Humdrum Places - BlogFlock

🐻 Bears Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman retiring at age 27 - The Independent Variable

2026-03-03T20:53:27.000Z

Shit.

I mean good for him—hopefully there’s no medical thing pushing him to this—but go enjoy your money while you’re young and have a restful life with your family. That should be the goal for most folks anyway, but boy is this going to be a huge hit to the Bears for next season…

📺 The Media Guide S7E2 - foofaraw

2026-03-03T05:15:39.000Z

Welcome back! There was no Weekend Edition because my little pup ate a sewing needle, which left me in a state of nervous panic for about 48 hours... This also meant I had to speed-run to listen to some new music to get this together... The good news is my little pup is doing just fine now, although I'm still keen to keep a watchful eye on her for the next few days.

🐓 Rooster S1 (HBO)

HBO follows up it’s debut of DTF St. Louis last Sunday with Steve Carell’s Rooster this Sunday. Interestingly, it’s a Bill Lawrence show (Scrubs, Cougar Town, Ted Lasso, Shrinking), but it also seems to be retreading a lot of the same themes and topics that Bob Odenkirk’s Lucky Hank just a couple of years ago.

🛌 Narco #1 (Image)

The latest joint from the creators of Plastic, Plush, Vinyl, and more, Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard, comes a story about a guy with narcolepsy who witnesses a murder of his next-door neighbor and has to venture outside his home for the first time in ages to try to solve the case himself.

🦜 And The Voice Said by Tōth

A ton of fun indie pop came out this week, but this album by Tōth was by far a standout for me. Delightfully upbeat with a sense of melancholy. If The Talking Heads, Vampire Weekend, and King Princess had a baby, it might just turn out to be this album. At least that's what the voice (in my head) said.

🦆 André is an Idiot

Still not much in terms of movies, but André is an Idiot looks like an absolutely fascinating documentary.

Paid subscribers get the full breakdown of all shows, movies, comics, and albums for this week.

🏀 Dwyane Wade: These are the three best leaders I played with in the NBA - The Independent Variable

2026-03-03T01:23:25.000Z

Athletic

I just love that even D-Wade doesn’t have LeBron as one of the best leaders he played with—cause he wasn’t. LeBron as a leader is so overrated. It’s why he needed Wade and Bosh and Irving and Love.

🍿 David Ellison Claims Paramount-Warner Bros. Will Produce 30 Theatrical Releases a Year — Is That Even Possible? - The Independent Variable

2026-03-03T01:21:20.000Z

World of Reel

This is complete bullshit. It’s always been about consolidation so they can charge more and produce less. Maybe they pump out thirty the first year, but it will trickle down until it’s no different than today.

🗳️ Gallup will no longer measure presidential approval after 88 years - The Independent Variable

2026-03-02T05:20:20.000Z

The Hill

“This change is part of a broader, ongoing effort to align all of Gallup’s public work with its mission,” a spokesperson for Gallup said. “We look forward to continuing to offer independent research that adheres to the highest standards of social science.”

Yeah, I believe them when they say it has nothing to do with the current administration and the fact this president has the lowest approval rating ever. Makes total sense they’d stop to “align with its mission.”

🧨 What to know about the latest fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan - The Independent Variable

2026-03-02T05:16:25.000Z

ABC News

Over the last few months, the two have occasionally skirmished along their winding, porous frontier as tension has escalated. The latest confrontation is by far the most serious.

Wait! Isn’t this one of those wars the president ended..? Weird.

💸 My Fellow Americans, We Are Richer Than Ever Before. Well, You Aren’t, but We Are - The Independent Variable

2026-03-02T05:14:53.000Z

McSweeney’s

My fellow Americans, despite what everyone else says, we are living in the golden age of America. Not your golden age, though. My golden age. As in: I am very old, and everything I own is either solid gold or gold-plated or painted in gold to make it seem like it’s real gold.

Honestly, I’m not actually sure if this is funny given it’s basically a fact-based reporting. Or at the very least, more factual than anything coming out of this administration.

