Three Minute Fiction

Three Minute Fiction

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Gossip Tree
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

The Gossip Tree

And trees say much more than we think...

David W. Miller's avatar
David W. Miller
Apr 10, 2023
1

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Gossip Tree
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Minutes before sunset, Ameena held her grandfather’s hand and walked passed a tall and leafless oak tree in the center of an empty parking lot. It was the only tree in the lot of nearly 80 parking spaces. The black birds in the tree were busy tweeting away.

“Grandpa, what are they saying?” the five-year-old asked.

“I don’t know, but there sure are a lot of them, aren’t there? Wanna help me count them?” he asked as he squatted down beside her.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll count that side of the tree and you count the other.”

“I like that.”

The grandfather scanned the right side of the tree and estimated 18 or 20 birds. He listened as his granddaughter pointed and counted. Just by eyeballing it, the number of birds on her side was similar to his side’s count.

Ameena got up to twelve and got stuck.

“What are they saying, Grandpa?”

“Oh, I couldn’t tell you, Ameena. I don’t speak blackbird, but they are saying something, aren’t they?”

“I think they’re gossiping.”

“Really? About what?” he asked.

“Oh, probably about their husbands coming home late all the time and never having time for them.”

Grandpa chuckled and said, “What else?”

“I dunno. Or maybe they weren’t sharing worms nicely and they’re arguing. Does it sound like they’re arguing, Grandpa?”

“They’re still going at it, aren’t they?”

“Do they do this every night?”

“I’ve never seen them gathered like this and chattering. They probably do get together every night just as the sun goes down.”

Ameena thought about his words. “Ahh, the sun’s going down. That’s it. Probably just thanking God for the end of a perfect day. Now they can go to bed and wake up bright and early to get their worms.”

“Ameena, that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

*******


Subscribe to Three Minute Fiction

By David W. Miller · Launched 3 years ago
Get clean short stories delivered to your inbox. Daily
David W. Miller's avatar
1 Like
1

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Gossip Tree
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
The Gift of Ice Cream
It probably wasn't about the ice cream.
Oct 19, 2022 • 
David W. Miller
6

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Gift of Ice Cream
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
5
The Alligator
Short Story Day 19 of 365
Jan 19, 2022 • 
David W. Miller
5

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Alligator
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
1
The Hammocks
Another day in the life....
Jan 21, 2023 • 
David W. Miller
5

Share this post

Three Minute Fiction
Three Minute Fiction
The Hammocks
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
4

Ready for more?

© 2025 David W. Miller
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.