No More Cigarettes

Vince Bunnyman misses Cigarettes.
He’d first gotten Cigarettes when she was a kitten.
Just 6 weeks old.
She was named Cigarettes because his partner, Celia, had left the house on her daily outing to the shops to buy cigarettes, but instead, came back with a kitten.
Along the way she’d passed a newly opened pet shop and couldn’t help but notice Cigarettes in the window.
Cigarettes was alone.
Cigarettes was the last of her litter.
The runt.
The outcast.
Forlorn, adorable and mischievously playful all within the few brief moments that Celia spent looking at her through the glass window.
Cigarettes was a constant source of joy for both Vince and Celia.
She would swat their empty packets of Peter Jackson’s along the hardwood floors of their house for hours.
With its grey packaging, it was the closest thing she had to a mouse.
Cigarettes knew when the last of the packet was being lit.
She would stare Vince down with built up anticipation whilst he took his first draw and then, without looking, throw the packet to the far side of the room.
Cigarettes would then give chase, pouncing on the defenceless packaging like the most ferocious of her feline ancestors.
When Celia made her and Vince’s favourite meal, Nachos, Cigarettes would do whatever it took to get a delicious mouthful of her homemade Guacamole.
Eventually they set aside a small bowl especially for Cigarettes to enjoy whilst they ate their meal.
It was the only way they could eat in peace.
During the warmer months, in the fading sunlight, Vince would sit outside in their small courtyard with Cigarettes and glass of his favourite Shiraz.
A welcome ritual after a long day at work.
In winter he would sip on a cup of Earl Grey in front of the heater with Cigarettes curled up on his lap.
Peaceful time.
Reflection time.
Vince and Cigarettes time.
Cigarettes died two weeks ago.
The Vet said that it was lung cancer.
Passive smoking.
Vince and Celia have not smoked since.
They will always miss Cigarettes.

Ready

Vince Bunnyman opens the front door of his three bedroom house in outer suburbia, ready for a new day.
His two children rush past him with their school bags slung over their shoulders.
Wendy is out first, followed closely by Kyle, both vying for the privilege of sitting in the front seat of the family’s newly purchased 4WD.
Vince kisses his wife goodbye.
A peck on the cheek.
Their daily physical contact.
Vince forces a lopsided smile and turns to join his children.
Dressed in his favourite suit, his briefcase feels lighter than usual as he reaches into his pocket to retrieve his car keys.
Wendy tries to catch her breath as she stands with her hand securely on the door handle to the front passenger seat of the 4WD.
Beep-Beep!
She pokes her tongue out at her brother as she opens the door and pulls herself inside the unnecessarily large vehicle.
Disappointed in losing to his older sister, Kyle opens the back door and reluctantly throws his school bag on the back seat, muttering inaudibly as he does so.
Vince tells his children to say goodbye to their mother.
Bye Mum.
Car doors slam simultaneously.
Keys?
You’re holding them Dad.
Right.
The car springs to life and pulls away from the curb, away from the family home.
Kyle reminds his father that they’re picking up Kelly today.
Wendy taunts her brother as only a sister can.
Ooooh.
Lovers.
Kyle scowls in retaliation.
Shut up.
Make me.
Kyle dismisses Wendy with a disapproving shake of his head.
Kyle and Kelly sitting in a tree. K, I, double S, I, N, G.
Dad!
Vince attempts to quash the dispute by saying his daughter’s name in a stern, sharp voice.
First comes love. Then comes marriage.
Dad!
Vince calls his daughter’s name again, this time with more authority.
Then comes Kyle with a baby’s carriage.
DAD!
WENDY!
LEFT!
Vince impulsively springs into action and makes a sudden left turn into Kelly’s street.
Lovers.
Vince brings the car to an abrupt halt outside Kelly’s house and instantly shoots a disappointing look at his daughter.
She turns sharply to face the front of the car as the back door opens and Kelly steps inside.
Morning everyone.
Kyle instinctively smiles.
Hi Kelly.
Hi Kyle.
Vince wastes little time and steers the car away from Kelly’s house.
With a full car, the remaining car trip is comparatively quiet.
Wendy barely moves, occasionally glancing up at her father.
Kyle and Kelly exchange sheepish glimpses in the back seat.
Pulling up to the front of the school, Vince turns off the car's engine.
Kyle and Kelly hastily jump out of the car and run towards the school building, both calling out goodbyes as they do.
Wendy however, steps halfway out of the car and pauses.
Bye Dad.
Silence.
Vince stares blankly into his steering wheel.
Bye Dad.
Silence.
DAD?
Dad, I have to go now.
What?
Vince turns to his daughter.
I have to go.
Vince smiles at his daughter.
Of course Sweetheart, have a good day.
Wendy returns the smile.
Thanks Dad. You too.
Vince half-heartedly waves to his daughter but she’s already gone and thinking of nothing but her impending school day.
Love you kids.
Vince watches Wendy until she disappears in a sea of school uniforms and then turns back to his steering wheel.
Its black vinyl shines in the morning light as Vince absentmindedly runs his hand over it in an almost caressing manner.
BEEP!
Vince is shocked back to reality by the impatient parent waiting in the car behind him.
He waves a meaningless apology, starts the engine and navigates his 4WD away from the school.
Away from his children.
As he drives, the road seems unusually unoccupied.
Bare.
Empty.
Vacant.
Concentrate.
Left turn.
Right turn.
Left turn.
Within minutes he is back in front of his family home.
The engine of the 4WD falls silent.
Collecting his briefcase, Vince exits the car and stands on the footpath in front of his house.
Inhaling deeply, he moves purposely towards the front door.
Ready.