🛂 Brooklyn Public Library ends passport services after State Department order • Brooklyn Paper - The Independent Variable

2026-03-02T05:13:07.000Z

Brooklyn Paper

So you’re telling me the people who are only trying to “make elections more secure” and not prevent people from voting by passing a strict voter ID law just made it harder for New Yorkers to get said ID? Hmmm…

💣 Regime Change Is Blowing Up A School Full Of Children - The Independent Variable

2026-03-02T05:11:07.000Z

Defector

You wouldn’t trust anyone in the Trump administration to water your garden properly, and yet they get to decide who and what gets blown up. Everyone else has to suffer the consequences, this time none more greatly than those girls and their families.

The draft dodging head of the Board of Peace who said no more wars in the Middle East and that only terrible negotiators would bomb Iran, just bombed Iran, turning an already devastating situation in the Middle East with the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, into an even bigger chaotic mess, likely to start more war. Maybe his plan is to start as many wars as possible so he can then “stop” all the wars and win his Nobel prize.

📮 Mindlessly Massive March - foofaraw

2026-03-01T17:45:41.000Z

The March issues of Foofaraw Zine and Four-headed Foofaraw are here!

This is an extra-special month for us, with it being the inaugural edition of Mindlessly Massive March: double the stories; triple the word count; 150 pages of goodness! Plus, it’s in print! Print copies will be going out to our Patrons shortly (along with something else very exciting), but you can pick up a copy for yourself (in print or digital) anywhere books are sold online, or directly from us through our shop:

Mindlessly Massive (2026)

A special triple-length edition of Foofaraw Zine for March 2026

Foofaraw Press

Of course, all stories will be published for free on the web throughout the month, but paid supporters receive a PDF/EPUB with all of the month's stories at the beginning of the month, along with a few other goodies, including the bonus Four-headed Foofaraw. And Patrons get stuff in print!

Individual issues are also available for purchase on Weightless books, where you can also subscribe.

Periodic Aggregation: Routed Carefully & Electronically Logged

This month...

Stories

Moon Drama by Ashlee Lhamon
My Personal Thief by Rachel Davey
Escape Algorithm by B. Morris Allen
The Abyss in the Depths of Her Eyes by Isis Aquino (translated by Monica Louzon)
Basement Girls and Attic Gods by H. Marin
Silent Disco by Andrew Hodges
How To Piece a Prairie Ghost Train by Tyler Lee
Of Iron And Oatmeal by Michael Allen Rose

Poem

Something Stirs by T.K. Kestrel

Observations

Annotated Draft Menu, Winter 2026 Prix-Fixe by Andrea Cavedo
A review of “(Skin)” by Chelsea Sutton, published in Diabolical Plots by Vito Gulla
Missed Connections Essay by Nicholas De Marino
Horoscope Essay by Nicholas De Marino

Interviews

Ashlee Lhamon
Rachel Davey
B. Morris Allen
Isis Aquino & Monica Louzon
H. Marin
Andrew Hodges
Tyler Lee
Michael Allen Rose

Cartoons by:

Ellie Black
Zack Rhodes

Cover art

by Tony Tran

〄

On to the zines...

🔭 The Horoscope Essay - foofaraw

2026-03-01T17:00:30.000Z

Here we are on Starship Earth, ready-set-going lap number four-point-five billion and fifty-two around the Great Yellow Dwarf, poised to mow down each and every hurdle, even though it’d be easier to jump, duck, or run around the damned things. Be not grouchy, like so many dwarves barreling up a creek without a pelorus. Whirl and twirl your axes with ecstatic glee like Tasmanian berserkers drunk on TikTok Sufism until the Great Cosmic Nightlights come down from the sky to reveal the secret that we’re not alone—just in Cosmic Time Out.

While planetary magnates conspire in constellations, we’re left reading tea leaves. That’s right, fellow cosmonauts, it’s time for a little light-speed, terracentric, astral geometry. I have connected the dots, I have seen the future, and, quite frankly, it’s wordy.

Over the lips and past the gums, look out 2026, please no bombs… and ease up on the neocolonial exploitation of Africa.

