Five Minutes explores five minutes of a life in one hundred words. Five minutes is edited by Susanna Baird, with editorial support from managing editor Maria s. picone, newsletter editor kate meen, and founding reader bobbi lerman, plus our rotating team of guest readers, who you can meet in the latest newsletteR. Five Minutes was founded in October 2020, with the Salem (Mass.)-based writing group Carrot Cake Writers supplying the journal’s first pieces. We’d love to read your five. Submit here

Inspection King

He told me to drive into the garage to a designated spot. I did, and got out. He ordered me back in. I got back in. He instructed me to get out. I did, closing the door. Wrong again. He hadn’t said to close the door. I opened it. He told me to stand on a blue mat. I did. He gave another order. I didn’t understand. He gave it again. I was still puzzled. Finally, he said, “DRIVE. IT. DOWN. TO. THE. DOOR.” I did. Another man threw a paper at me. All I saw was the word PASSED.

Bobby Jones retired from a 38-year career in medical education. He now writes poetry and creative non-fiction, while trying to make sense of the world from his home in Washington, DC.

No Leave