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

Popcorn

Sam needed a ride home after band practice. He made popcorn then took all his clothes off and started egging me on to do the same. I shook my head, but he wouldn’t stop asking so I took off my pants. He moved next to me and snapped the elastic of my Fruit of the Looms. I put my pants back on. I didn’t want to sit around naked eating popcorn with him watching Kojak and have to see him in band on Monday. As I was leaving, Sam said, "Come back tomorrow. I can show you my tropical fish."

Jeff Harvey lives in San Diego and grows avocados and lemons.

Stolen Glances

Cherry Truck