Aries, the Ram Pickup (March 21-April 19)

The sooner you ditch that New Year’s resolution, the better. Let someone else be first to swim the Weddell Sea. In fact, avoid Antarctic travel altogether.

Media Prescription: Rewatch the Key and Peele Wendell skits. The Mr. T PSA, too. If someone really needs the washing machine, they’ll throw your clothes on the floor.

Taurus, the Red Bull (April 20-May 20)

Don’t be afraid to go off script. Unlike the Betty Boop iconography on her grave marker, Gram-Gram’s homemade Four Loko recipe isn’t set in stone.

Media Prescription: Binge “Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf” while DIY-ing crown molding in a last-ditch effort to get back your security deposit.

Gemini, the Olsen Twins (May 21-June 20)

Let’s face it: No one wants to hear your retro swing band’s original material. Stick to the classics. Ditto for in the bedroom.

Media Prescription: Ask your therapist if Dan Rath’s comedy special, “I’m Not Doing Well Folks,” is right for you.

Crab, the Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Stop trying to stop trying and just let it happen. You’re gonna have to use your whole ass for this one.

Media Prescription: Watch “Elling” for the fifth time this year while palm-to-mouthing popcorn peppered with dry harissa.

Leo, the Lion King (July 23-Aug. 22)

You’re on the right path. Waze says so. Show the officer. Tell her to save the Korzybski quotes for Tinder and your court appearance.

Media Prescription: Blast SΔMMUS’s Pieces in Space on the bus. Everyone will thank you for sharing a decade-old nerdcore classic.

Virgo, the No Slut-Shaming Here (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Make sure to wash the mint after you’ve swiped it from the neighbor’s garden. Her corgi’s been pissing there all week.

Media Prescription: No one wants to read Proust, but it’s important—or something.

Libra, the Weight Watchers (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The aerial roots on your windowsill succulents mean you’re doing something wrong. Avoid tamasic indulgences like Reddit and horoscopes.

Media Prescription: Rewatch the first two seasons of “The Walking Dead.” Hey, Shane was actually a pretty good step-dad.

Scorpio, the Strap-on Wielding Harvestman (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Say yes more. “A regret” is just an anagram of “greater.” Or “get rear.”

Media Prescription: Anything but 311’s tiki bar-style version of “Lovesong.” It was cute for three months in 2004. Give it a rest.

Sagittarius, the Archer Reverse BoJack Horseman Thing (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

The whole BBL thing is a bubble and, like all bubbles, it’s going to burst. Invest now and strike while the booty’s bountiful.

Media Prescription: Mohammad-Reza Shajarian. You’re welcome.

Ophiuchus, the Freudian Joke (Nov. 29-Dec. 17)

Speak your truth to the world. Your YouTube channel was already on its way to demonetization.

Media Prescription: The eschatology of Joachim of Fiore makes great bedtime reading.

Capricorn, the Little Goat Mermaid (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Buy a toner printer to save on legal paperwork-related cartridge costs. Fridge magnets are a cost-effective alternative to a filing cabinet.

Media Prescription: Dorian Feigenbaum’s 1933 translation of Victor Tausk’s 1919 banger, “On the Origin of the ‘Influencing Machine’ in Schizophrenia.”

Aquarius, the I’m Also an Actor (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Avoid dairy products and family members who are still talking about “The Wire.” It’s never too late to take up competitive ice hockey.

Media Prescription: Sora 2 A.I. knockoffs of those cringy raps from the OG run of G.L.O.W.

Pisces, the Sketchy Sushi Restaurant (Feb. 19-March 20)

This time a wig and a fake name won’t be enough. Time for Plan B: I will shift. I will shift. I will shift.

Media Prescription: The animated version of “Room on the Broom” narrated by Simon Pegg.

—Nicholas De Marino

🥘 Annotated Draft Menu, Winter 2025 Prix-Fixe - foofaraw

2026-03-01T17:00:26.000Z

[GM’s note: No prices are fixed right now. Eggs are still changing hour to hour. Do not call attention to this. “Winter 2025 Gustation” maybe?]

