South Florida's Flash Fiction Contest

The Miami Herald had this contest and I didn't even rate, proving once again that I need to work for the things I want rather than hastily pushing something together and hoping it works.

On the bright side, the Grand Prize Winner is really, really good:

NAME: Roxanna Elden
TITLE: Bright Blue Day (Fiction)
Some days in Florida are so bright the world looks like a flashback scene in a movie. Everything gets bleached this shimmery, champagne color, and people are so busy squinting out the extra light that some of the important stuff gets blocked out, too.

I met Rey on a day like that.

All I could look at were his hands. The veins on them popped out in a way that reminded me of worms. I couldn't decide if it grossed me out or turned me on - but I think that's how I work. I get used to men's most obvious flaws. Then I focus on the little things until it drives me crazy. Rey's most obvious flaw was that he was nearly twice my age. And married. His hands really bothered me, though. But if he was reaching up for some reason - like if he was getting a beer out of the freezer, they just looked kind of strong.

It was a moment like that when I realized I wanted him to be mine. It was the day after our first night in his truck, which I felt bad about, but saying no to Rey kind of scared me. He dropped me off, and said, "Princess, I'd walk you to the door, but we both know your daddy would kill me. Why don't you come by and see me tomorrow, if you're around."

I spent the day figuring out how to walk the mile and a half to his house and still pretend I was just in the neighborhood. When I got there, he was pushing a wire hanger through the top of his garage door, and it hit me, like the harsh white light of the Florida sun: This is a man who can fix things. He can fix my life.

It's easier to lose to something better than you offered.