More Matchbook Stories: “Cowboy Up,” “Variety Is,” and “The Cheater”
A strikingly small literary journal
You’ll soon be able to find Matchbook Story on the West Coast in the following stores: Skylight Books, Counterpoint Records & Books, Book Soup, Stories, Metropolis Books, Bookshop Santa Cruz, City Lights Books, Green Apple Books, Diesel, and Moe’s.
COWBOY UP
Third day no sleep–couldn’t get her kiss out his mind. What sorta girl attends an Arm Wrestlers’ World Championship? Just went for his mouth, and back pocket, after he won. Near washed her number off the stub: PJ Call me! XOXO. And say what? Hi, I’m Cal, the Champ. In real life I punch cows.
VARIETY IS
France, Holland, Wisconsin–he’d been everywhere tasting cheese. Now, lactose intolerant! How could it be?
He had climbed onto the roof to jump, changed his mind, and now couldn’t get down. He laid back considering the many things one could be. Suddenly, he saw his face in a cloud, sipping tea.
THE CHEATER
Speed dating’s like the first day of school: you size everyone up before sitting down. No. 1′s a cheapskate, asked me did I want my wine? No. 2 had breath to kill a lion. But who am I to talk, right? I’m here, aren’t I? Like school, nobody knows who I am. I pass your tests until I get caught.
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COWBOY UP was inspired by these Storymatic cards: teenager, cowboy, arm wrestler, world record holder, third day without sleep, memory of a kiss
VARIETY IS: cheese taster, person in professional disgrace, can’t get down from roof, identifiable face in the clouds
THE CHEATER: cheapskate, person with very bad breath, first day of school, someone’s been cheating