Appetizer

nettle orechiette, date, goat cheese, saba

carmelized beets, whipped ricotta, coffee reduction

[Solid twist on a classic. But with the 10% blanket tariff on coffee and additional 50% on Brazilian beans, sub chicory here, or maybe molasses.]

toasted enriched yeast roll, artisan curd, Maldon

[This is just bread and butter, right? Nice.]

Main

bourguignon, cipollini, melted parsnip, crouton

[Great job not naming the protein here – could be beef, could be an Impossible burger. Could be the chickpeas we bought in bulk before the tariffs started and now we can’t seem to move. Don’t say that though, obviously. “Chef’s choice.”]

chicken, scratch dumpling, Jerusalem artichokes, squish broth

[Really liking the nostalgia here, but it’s too political—call them “sunchokes” at least. And squish? You mean squash, I hope, because remember, we over-bought kabochas a few weeks back when we thought prices were trending down and could really use that walk-in space now.]

garlicky starchy rice-y risotto with spicy cheesy ricotta whip, crispy frizzly shallots

[Now you’re just messing with me.]

Side

lemony cabbage
cabbagey lemon
fries

[Guys. Come on.]

Dessert

ooey gooey soupy gluey choco slice - gluten-free

[What the actual fuck. This tasting menu costs $255 plus included 18% gratuity plus secret table service fee. Our job is comfort and escape, remember? Taking everyone’s mind off the news for a few hours? “Flourless chocolate cake” is fine, it’s retro.]

passionfruit ICE melt, watermelon gelee, rainbow sorbetto quenelle

[Jesus Christ, you guys are killing me. I know what you’re going for here. Believe me, I’d love to call it “Essence of the last days of summer catching lightning bugs in fruit-sticky hands under the big elms, when the ice pop melted on your tongue with the perfect sweetness of your own innocence, before masked January 6 parolees ran off all the paleteros and half our kitchen staff, and the city closed the park because of the homeless encampments, and you stopped going outside—except for very special occasions—because of the violence on the train and the teargas on your street, and you were forced to look at your dwindling savings account and face the certainty of the long and painful winter ahead.” But we can’t. How about “off-season sorbet”?]

tears of your enemies, revenge, chilled

[Okay, fine. It’s about the only thing that sounds good right now, anyway. Chef’s choice.]

Andrea Cavedo's writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, Chestnut Review, HAD, and others; she won Foofaraw's inaugural Ordinary Contest, and has been a semifinalist for The Sewanee Review's Fiction, Poetry & Nonfiction Contest. For the last decade she has taught history and government to Chicago high school students.
Find her online at www.andreacavedo.com.

🎙️ Sergii Pershyn - foofaraw

2026-03-01T05:24:13.000Z

Read Sergii’s story, Tokyo, NY, on Foofaraw now!

How much international travel have you done and what was the best experience you’ve had flying?

Given a professional background in PR and living in both Europe and the United States, I’ve traveled a lot between the US, Europe, and Asia. There have been many pleasant experiences—from a surprise upgrade to Business class on a transatlantic flight to leaving for a vacation to France where the flight crew was in a festive mood, giving out lots of small wine bottles to the passengers.

But ironically, the flight I enjoyed the most recently was a 15-hour red-eye from Dubai to New York. I took a sleeping pill and slept for 13 hours straight.

Do you have any neurosis when it comes to flying, similar to the protagonist with their anxiety and insomnia?

You got it right! The story is semi-biographical, at least in the beginning. I’ve always been anxious before traveling throughout my life. It gets slightly better when I have an opportunity to travel by train—it allows me to get from my door to my seat faster, and is generally a more pleasant experience than flying.

**What’s your strategy for a long flight and is Casablanca involved?**

There is some magic in boarding a long flight with a stack of New Yorkers, a novel, or a list of 3–4 movies you planned to watch. I love having an uninterrupted period of time to devote to reading, without being distracted by phone notifications. Sometimes, one needs to get on a plane to achieve that.

I watched Casablanca on a plane once, but I was awake. It’s a shame that I’ve noticed airlines removing classic movies recently, but it’s always a pleasure to find a masterpiece like The Big Sleep on a plane’s entertainment system.

