When buying the leather sample bag, he made doubly sure it was large enough to hold every one of his smiles. Clicking the twin clasps shut and twirling the miniature combination locks he imagined capturing every last one within the plush interior.
The woman behind the counter advised him that the bag had a twenty-four month guarantee covering stitching and handles.
‘I’ll keep my receipt,’ he said, a polite smile finding its way to his lips. He made a mental note to place that one deep inside the bag’s lowest pockets when he got home.
Walking out of the shop, he imagined being already home, a glass of wine on the coffee table, placing his smiles, one by one, inside the soft lining of the leather sample bag. A grin of pleasure played across his lips. He would be sure to save that one for last.
Dan Powell 
13 Responses to Smile – #fridayflash
Reading this was a pure delight.
I’m not sure if I find this creepy or warming!
The trick with the receipt/polite smile is very clever 🙂
(and polite smiles are truly hideous!)
He reminds me of yours truly when I return from shopping and spread everything out to admire.
Polite smiles serve their purposes.
Lovely story. And my smile is a big grin!
Creepy or sweet? I’d have to go with creepy.
Very creepy.
What a fun read. 🙂 Made me smile.
I think I’m with Tony on this one. Creepy indeed. Great piece as usual.
~chris
imaginative and a bit out there..i’m smiling now though this one doesn’t come from a bag..
Left me with lots of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Like goosebumps marching on velvet. Loved it.
Hope the kiddos are better… Peace, Linda
Thanks for the kind words. This one came from an image I had sitting in my notebook for a while, of a man carrying a sample bag of smiles. I think it might have legs for a longer piece, but I like the slightly creepy feel of this ambiguous version.
@Linda, the kids are much better know, but I am typing this tucked up in bed on Saturday morning, full of flu and general exhaustion. Staying up all night for consecutive nights playing nursemaid to a two year old takes its toll.
I liked it and didn’t think it was creepy at all but I DO enjoy that the idea of a bag full of smiles came from a fevered brain.
I only have two smiles..big and bigger…guess I could use a smallish bag….
Karen :0)
FEEL BETTER !!!!!
So sorry to hear that your kids were sick, and that you still are. Hope everyone is back to normal soon.
This piece made me smile, but also left me scratching my head.
~jon
Neat little read. It made me smile!
I dare not smile lest it be taken and placed in a bag with a lock! Hope you’re on the mend.
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