Unserious postmodern paintings.

The ocelot arrived precisely at eleven-thirty, which he considered fashionably late. He adjusted his waistcoat and checked his watch, noting that the…

Reginald had mastered the art of aggressive politeness. He stood by the door, clipboard ready, offering each visitor a smile that never…

The bird had been waiting for forty-three minutes. It had taken a number, though it did not know what the number was…

Arthur waited for the dickcissel to finish its sentence. The bird had spent twenty minutes explaining its childhood in the tallgrass prairie,…

The fulmar believed the ceiling would hold. It had read the reports on load-bearing capacity and found them encouraging. Every morning it…

Arthur the pigeon had been dead for three years, though he remained committed to his daily routine of judging the neighbor's cat…

Gerald had spent three hours preparing for the arrival of the landlord. He wore his best beige tie and practiced a neutral…

The woodlark had spent three years waiting for something radiant to happen. It had read the brochures and believed the hype, but…

Arthur bought the linnet because it matched the wallpaper exactly. He spent his afternoons watching it sit motionless on the brass perch,…

The zebra arrived at 2:00 PM for an appointment it had forgotten. It sat on the plastic chair until the cardigan became…

The shark had spent forty years in the ocean and found the pace exhausting. He moved into a bungalow near the coast…

The caribou arrived on a Tuesday with a briefcase and a signed lease. No one questioned the change in leadership. Every morning,…