**Does our protagonist ever make it to Tokyo or are they stuck in some Twilight Zone/Groundhog Day-esque loop?**

I hope he gets there without too much trouble—it’s a wonderful city to visit.

To me, the story culminates with a happy ending. The protagonist wakes up on time for his trip and has already experienced all the terror in his sleep, so hopefully he's able to relax on his actual flight.

What’s a great short story you’ve read recently?

I’ve always loved short stories, ever since I read Julio Cortázar in school, and enjoyed their plot twists in a condensed format. More recently, I have also been researching works in order to improve my own craft.

In the past months, I’ve read a number of short story collections, including those by Donald Barthelme, Patricia Highsmith, Toni Morrison, Lydia Davis, Raymond Carver, John Cheever, and George Saunders.

The most lasting impression on me was left by Good Old Neon by David Foster Wallace, from his Oblivion story collection. For me, that’s the perfect example of short fiction. It is a beautifully told story by an unreliable narrator that captivates your mind long after you finish it.

What book are you reading right now?

I started reading The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil during the Christmas break, and I am going to take the 1,200-page journey slowly. The book has been on my bucket list for years.

At the moment, I'm also reading Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor and Flesh by David Szalay, as I try to read more contemporary fiction.

Readers of Tokyo, NY might enjoy another surrealist story I wrote, The Corner, published in Oroboro Journal.
My other works are listed on my website.

Thanks to Sergii for chatting with us about the wonders of travel!

Dog Owner Petpeeves - A Humdrum Life

2026-02-28T21:02:05.000Z

As someone who has two beautiful dogs and has had dogs my whole life here are the things that irk me about other dog owners:

The most obvious—those who don’t pick up after their dogs. It makes the rest of us look bad, I’m stepping in it more than the average person since I’m going into bushes to pick up after mine, and my little husky pup enjoys them as treats occasionally…
Those who don’t tie their bags—especially at dog parks where there are designated garbages. They start to stink so much quicker when y’all don’t take two seconds to tie ‘em off—especially if it’s warm out.
People who don’t utilize the entryway area properly when entering a dog park. It’s there for you to leash/unleash your dog before fully entering/exiting the park. Don’t wait to unleash them when you are fully in the park—it makes your dog go crazy and others might follow.
1. Obviously always closing the gates both on entry and exit is a must.
People who know their dog is unfriendly, but insist on bringing them to the park anyway.
1. My older dog isn’t the friendliest, so I bring him to our neighborhood dog run less than my pup, but when I do, if another dog comes, I immediately grab hold of him to see how he reacts (he’s 50/50…) if he reacts poorly, he waits in the entryway so the good pups can play.
2. The dog run is for dogs to play, not for you to be lazy and not have to walk and pick-up after your dog—especially if you need the whole run to yourself.

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🎸 Buddy Guy — Tiny Desk Concert - The Independent Variable

2026-02-28T16:31:31.000Z

YouTube

A living legend and at nearly 90 years old, he’s still got it. I’ve been lucky enough to see him live twice, both times over a decade ago, at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, and then at Buddy’s Legends club in Chicago. Seeing him at his small, intimate club was one of my favorite musical experiences ever.

Also, very cool to see him bring out Miles Caton from Sinners for a couple songs.

🤖 OpenAI Reaches A.I. Agreement With Defense Dept. After Anthropic Clash - The Independent Variable

2026-02-28T04:18:39.000Z

NY Times

“Two of our most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems,” Mr. Altman said. “The DoW agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we put them into our agreement.”

From one liar to another—so you know it has to be true. They somehow have the same principles as Anthropic, but magically came to an agreement despite those principles being the only thing killing the Anthropic agreement. More likely, OpenAI has been chomping at the bit to get at that military industrial complex complex money so there’s actual some money coming in that they can point at for their investors to oooh and ahhh at and continue to pretend they are somehow worth over $700 million.

