Short Stories & Tall Tales by Charles D. Phillips
Charles D. Phillips was raised in Abilene, Texas and is now a public health professional living and teaching in College Station, Texas.
His short fiction has appeared in Flashshot, flashquake, HeavyGlow, Long Story Short, The Angler, Smoke Box, Static Movement, Toasted Cheese, and The Vestal Review.
His Old West short stories have appeared in The Copperfield Review, Short Barrel Fiction, and Rope and Wire.
His essays on politics and social issues have been published in Bent Magazine, Clockwise Cat, Events Weekly, and Touchstone Magazine.
KEOS 89.1FM Community Radio for the Brazos Valley regularly airs his commentaries on current events.
His short fiction has been nominated for StorySouth’s 2009 Million Writer Award, the Pushcart Prize, 2009 and for inclusion in the Best of the Web, 2009.
La Paloma Blanca
Charles D. Phillips
Matamoros, Mexico: December, 1862
One evening some months after his arrival in Mexico from Texas, Jurian Becker was seated at the table farthest from the door of his favorite place in Matamoros, La Paloma Blanca. It was a cantina that served good drinks and better food. The cantina and kitchen occupied the front of the abode building. The owner and his family lived in the rear portion.
The Hunters Story (North Texas, 1879)
Charles D. Phillips
“Captain,” the Trooper said, “we got something strange up ahead.” The Trooper, a newly-minted cavalry man assigned to the forward picket detail had reined in just late enough to send up a cloud of caliche dust that floated into the faces of his officers. Captain Grantham coughed, looking to his First Sergeant and nodding. The Sergeant touched his cap. If this wasn’t a life-and-death situation, that Trooper would spend the rest of this patrol riding at the end of a hundred-man column moving forward four abreast across the dry Texas plains.
A Prairie Song (1879)
Charles D. Phillips
The morning started out just fine. With only a two-day ride left to Buffalo Gap, Jake had found a spot last night where a wet creek pooled and created a stand of mesquite perfect for a pleasant overnight camp. He spent the next morning giving his buckskin gelding, Paco, a good rub and brushing, knocking a week of trail grit out of his coat.
The Wedding Toast (Pflugerville, Texas, 1882)
Charles D. Phillips
Almost all the community gathered in the Heldfeldt’s barn, where fresh straw covered the dirt floor and battled the smell of dried horse sweat and dung. Old Axel played the fiddle nestled in the crook of his left elbow. Reinhardt brought his battered washboard, and Big Herman played his spoons. Erhardt called the dances and sang traditional songs. After an hour, Erhardt’s dry throat and sweat-soaked shirt required a break.
Hide Town, 1876
Charles D. Phillips
Cotton Simpson and the First Sergeant chatted amicably as they walked toward La Cantina, a saloon in The Flat. The Flat was a raw town on the Texas plains situated next to Fort Griffin. Separating the troopers stationed at that post from as much of their $13 to $18 a month as possible was its sole reason for existence.
Off To War
Charles D. Phillips
When the three Texas Rangers walked into the small cantina in Matamoros just across the river from Brownsville, all three were already well on the way to drunk. Two of them were talking in the loud voices of men who think they are so important and interesting that everyone within shouting distance should feel lucky to hear what they say.
