A Short Story
Friday, June 7th, 2024
17:34 what to wear on a first date
17:35 what to wear on a first date, guy
17:37 what to wear on a first date, no time to buy new clothes
17:42 untucked shirt over 30, ok?
17:44 does doing your top button up make you a hipster
17:45 what colour shirt says “interesting young professional”
17:45 is interesting young professional an oxymoron
17:46 define oxymoron
17:46 define moron
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20:01 what wine is good wine
20:02 what wine is good wine, under $20
20:08 is any wine good wine under $20
20:08 how to drink bad wine and not let it show
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20:41 how to tell if a date is going well
20:42 define connection
20:43 define spark
20:45 define awkward silence
21:03 good topics of conversation for dates
21:14 is more than 3 trips to the bathroom a bad sign?
21:19 can one bring up a bladder infection over dinner?
21:38 what is astrology, brief explanation
21:41 is it rude to correct a date’s misunderstanding of basic scientific principles?
21:43 how long does it take for awkward silence to become weird
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22:43 takeout chinese for one, near me
Saturday, June 8th, 2024
18:34 dating apps for guys over 30
18:46 dating apps for guys over 30, not just looking for sex
19:02 what does netflix and chill actually mean?
20:23 is getting a cat weird for a single guy
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23:08 takeout chinese for one, near me
Monday, June 10th, 2024
09:53 dating sites for successful businessmen
09:54 dating sites for businessmen
09:55 dating sites for men who work in business
09:55 does working as a bank teller count as working in business
10:12 how to write a good dating profile
10:15 is it ok to lie about your hobbies on match.com
10:16 what hobbies make a person sound interesting
10:25 how soon is too soon to admit I play dungeons and dragons?
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21:43 takeout chinese for one, near me
Wednesday, June 12th, 2024
16:26 first dates, how to learn from your mistakes
16:28 first dates, he picked the venue, is that ok?
16:33 first date at a bar, should I bring flowers
16:34 first date at a bar, should I bring friends?
16:52 how early is too early to turn up for a date?
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20:51 he laughs at my jokes, good sign or bad sign?
20:53 what does it mean if he smiles when I talk
20:55 how to not get distracted by someone’s eyes while they’re speaking
20:58 is it possible for a person to be too beautiful?
20:59 how to stop yourself from saying what you’re thinking out loud
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22:28 is letting your date punch someone a bad idea?
22:29 how to avoid starting fights in LA dive bars
22:33 does getting thrown out of a bar give you a criminal record?
23:12 can you catch dengue fever from a public fountain
23:13 how can someone look more beautiful soaking wet
23:28 how soon is too soon to tell him you love him
23:29 are engagement rings misogynistic?
23:32 what does it mean that I would do anything he asked?
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23:29 takeout chinese for two, near me
Thursday, June 13th, 2024
09:52 second date, help!
09:53 second date, what does it mean?
10:04 second date at lunch, romantic ideas
10:06 second date at lunch, does this make him my boyfriend?
10:34 is it ok to propose while eating deli sandwiches
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13:36 he wants to see where I work, good sign?
13:36 he wants to see where I work, bad sign?
13:43 can making out at work get you fired
13:45 is it ok to propose in a supply closet
13:46 is it ok to propose while showing him the vaults
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14:14 silent alarm, deactivate?
14:14 silent alarm, off, how?
14:15 is it still a silent alarm if it’s making a lot of noise
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14:20 how to control a large group of people
14:21 how to keep control of a large group of people
14:22 do they still count as hostages if you know all their names
14:26 how to make it look like you have a gun in your pocket
14:27 what does it mean if your boyfriend has a gun in his pocket
14:31 fisherman’s knots, simple tutorial
14:32 tying up your coworkers quickly
14:33 bondage for beginners, but not the kinky stuff
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14:39 how heavy is gold IRL
14:39 should a man over 30 say IRL
14:39 how to tell your boyfriend he looks beautiful in strobe lighting
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14:41 safe deposit boxes, quick guide
14:42 safe deposit boxes, i’ve lost my key?
14:43 safe deposit boxes, not very secure
14:44 safe deposit boxes, do they all contain diamonds?
14:46 money laundering, the basics
14:47 money laundering, do you need an actual laundry
14:48 Al Capone, biography, quick highlights
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15:15 stockholm syndrome, how long does it take to work?
15:18 stockholm syndrome, how to speed up the process
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15:54 FBI negotiation tactics, same as on tv?
15:54 FBI negotiation tactics, what to look out for
15:55 FBI, shouldn’t they be negotiating by now?
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16:02 how realistic is die hard?
16:03 was the most recent die hard movie any good?
16:04 how to focus in stressful situations
16:05 countries with no extradition treaties
16:06 what does extradition really mean
16:06 is it lame to say “chopper” if you’re not in a movie
16:06 why are they called choppers? wouldn’t chopters make more sense?
16:07 how to focus in stressful situations
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16:21 shot in the arm, how bad is bad?
16:21 WebMD: how much blood is too much
16:21 does vodka actually work for disinfecting wounds
16:22 stitches, a quick tutorial
16:35 what does it mean that he’s done this before?
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16:48 secret tunnels under LA, is this common knowledge?
16:49 what does it mean if your boyfriend owns night-vision goggles
16:54 Bonnie and Clyde, ending
16:57 Bonnie and Clyde, happy ending?
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17:11 he says we should meet in mexico, should I make reservations?
17:12 romantic getaway for two, cancellation policy preferred
17:13 LA to mexico by helicopter
17:13 LA to mexico on foot
17:13 LA to mexico, uber?
17:14 do they have takeout chinese in Cancun?
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17:47 best law firm in LA
17:49 adequate law firms in LA
17:52 are court-appointed lawyers really that bad
17:53 does the “distract and slip away” plan ever work out well for the distraction
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18:26 when they say “come out with your hands up”, do they mean it literally?
18:27 what does it say about me that I still don’t regret this?
Friday, June 14th, 2024
19:31 takeout chinese for one, near California State Correctional, delivery preferred
Winner of the 2024 Write Mango Short Story Award, and longlisted for the 2024 Edinburgh Short Story Award. A tale that came to me after reading about someone who Googled “how to get rid of a body” before, unsurprisingly, being convicted of murder. Got me thinking… How much does your Google search history really say about you? Turns out, quite a lot.
You can find this story in print in The Outlier and Other Stories: the incredible anthology from the Scottish Arts Trust, showcasing the winning stories from the 2024 Edinburgh Writing Awards and emerging short story writer from around the world.
About The Author
Franky writes things you might consider stories, and is never in the last place you left her. She writes fantasy, fairytales, and things you don’t realise are stories until after you’ve finished reading them. Consider yourself warned.
Check out her most recent story in the genre bending collection; Vanthology, or find her work in the Edinburgh Arts Anthology, Factor Four Magazine, and right here on her website. You can read her essays on Medium, connect over on LinkedIn, or shoot her a message right here.