⛰️ The Mountain, The Moon Cave and The Sad God by Gorillaz - The Independent Variable

2026-02-27T20:14:21.000Z

YouTube

They knocked this little short film/music video out of the park. I haven’t listened to the whole album yet, but I’m hopeful this might reverse course from their more recent dance albums and return to the greatness that was Plastic Beach, which might be my favorite Gorillaz album.

What we really need is a Gorillaz movie. They’ve built up so much lore with the various locations they’ve set their albums at to the point where I’m dying for someone like Joe Bennett—who did Common Side Effects and Scavengers Reign—to get involved and build on everything Gorillaz has done over the past two decades.

🌁 mist - The Independent Variable

2026-02-27T07:24:44.000Z

collaborative markdown editor

I’ve talked before about my desire for a Google Docs alternative—one where I could share docs with writers, suggest changes, etc.—and I even wrote up some requirements for it in the hopes that someone might magically decide to build it for me.

mist is 95% there. I couldn’t find a note about it being open-source, but I’m dying for someone to run with this and add file organization to it so I don't have to worry about the 99hr expiration.

🛩️ Tokyo, NY - foofaraw

2026-02-26T23:43:13.000Z

I never sleep well the night before a trip. Ever since I was a child, the nights before family vacations were always sleepless. I didn’t even have to plan anything back then!

Now I do, now I need to plan everything. Naturally, I thought that was the primary reason for my anxiety and insomnia. So over time, I learned how to get everything sorted out, every little detail in advance. I packed two days before departure, checked in to the flight exactly 24 hours before its scheduled time, and prebooked the ride to and from the airport. I even set several alarms—on my wristwatch and a battery-operated alarm clock I inherited from my parents.

Still, if I were lucky enough to fall asleep the night before, I would wake up countless times, checking the time.

When it was time to get ready for my big journey to Japan, I knew there was no way to escape the anxiety and insomnia. Still, I prepared everything ahead of time. The reservations had been made six months in advance and the itinerary was finalized one month before the departure. The night before, I looked at my checklist one last time—the suitcases were packed, the plants watered, the taxi booked for 9:00 AM. I set three alarms for 8:00 AM, 8:03 AM, and 8:07 AM. Before going to sleep, I read short stories by Hemingway for an hour and avoided any screens three hours before my planned bedtime. I did all I learned from a recent article I read on sleep hygiene. I even went one step beyond—Hemingway was my own little addition.

Then I spent hours finding a comfortable position in bed, completely sleepless. The last time I checked the time, it was about 4:00 AM, and apparently, shortly after that, I finally fell asleep. When the alarm woke me, I felt terrible. My head hurt and my body was weak and tense. At least I knew I could catch up on my sleep during the 15-hour flight to Tokyo.

The road to the airport was smooth, and after going through all pre-flight formalities, I finally settled in my seat—15C. I checked the movie library, opting for Casablanca. I’d seen the movie many times before, and hoped its leisurely pacing, gentle music, and Bogart’s calm voice would help me fall asleep—at least for a bit.

Rick Blaine still let his love leave to achieve the greater good.

I kept checking the remaining flight time on my neighbor’s screen, who dozed off to the map showing a tiny plane flying over Canada. There is always a neighbor on the flight who turns their screen to the journey map. Whatever the length of the flight, such a person can entertain themselves with just the map and dry flight statistics.

When I entered the Tokyo airport, I felt as if I had stepped onto another planet. I was pretty sure I was still on Earth; there was no doubt about that, but there were subtle differences that proved I wasn’t in New York anymore. As I followed the arrows on the spotless floors, I realized how quiet it was. There was no music in the building, not even in the cafes or shops. People around were either silent or whispering. The silence was eerie.

When the luggage started appearing on the carousel, I wasn’t surprised to see it sorted by size. First, tiny bags that could definitely have been carry-ons appeared, and every subsequent bag was slightly larger. The passengers waiting for their luggage lined up nearby, also based on their height. The tiny, old Japanese lady picked up the first bag, which was the size of a purse. Each person approached the carousel in the correct order while I stood nearby, amused by their efficiency.

