolling the area.

          I was baffled by this and told the barrel chested, white, amber mustached policeman, “Well that’s unfortunate. I live right there (I turned over my shoulder and pointed twenty yards back, to where my large, secluded house stood.) and was just getting something out of my trunk.”

          Staring straight at the Busch beer, he said “I see that. I’m gonna need to see some I.D.”

Luckily I had my wallet on me and so I bent back the black, leather tri-fold and removed my horizontal driver’s license from the middle, transparent section, and handed it to the man in blue.

          After scanning it for what seemed like ten seconds, he said “Flanagan, huh? Any relation to Tom?” I said “Yeah, he’s my father.” There was a hint of shame in my answer, mostly love though. He decided to tell me facts about my father I had already heard one hundred times over. “He’s over in Worcester County right now, my cousin is DEA, worked on your father’s case…You know how many scripts and opioids they found in that drug den of his? There’s a lot of pill heads running around and stealing because of him.”

          I leaned against my sedan, “Well, I’m not my father and I’m not breaking the law. I am of legal age to purchase alcohol and I’m not trespassing on my own driveway.”

          “It looks like that case of beer has been opened, and I do believe (he leaned right into my face and smelled my exhale); have you been drinking tonight?”

          “Well, yes, but I was in my house. I wasn’t driving, wasn’t causing a scene. I’m not breaking any laws!” I was beginning to talk faster and ramble, my mind was racing.

          “I’m gonna need you to lower you voice and see things through the courts eyes. The twenty-one year old son of a drug addicted, drug dealing father, out here at 3 A.M., causing a disturbance, and drinking while operating a vehicle.”

          “I wasn’t operating shit and you know that! Don’t try to twist this, I did nothing wrong, I’m leaving.” I screamed at him. The flood was drowning me.

          I turned back, bent, and cradled my beer. I walked six feet forward, towards my house, when I looked over my shoulder.

          He grabbed back tighter onto his utility belt and unsheathed his T-baton; slick and shining black steel against the moonlight.

          He trudged towards me.

#

 

Climax (the point of highest interest in terms of the conflict and the point with the most action).

 

          “Shit.” I uttered before dropping the alcohol and sprinting straight for my door.

          I was having trouble finding tread. I had never tied these work boots and they flopped around, stamping into the firm snow. I was gonna fall…

          There was a whizzing sound and then I hit the ground. My vision was black for a few seconds. I could only hear a ringing in my ears. Terror hit hard and everything felt surreal, like I was dreaming.

 I was sprawled out on my back, looking up at the dark night sky, the rear of my skull pulsating. I rolled my head to the right and saw red splatter all over the pure white snow. I looked to the left and saw his legs, the shining pinstripe of his uniform reflecting. He knelt down and picked up his night stick, wiped the red fluid into the palm of his left glove and slowly walked over towards me.

          My senses fully restored, I could hear the heavy crunch of snow underneath his police issued boots. He ended his short trek as he faced the side of me, swung his left leg over to the right side of my hip. He stood there, over me, grinning, and emitted a snort. I had not moved from my fallen snow angel.                  

          He craned his neck skywards, boasting his glory to the moon. I was enraged; he fought dirty, so fuck it. I swiftly sat up and cocked my fist back, exploding a half powered hit to his groin. He fell back into the fetal position, his hands clasping each other and stuck between his legs. I stood up, ignoring the pool of deep, red blood that had accumulated, and melted the snow.   He rolled onto his back, but was unable to move further. Walking over to him I thanked my girlfriend, and lifted one Timberland up. I drove my right foot down hard, bashing his nose in flat. His nose literally introverted into his face. It was plain. He wailed and cried, and blood began to seep around him.

          I knew I was fucked. I would end up in jail for the next 25 years. I assaulted a police officer and no one would believe it was self-defense. I didn’t know what to do. I was dizzy and petrified. I covered his mouth to quiet him; I couldn’t have any distant neighbors hear him.

          I unclicked his holster and took hold of his Smith & Wesson. I had never held a gun before…I just wanted to have a fuckin beer and write a goddamn story…

          Gun in hand, I heard my front door open, I saw my grandfather standing there. Calm. He walked towards me.

#

 

Resolution (the point when the conflict is resolved).

 

          I was still holding down his ever-shrieking mouth with my right forearm, while I held the gun with my dominant hand. Grampa Paul walked up towards me, looked at us both, and softly spoke, “My God, son…”

          He sighed, he did not want anything bad to happen to me. All fear left my body and was replaced by remorse. I had let him down.

          He told me to stay put and with eyes wide I watched him, as I pressed steadily heavier on the officer. My grandfather went down to his knees and began hammering away at the cop.

          Strong right hands that made me squirm. He barreled into the officer’s side, and the snap of a cracked rib or two was evident. He screamed louder against my teeth-bitten forearm. Paul jabbed him right in the throat, collapsing the man’s Adam’s apple. It was grotesque.

          My Grampa rose and pushed me aside. The cop was in and out of consciousness, coughing up blood.

Paul looked all around and saw no lights, no people, and heard only the hoot of an owl. He grabbed the .45 caliber out of my hand and put it into the cop’s hand.

          “Gramps, what are you doing!?”

          “Listen, son. I’m seventy-seven years old and I’m not gonna last much longer. I failed your father and I can’t live with the guilt of seeing the same thing happen to you. You’re a good kid. You deserved better.”

          “Gramps…” There was a lump in my throat and my eyes began to water.

          He held the pistol in the officers hand, wrapped the man’s finger around the trigger and knelt down in front of the dying cop.

          “Don’t waste thi,s Danny. This is the only second chance life is ever gonna give you.”

“Call your uncle Greg, he’ll get the right people down here to clean this mess up and make it look the way it needs to.”

He closed his eyes, breathed in through his nose, and let out a long exhale before squeezing the cops hand; blowing a hole right through his own chest. He slumped over and the lump in my throat grew larger. I wanted to go out and grab hold of him. But I couldn’t move. I fell to my knees and wept icy tears. The owl hooted again and I blinked my wet eyes.

I ran inside to call Greg. 

 

 

Daniel N. Flanagan is a Worcester, MA native; currently writing a novella, while taking a year off from college. His most recent short story, "Daddy's Girl", has been published in The Commonline Journal. He has two stories scheduled for publication in January '14; "Dylan; & The Hooker Formerly Known As Tiffany" has been accepted by Beyond Imagination, and "Bathroom Tale: 2" will appear in Danse Macabre du Jour. He has previously been featured in the publishing blog, Aberration Labyrinth (issue #008), for his poem "Writer". He also has three poems, "An Artist’s Rendering", "N.O. Xplode", and "Kip", in Framingham State University's literary magazine The Onyx (Spring '12). Check him out at www.DanFlanagan.webs.com and follow him @DanielNFlanagan.

In Association with Fossil Publications