The Singing Neighbor by Diane Payne

Most summer evenings around six, the normally quiet neighbor who meticulously mows his lawn, then returns at night with a flashlight to sweep up grass from the sidewalk, the same way he shovels snow and then is out late at night with the same flashlight, shoveling snow from the road onto his yard, now opens three porch windows, sticks his head outside the middle window, and bellows what sounds like scales in a deep bass-baritone, over and over, calling the leaves that haven’t fallen from the trees, the summer breezes blowing across the lake, the monarchs and bees at the neighbor’s flowers, the forlorn children unsure of their futures, the elderly heating up their dinner, and cats lazily listening perched in their windows.

Artist’s Statement

I don’t always enjoy the act of writing. At times, I tend to feel compelled to write more as a cathartic release. Fortunately, most times I am feeling more enthusiastic about creating something that will make others both laugh and think.

Diane’s most recent publications and forthcoming include: Best of Microfiction2022, Abandon Journal, Cutleaf, Another Chicago Magazine, Whale Road Review, Pine Hills Review, Tiny Spoon, Ellipsis, Bending Genres, New York Times, Unlikely Stories, Hot Flash Fiction, The Blue Nib, anti-heroin chic, X-ray Literary Magazine, Oyster Review, Novus, Notre Dame Review, Obra/Artiface, Reservoir, Southern Fugitives, Spry Literary Review, Watershed Review, Superstition Review, Windmill Review, Tishman Review, Whiskey Island, Quarterly, Fourth River, Lunch Ticket, Split Lip Review, The Offing, Elke: A little Journal, Punctuate, Outpost 19, McNeese Review, The Meadow, Burnt Pine, Story South, and Five to One. Her website is www.dianepayne.wordpress.com