Short Stories of Richard C. Hayner

The accepted definition of a Short Story is one which can be read at one sitting. Of course, if it is fiction, as most are, it could be defined as one which can be read in one lying. I suppose the writing of fiction could be defined as the art of lying, while the writing of nonfiction would be the art of telling the truth and making it sound like a lie. The best of each would be impossible to tell apart. In fact, much of what we all have read and accepted as nonfiction was indeed of the other sort, while possibly the majority of what we have read and accepted as fiction was at least partially the record of actual occurrences. It is, therefore, impossible to distinguish between a writer and a politician without access to their bank statements.

The links below provide a little of both (fiction and nonfiction, not writers and politicians) from the mind of a man who is only one (writer versus politician, not nonfiction versus fiction). While these are, by definition, short stories, you may stand.

Click on the picture to read the story:

The Shanty Fire

Two Ways In

The Lesson