Know Your Bunnyman Part No. 3

Vince Bunnyman is easily dist

Without A Lunch Box

Vince Bunnyman is without his lunch box.
It was taken from him in the 3rd grade.
It was a good lunch box too.
It was green with a picture of Raphael from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the front.
Raphael was Vince’s favourite.
At least half of his 3rd grade class had, at one time or another, referred to the lunch box as “radical”.
Even his teacher, Miss Murray, thought it was “radical”.
She told him once whilst the class were out having lunch on the school oval.
The one person who thought it was more “radical” than anyone else though was Luke Perry.
Not the brilliant actor Luke Perry.
No.
This Luke Perry was short, chubby and smelt like nail polish.
Luke Perry had admired the lunch box ever since Vince brought it to school on their first day of the 3rd grade.
They soon became friends.
Especially at lunchtime.
Luke Perry constantly asked Vince where he had gotten the lunch box and once even offered him a straight trade for his Garfield lunch box.
Vince had received the lunch box from his Mum’s friend Pam for Christmas and there was no way he was trading it for a Garfield lunch box.
That was an insult.
Besides, everyone knew that Luke Perry’s favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle was Michelangelo, so it was odd for him to have such a fascination with it.
Occasionally Luke Perry would ask Vince if he would like to swap lunches.
Luke Perry’s Chicken and Mayonnaise on White Bread, in exchange for Vince’s Peanut Butter on Brown Bread.
It was an easy decision for Vince. He hated Peanut Butter.
But every time Luke Perry would attempt to take Vince’s whole lunch box instead of just the sandwich. Like it was an unspoken understanding that the lunch box was part of the sandwich trade.
It was not.
Every time the deal was deemed null and Vince would be stuck with his Peanut Butter on Brown Bread.
One lunchtime though, his lunch box was no longer there.
It should have been in his school bag where it always was.
He knew 100% that he hadn’t forgotten it. And even if he had, his Mum would have dropped it off at the Principal’s Office and an announcement would have been made over the PA.
No, his lunch box had been taken.
Taken without his permission.
Taken straight out of his bag.
Taken without him even knowing.
The one and only suspect was more than obvious.
Luke Perry.
Vince stormed back into his class room, ready to confront Luke Perry and regain what was rightfully his.
But Luke Perry was nowhere to be seen.
Luke Perry had gone.
Miss Murray said that Luke Perry’s father had collected him just before lunchtime for a family vacation.
Luke Perry never returned from his family vacation.
Vince never saw or heard from Luke Perry or his beloved lunch box ever again.
Sometimes, whilst eating his lunch, Vince pictures Luke Perry sitting on a sun-drenched beach with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lunch box sitting by his side, enjoying Chicken and Mayonnaise on White Bread.
Vince thinks they would both be quite happy.