Writing Samples

Short Stories by Jon Raasch


Weather in Vegas

When I would go back to New York, people would always ask me "How's the weather out there?" and I'd always say you know, it's hot but there's no humidity, so it's a lot better than the summers in New York, especially with the subway stations, you know what I'm saying. But by the second time I returned from Vegas, and people were now asking me for the second time the same first question, I got so bored of the whole affair, my response became rehearsed and I felt like a professional athlete in an interview asked the same damn question over and over again for a sound bite.

The best way I think I can describe the winter out here is sometimes I forget to bring a jacket and I whine a lot when I'm walking from my car to the casino. But outside the Palms they have these heaters, like big luxury lanterns, and its nice to stand with your back to one of these, and feel the warmth on your neck while you smoke a cigarette and look out on the contritely placed palm trees surrounding thousands of cars. Sure you could smoke inside but you like it better this way.

2006