Matthew Gallaway

A Short Play about Garden Life Starring a Buttercup and a Cat

OMG what's going on this is so amazing what is this stuff blowing around it smells so sweet OMG I'm in air and I can breathe for the first time I've never felt so good it's like I can feel it moving through me just like my parents told me like the tides going ebbing and flowing and or seasons changing from one to the next and I'm
part of the universe just like I always dreamed and there are little specks of dirt on me each one of which is a small and tender piece of the same universe and OMG what it's water, real drops of water on my leaves and my neck and is anyone here to photograph this miracle because I am new and this has got to be the best corner of the world because could anything be more beautiful and
what's that shining light is it the sun I've heard so much about the sun it makes us grow and we can't live without it for more than a few hours or days but no it's me it's me it's me my petals are bright yellow and it's like I'm a little piece of the sun and soon I'm going to open up and spread so much joy into the world and make friends with the birds and the bugs and even the worms and the rain because life is mine for once it's so good I'm treasuring every second like it's my first and my last and yet somehow each one is more precious than the next OMG OMG OMG
'Who knew that buttercups were so tasty?'

--Elektra

A Short Play about the Oscars Starring Two Cats

Dante: Are you watching the Oscars tonight?

Zephyr: No.
Dante: Have you seen any of the Oscar-nominated movies?

Zephyr: I don't know.
Dante: Do you even know what the Oscars are!?

Zephyr: No.

A Short Play about the Daily Commute Starring Nine Fish

Fish 1: Ugh, I'm going to be late for that meeting. On the other hand, who cares?

Fish 2: Why is this subway stopping here? I love how the "local" is faster than the "express."

Fish 3: Srsly, what do you think the MTA does with all of its money?

Fish 4: Could they even build a subway now?

Fish 5: I hate when they ask us to please be patient. As if we have a choice.

Fish 6: Why is that crazy person staring at me?

Fish 7: This book is so good, I hope I don't miss my stop! (Ppl who read kindles on the subway look pretty dumb, actually?)

Fish 8: Oh great, someone ranting about God. Instant headache.

Fish 9: I wish I lived in the Virgin Islands.

A Short Story about a Coral Reef and Water and Social Networking

One day the water came home and the coral reef asked how work was. "Boring as usual," said the water, "but OMG can you believe who tried to 'friend' me on Linked In?"
"OMG he did not," said the coral reef and laughed after the water told him. "That guy was the biggest asshole ever. I hated him soooo much." The coral reef smiled. "Almost as much as I h8 Linked In lol."
"Thank god it's Friday," said the water before deciding that they should go out for pizza and beer at a great new restaurant that had opened up a few blocks away on Broadway.

The Washington Heights Project: Helicopter Shots of Garden Plots

Recently my rich friend gave me a helicopter ride and we swooped down and hovered for a few seconds above the garden. It looked pretty good, although the trees are at the stage where they're all longing for the snow to be gone. (This last statement is what might be called a "psychological projection.")
As we pulled back up, the garden became smaller and maybe a little sad looking, not just on account of the end of winter, but also like it was just a lil terrarium made out of cardboard and spray paint. Hard to believe that I've spent so many hours digging around back there, not to mention talking to the trees and plants.
Life is so often about perspective, I realized, but it's not always true that stepping back is the right thing to do. Instead I looked down at the rows of houses and the dingy backs of the apartment buildings and pretended I was in London and that the year was 1898. Already I couldn't wait to get back to the garden, crawling around in the dirt on my hands and knees.

A Short Story about a Coral Reef and Bubbles

One day all these bubbles showed up and started annoying the coral reef. "I want you to die," said the coral reef. "Seriously, can't you just go away?"
Which only provoked the bubbles, so that more and more came along and were even more annoying than the first batch. "OMG I'm really h8ing u right now," thought the coral reef, but this time decided not to say anything.
After a while the bubbles got bored and left, and the coral reef felt lonely without them.

Pin Reads #2: Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry)

I forgot to mention that for our second selection of Pin Reads -- the Hairpin book club with a focus on books we forgot we loved -- Edith and I picked Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Click through for more info and if you're so inclined, pick up a copy and join in the discush.

Notes on The Metropolis Case: The Manhattan Times

Click through for a nice feature on The Metropolis Case in uptown's finest newspaper, The Manhattan Times.

--Lil bananaquit

A Short Story about a Hill and the Water

One morning a hill woke up late and was rushing around getting ready to go to work. "Shit, I can't find my cell phone," said the hill and turned toward the water. "Have you seen it?"
The water, who did not have to go in to work that day, was still in bed. "You shouldn't talk so much on your cell phone anyway," said the water. "It's bad for your brain."
"Thanks for your help," said the hill, who slammed the door and tripped on the sidewalk on the way to the subway, which made the water feel guilty the rest of the day.

A Short Story about the Sea and the Coral

One day the sea woke up on the wrong side of the bed. "You think you're sooooo smart," said the sea to the coral. "I wonder why that is?"
"Maybe because I am smart?" replied the coral. "After all, I'm a brain."
"Yeah, well, I'm smart, too," said the sea, and all the coral laughed.