Horton Tarot Card

Very Bad

Jerry was indeed a handsome man, and not only that, he had whiff of rakish class about him. The devil-may-care smile, the mop of unruly but not untidy hair, the loafers and the tailor-made blazer with the funky silk lining. He was working his way through a whisky at the bar while wryly batting away …

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Horton Tarot Card

Very Good

He saw her through the crowd. How unusually attractive, he thought, alone but confident, not quite part of the scene, but detached, perhaps amused by it all. They spoke briefly. She smiled at him and they wandered outside. “What do you do?” “I am a writer.” “That is absurd but romantic nonetheless. I don’t know …

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Bad Santa Bauble

Jesus Works For A Sunbeam

Jesus was a nervous boy. He also hated Christmas, because it meant birthday. And every year was one year closer. Jesus tapped at the door. He was late. When the door swung open, the party was clearly in full swing. “Come on in! Who are you anyway? Oh, Jesus. Great outfit by the way.” His …

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Bad Santa Bauble

The Manger

She had nowhere to go. Nothing to eat but a sausage roll and several cups of weak coffee from a vending machine. To make matters worse, her leg still hurt where she’d been kicked by a bovver kid on Aggro Row. – Jill was right on the edge staring at the abyss; when she saw …

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Bad Santa Bauble

The Turkey that Burned

It was said of Reb Simcha Bunem of Pershyscha that he carried two slips of paper, one in each pocket. On one he wrote: “Bishvili nivra ha-olam: for my sake the world was created.” On the other he wrote: “V’anokhi afar v’efer: I am but dust and ashes.” Reb Simcha would take out each slip …

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Punch Cartoon No. 1

The Flooring of Henry

“I’d never bet on something like that,” said Fast Johnny adamantly. “You did.” “I didn’t.” “You did.” “This is getting childish. Anyway, I don’t remember it.” “Be that as it may, I bet you can’t reach the boundary edge before that limping, three-legged Yorkshire terrier. It’s your ball.” “Are you casting aspersions on my fitness?” …

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Punch Cartoon No. 8

Charcoal Special

If revenge is a dish best served chilled, then surely self-righteousness is a dish best not served at all. Most went deep into Mrs. Digby’s vegetable patch. Some became stuck on the roof of the Forelock Arms. And some again ended up in the greenhouse of a nearby cottage. “And I’m not giving it you …

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Punch Cartoon No. 9

The Tailender’s Scorecard

It was two o’clock in the morning; everything was going swimmingly when Henry turned around and saw Ed Valour swaying on the barstool beside him. “Could kill one of those gin slims you’re drinking only I appear to be short of a bob or two.” Henry giggled and felt in his pocket: “Ed, never you …

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Horton Tarot Card

Carte Blanche

“Sex is emotion in motion.” Mae West “Emotion is sexual motion.” Mabel Maude thinks I should understand carte blanche, since I always act as if I have it. Contrary to what dearest M thinks, however, the meaning of this expression is not what it seems. Though it is true, the characters in these stories would …

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Horton Tarot Card

Thing Thong

James’s parents both had terrible tempers. To avoid getting caught in the cross-fire, he always did everything asked of him growing up and was known for being a good little boy at school. He didn’t care about being called a goodie-two shoes, because as long as he was good, everything would be okay at home. …

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