Stories - Daniel Bourke

Daniel Bourke

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Stories

A collection of 46 posts

A glass vase of garlic flowers on a wooden table with a grey wooden fence in the background

The subtle shade of the clouds

Garlic takes six to seven months to grow. I’m still working it out. I planted my garlic too late. Not the farm garlic though. They’ve had practice. Over a thousand bulbs this year, maybe more. Tens of thousands of cloves. Garlic is the biggest harvest of the year.

Water colour painting of two birds sitting on a fallen log between two banks.

Trick plays make headlines

Tempting to do the big. Tempting to do the thing no one’s ever done. The trick. Like the old man on the hill. Yelling, kicking, showing off, swinging. Look look look! Get the process right and the rest will follow! That’s the real trick. Process over time. Try

Empty chairs in a classroom

The Third Monday

Thirteen inches of steel went through his chest. One inch for every year since his birth.

Man sitting at a table alone with coloured chairs around the room and bright lights on every table

Table 14

person walking tight rope between buildings

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 7

Charlie walks the tightrope between head and heart. Between one path and another.

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 6

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 6

Charlie goes to a project downtown. Meets the security guard downstairs, gets the tag, goes up.

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 5

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 5

Charlie writes a letter to Pauly. Tells a story about what he's learned from his secret project.

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 4

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 4

Charlie tests his secret project. Comes away with ideas. Goes for a walk.

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 3

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 3

Charlie goes into the office. Runs into Sarah out the front. Works on his secret project.

laptop on desk with writing notepad next to it candle burning to create light against wall, flamingo poster on wall

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 2

Charlie comes home to a messy desk. Sits down to write. Thinks of Sarah.

writing on Post It notes: 1. I've died twice and 2. I'm a...

Charlie Walks: A Novel Chapter 1

Charlie starts a new job. Meets Sarah. And tells her what he hasn't told anyone yet.

The girl with the C R E A T E tattoo

The girl with the C R E A T E tattoo

You’ve been here before haven’t you? Yes I have. Black this time. All black. Shoes, stockings or socks I can’t tell to the knees, black skirt above the knees, black sleeveless top. It sucks me in like a black hole. I tell her. I like your style.

Like Wonder with an S

Like Wonder with an S

I went on date with a girl studying to be a paramedic. She told me of a lesson she'd learned recently. Sometimes the patients we go to don't need an ambulance. When I first started, I wondered why they called. I mean, we could've gone to a patient who really

Let’s be friends

Let’s be friends

It didn’t start out like that. Within a few messages she said my panties have dropped for you bb. Which I remember because of the lack of vowels in the word baby. It came after I told her I read books. The thought of a girl who’s interested

Excuse me, but I think you're beautiful

Excuse me, but I think you're beautiful

My son. Oh, incredible morning. I mean, it was already going to be an incredible morning, but today especially so. You know why? Because I asked Edwina out and you know how I knew her name? Well, cause I asked for it. Let me give you the backstory. So me

The curse of the modern individual

The curse of the modern individual

Today my first client died. But not before he taught me a valuable lesson. The street was flooding like my mind whilst I was listening in. It’d been raining all week. You see I’d gotten lucky. How I stumbled upon this client I’ll never know. Those are

My Uber driver gave me a new perspective on Iran

My Uber driver gave me a new perspective on Iran

Don't let the bad at the top hide the good underneath.

The story in everything

The story in everything

Everyone you meet has a story to tell. Behind everything you buy is a series of tales all coming together. Every day you wake up you’re creating your own. You get to decide where the plot goes. Sure there will be surprises along the way, things you didn’t

The lady who leaves the flowers

The lady who leaves the flowers

I visit the local cafe most days. Every so often, there are groups of flowers on the tables. It brings the whole place alive. What’s usually a group of brown wooden tables gets a splash of colour, fragrance, nature. One day I was sitting, writing, sipping, likely drawing subconscious

Life and Living

Over too soon

You never know when it’s going to happen. Justin told me about his parents going for a walk down the street. They’d done the walk hundreds, thousands of times over the years. It was their nightly ritual. A short stroll down through the village before bed. Except this

Inspiration close to home

Inspiration close to home

Ran into Jack today. He’s a couple of years younger than me. And he’s getting after it. He told me what he’s working on. Trying to combine his love for cars and business to make a living. He’s not there yet though. But he told me

I think you just like the challenge

I think you just like the challenge

She was right. We’d been texting back and forth. We’d never work out, I said, we’re too stubborn, too uncompromising. It started when I asked her how her night went. You mean the one 6-months ago? I hand’t replied in 6-months. Yeah. It’s amazing how

The man on the boat

The man on the boat

The sun was setting and it was one of those ones where it’s so beautiful it’d be rude to look away. I was walking along the beach saying to myself I’ll keep walking until it sets and then I’ll turn around. Out on the water was

Curious about the world

Curious about the world

Jack’s here. He’s 10. He reminds me of me. Hanging around with the older people, asking them questions, seeing how things are done. I’m a few years older now but I still remember what it was like when I was 10. I know how Jack feels. You’

What would the jellyfish think?

What would the jellyfish think?

“Does she think I’m fat?” “What’s he doing?” “I can’t believe he said that.” “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” “He’s not doing that is he?” “Why aren’t I getting the attention they are?” And more things like this. There’s a