small country

small country

by 

steve coel

me? i like to walk.

i like listening to places.

                              steve coel

[ interview: American Audio Prose Library, missouri, 1985 ]

2 extracts.

1]

12 months ago.

wave goodbye to the good times

                                                   ...she noticed the writing when quickly dropping from view to hide from her minder. he was busy looking for her and she didn't fancy getting beaten up again so soon after the last time.

evil man, evil temper, bad habits.

but not even street minders come in this place.

not here.

owner, seeing it all, simply placed her own drink on the table.

                                 ...watching her calmly go outside for a couple of minutes and have a quiet word with her minder, she could straight away tell who was more powerful.

she watched them shake hands, a gangsters agreement reached...

2]

tonight.

                                    ...she looked out to the empty dark street and once more at the words, by the door, written in her own language.

small country [ draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015

Arfordir Byw

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication, Birmingham

an 11.59 publication - tin collector

tin collector

by 

steve coel

tin collector: a story in four parts -

nice breakfast

free time

teamwork

heavenly session

nice breakfast

nice breakfast is about a female door person. 

a threat, last heard in prison, has been directed at her.

she needs to find out if the threat is a real one and deal with it quickly before things turn really really nasty.

extract 1.

makes a nice breakfast me

when i's got the time

keep it simple

i says

works for me every time

breakfast

pretty much

sums up the way

i approaches

most things in life

but i's still thinking

thinking hard about

where i was

made the mistake

that might just prove

to be the game changer

extract 2.

see 

time inside

can be time

well spent

for some

but first

you got to adapt

and get used to

different ways 

of doing things

and

getting things done

there is

for example

a particular noise

which you either

get used to

or

you don't

extract 3.

if you's been in

you knows

exactly

what i's been talking about

like a quiet scream

is what it sounds like

like a huge cry

for mercy

is what it really is

only mercy

don't come 

until

it's all over

free time

free time is about institutions and their quests for uniformity in everything they represent and do.

different individuals in free time stand out for many different reasons.

extract.

                                              ...so this last time in the bank, spooked i was. uniforms see, everyones in uniform, everyone. had some cash, needed an account, to open one like, but i caught someones eye. 

wrong someone.

asked to leave i was, exchanged a few words was all, honest. so i loses me cash and a bit more of my free time...

teamwork

this story is about the neighbourhoods we've either lived in, driven through or read about.

they are what they are, like anywhere; different things to different people.

extract 1.

like i says

when they leaves their mark

people learns about it

real quick like

got to

if they wants to survive

in this game

they like nice things

pretty girls

you know the story

we all know how that one goes

they's still young

keeping it all legit

is the hard part

and truth be

they got that covered

real good

has the gift

they has

is why they'll stay

top of the pile for a long time

round here at least.

extract 2.

still

someone is going to have a quiet word

straighten things out

cos theres always a someone involved

somewhere along the line

always

this ain't normal

but you tell me

what is

take that drink now i will

heavenly session

about four characters and their responses to the same threat.

extract 1.

                         ...old guy in the corner   doghead we calls him   and doghead is what he likes to be called   main reason being   he's always on about times   either had dogs   or raced them   something like that   anyways   was coming here   before i took over like   so could be different reason   anyway   always in the corner spot   always drinks steady like   for an old timer   not a problem...

extract 2.

                                                                               ...watching it all go down   not seen it this bad before   somebody's going to win   somebody always does   but if you has winners   you has losers too   just natural like   i ain't a loser.

will always win me   always...

tin collector [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication

cais archif. An 11.59 Publication

Chiselled Anthems [ part 1 ]

by 

steve coel

extract[s] 

...the discordant noise, a parody of pop consumerism played by a 

second tide of anorak clad shamblers. tantalisingly embryonic 

they are initially beguiling and ultimately quite engaging.



it's a wall of clipped chunky guitar noise singing mischievously 

of bed sit drama with a comic edge and serious interior... [ side 

1 - page 54 ]



...clearly front page glamour and risking a sense of magnetic 



sexuality her painstakingly spidery hand reveals the reflection 

of women breaching the pinking surface of a puddle with her 

stride... [ side 1 - page 56 ]



...its a corrupted eden of hot blood with tragic figures proud 



and petulant beside dribbling junkies laboriously patient as 

icebergs... [ side 4 - page page 57 ]



...voyeurs at slaughter houses creating potentially revolutionary 



development of tales of dark dislocation and resentment spilled 

into sour language... [ side 4 - page 62 ]

previously published:

chiselled anthems [ part 1 ] from mud on a plate [ 2010 ], 

steve coel. An 11.59 Publication

An 11.59 Publication

promise is a promise

promise is a promise

by

steve coel

1]

today.

doorway.

long corridor.

2]

place used to be arcade.

not now.

shops are long gone, roof caved in, steel mesh windows ripped out by scrappies, walls decorated courtesy of local youth.

no charge.

3]

nice touch that.

4]

so you could say it's quiet round this way now there's nothing left to nick.

5]

council says places like this is going to be developed.

we'll see.

6]

meantime, it's where i comes to spend my days, to finish jobs i been doing during the night.

7]

i'll have finished in about six months anyways.

8]

do what the fuck they wants then.

all of them.

9]

and if they ever finds what i been hidin' round here won't be any come back.

10]

promise is a promise.

promise is a promise [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

Arfordir Byw

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication, Birmingham

carry on waiting. An 11.59 Publication

carry on waiting

by 

steve coel.

part 1: outside Like.

story starts on the street i suppose.
my street.
outside like.
always a good place to start a story i reckons.
begins with police searching a car.
wrong car as it happens.
other footies are holding some guy against a wall while others check his jacket in doorway of the adult store.
i understands they won't find nothing.

part 2: busy day.

sunny day.
busy day.
bad atmosphere.
looks passed between people trying hard not to know each other, failing badly it would seem.
should do better.
so what's the story then.
bit of back story always useful right?

part 3: early for some.

morning.
early for some.
late for others.
someone, it seems, is clearly not quite making it through the day, is getting desperate and is needing some action pretty quick.
like right away is about what it's about.
so.
quick snatch job is all.
bad call is what it is.
being watched see.
being watched quite closely as it happens. 
decision time.
do i?
let it go and carry on waiting.
or move in...blow cover?
luckily for all involved uniformed footie steps in.
very lucky.

part 4: laugh that.

footies seen everything, and nothing, as usual.
bit of a chase.
laugh that.
likes a good chase. 
who doesn't?
security joined in too.
laugh that too.
twats they are for joining in though cos peoples quick round here when opportunity arises.
so it is.
quick in and out, even though they knows cameras sees them all.
and they knows security'll speak to them later.
poor bastards.
but hey, what you going to do?
i'll have word with them prior like, it's what i do, my job.
like i told you, my street.
so that's the back story.
reckons you knows the rest...

carry on waiting [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication