These pieces were written for the Six Sentence Challenge, with the prompt word of ‘path’.
Path-ology
(Acknowledgement – I am indebted to Perambulation T. Biped, Professor of Path-ology at Forkintheroad University, for providing the following definitions and clarifications for new students of this discipline.)
Psycho-path – Walking trail to the Bates Motel – not to be confused with cycle path, the home of MAMMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra)
Path-OS – A very wide path
Patho-logical – Addicted to the shortest distance between two points (not to be confused with path-illogical, the propensity to wander around aimlessly carrying a water bottle)
Naturo-path – Trail used by nudists
Homeo-path – Navigation system used by pigeons
Sidewalk – mythological (US) means of progressing along a footpath while remaining horizontal
Spike’s final resting place
As Phoebe drove home with her husband, Spike, strapped into the passenger seat, she decided it was time for some home truths.
‘Spike, in all our married years, never once did you praise anything I did or nourish me when it mattered. Far from putting me on a pedestal, you never missed an opportunity to put down my ‘stupidity’.’
Silence.
Phoebe arrived home, unstrapped Spike’s urn and removed the lid. She emptied his ashes into the instant-mix concrete slurry and completed her path to the front gate.
‘You can look up to me now, Spike. Every day.’
PLUS – Shameless plug for my new short fiction collection ‘On the verge of extinction’ just published on Amazon (digital and print versions available). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7L4JYJY
Six Crooked Highways 
Doug…the reason I enjoyed so much these two pieces is beyond empathy.
Well, it could be much worse for Spike; he will be stepped on but he will have a nice view 😉
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Thanks, Spira. And yes, Spike will have a fixed smile 😉
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Ha. Loved both pieces. Very clever.
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Many thanks, Judy.
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Great stuff as always Doug, liked the sidewalk one particularly.
Nobody can call Phoebe downtrodden any more. Quite the reverse.
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Many thanks, Obb. Always deeply appreciated.
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Path-etic Spike got what he deserved!
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You’ve out-punned me, Keith. 🙂
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lol*
*both the glossary and the apocrypha
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Many thanks, clark.
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I especially liked the “Patho-logical” addiction.
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Thanks, Frank.
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Excellent pieces, both, Doug. The definitions are cleverly punny, as well as very funny.
And let’s hear it for Phoebe – she who laughs last… I was relieved to see that Spike was in an urn. Mind you, I was also quite enjoying the idea that his body was actually strapped into the seat! 😉
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Thanks, Jenne. Phoebe just wanted to make sure Spike didn’t spill his guts before she got him home. 🙂
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Hey! I went to Forkintheroad University!
Spike is finally supporting his wife!. Better late than forever?! 😆
(clearly I suck at the funny pun stuff, lol)
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Not at all. Loved it. 🙂
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Funny as ever, Doug.
I particularly liked homeo-path!
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Thanks, ceayr. Always a pleasure when a pun lands. 🙂
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