After the small bags were served, the medium-sized bags followed. I am 5’9”, so my bag was medium-sized. However, after some time, the bags got bigger in size, significantly bigger than my 27” suitcase, and all the people in the line were taller than me. Did I miss my bag because I didn’t join them? I decided to wait and see if my luggage was late or served separately since I was a foreigner who apparently wasn’t aware of the local customs. But when a six-foot-six man picked up his giant suitcase, there were no more bags left on the carousel. I looked around, only to find that all the other passengers were gone.

While waiting for more luggage to appear on the carousel, I watched the TV screen showing a Japanese game show. I’d seen it before—in “Candy or not candy,” the contestants needed to guess if an object was real or made of candy. On the screen, a man was taking a bite of black oxford shoes. It was candy. Next, it was an electric shaver, just like mine. Candy again. Then the screen showed an open suitcase, from which they had been taking those candies. It was my suitcase! The man took a bite of the luggage—my black suitcase was made of dark chocolate. The man started laughing, the host was laughing, the entire audience was laughing, and staring straight into my eyes. The laughter grew louder, even after the screen had gone dark.

Artwork by Tony Tran

I awoke to a black screen in front of me. Did I really sleep for two hours? The neighbor’s screen showed “12 hr 35 min” left to our destination. The steward was rolling a cart three rows in front of me, serving food. I suddenly realized I was hungry and hadn’t eaten anything that day. I knew that I would be able to eat the delicious Japanese dishes soon enough—all the sushi, ramen, tempura, yakitori, udon, donburi, and okonomiyaki. But for now, I was ready for some airplane breakfast.

While eating the Japanese egg sandwich, I decided to put on Casablanca again, since I missed nearly the entire movie when falling asleep. I still had time to watch a bunch of other movies, but it felt good to start with the classics.

I have always been fascinated by the sight of Ingrid Bergman appearing on the screen for the first time. She looked like a fresh breeze in the morning amid the Moroccan heat. I figured I’d watch the movie on repeat until we landed in Tokyo.

The Tokyo airport was nothing like my dream. It was crowded and loud. Passengers’ conversations were interrupted by constant announcements from loudspeakers. Each store or restaurant played its own music, adding to the cacophony of airport noise.

The line at customs was long and chaotic. People seemed to cut in front of me, extending the wait even more. People started arguing and screaming in different languages I couldn’t recognize. When the officer finally stamped my passport, I went to the luggage claim section where identical black suitcases lay scattered on the floor, as if a giant toddler had thrown them from the carousel in a tantrum.

I picked the closest suitcase and rushed towards the exit, stunned by the banner above the doors.

It said: “WELCOME TO NEW YORK”

As I entered the terminal, I noticed my parents waving at me. They each held balloons—a rooster and a salmon—and chanted, “Chicken or fish?”

I opened my eyes to see the steward serving lunch to my neighbor. His screen showed “10 hr 07 min” till our destination.

I smiled at the idea of turning on Casablanca again. At least I knew I wasn’t sleeping when I had it on.

I pressed the button on the screen, but instead of the movie starting, it produced a high-pitched, repetitive tone.

When I tapped my alarm clock, it showed 8:00 AM. My black suitcase was next to the bed. Time to leave for the airport.

Sergii Pershyn is a Ukrainian-American writer. He explores reality and perception through literary fiction infused with magical realism and urban surrealism. His short works have appeared in The New York Times, Oroboro, Tint Journal, and other publications. Pershyn is currently working on his debut novel. His other work can be found on his website.

🪐 Space & Time Magazine - The Independent Variable

2026-02-26T19:59:58.000Z

Authortunities

Glad to see that “Space & Time” is sticking around.

It's a storied publication and well worth a trip to the archive. The switch to monthly keeps things fresh, though theme calls are only as interesting as the tenders who field them.

Luckily, Angela Yuriko Smith is a gem of an editor.

I've not been in this pub, but I've submitted a couple of times. No one likes a “close but no cigar” rejection. In fact, those replies are often more infuriating than form letters — think “silver medal paradox,” though the bronze winner part isn't as applicable — but Smith has, at least in my experience, offered encouragement and highlighted poems worth pitching elsewhere.

Anyway, keep an eye out for this newest incarnation of “Space & Time.”