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

Simple Sweet Kiss

It was a warm and cloudless Saturday night. Home chatting with people on social media. Started talking to one of my neighbors. She lived directly across the street. We were chatting pleasantly, a little flirty. I sent the message, “Why don’t we continue this chat in person? It’s a nice night. We could kiss a little.” She said sure. We sat on the steps of her front porch. We continued talking. She eventually said, “Do you remember why you came over?” I said yes. We kissed. No more became of the moment. We remain friends. I think of her often.

Ken Bolio is a lifelong Vermonter, outdoorsman, and foodie.

The Girl

7th and Oak