Seattle Gymnopédie by Scott Garson art by Robinson Accola In the apartment next to mine was a single mother whose name was Natalie. She kept her television against the joint wall. I had no clue what was going on in the shows her children watched, but I carried the songs around in the rain. The positive words, light melodies. I worked as a caterer. Natalie was a stylist. She wore her hair in a pageboy, bleached white-blonde. Some nights I'd meet up with people I knew. The fray in the hems of our jeans would leave coin-sized puddles on buckled floorboards. From within our heavy mugs the bitter ale would glow like fire. Other nights I worked late. At the wheel of the catering van I'd lean to mess with the radio dial and sometimes I'd get this guy who played nothing but jazz from the 1920's. He loved that period. In time I began loving it too. The guy worked hard to recreate the events leading up to the recordings he played. He wanted his listeners to see what he saw. The wipers thumped. The turn signal tapped. I saw Natalie, in a sequined dress. All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2013 by its authors.
	Scott Garson's stories have appeared in the New Orleans Review, Juked, Puerto del Sol, Quick Fiction, elimae, FRiGG, and others. He edits a new online journal of very short fiction, Wigleaf. Read the interview. Robinson Accola creates artwork for SmokeLong Quarterly as needed.
	Issue Twenty-Four (March 18, 2009): Barista by Sarah Black «» Night Vision by Edmond Caldwell «» Star Man by Bill Cook «» Bluegills by Thomas Cooper «» Seattle Gymnopédie by Scott Garson «» One Night at Crobar by Shane Goth «» Scrapple by Tiff Holland «» What If The Dungeon Closes by Tim Jones-Yelvington «» Toes by Darby Larson «» The Hamster by Tara Laskowski «» Dirtclouds by Charles Lennox «» Moat by Ravi Mangla «» A Witnessing at the K&W Cafeteria by Heather McDonald «» Roots by Jen Michalski «» I Use Commas like Ninja Stars by Sam Nam «» Turtle Creek by Gregory Napp «» Prey by Susannah Pabot «» By Saturday, We'd Be Singing by John Riley «» At the Foot of the Mountain by Ania Vesenny «» Interviews: Sarah Black «» Edmond Caldwell «» Bill Cook «» Thomas Cooper «» Scott Garson «» Shane Goth «» Tiff Holland «» Tim Jones-Yelvington «» Darby Larson «» Tara Laskowski «» Charles Lennox «» Ravi Mangla «» Heather McDonald «» Jen Michalski «» Sam Nam «» Gregory Napp «» Susannah Pabot «» John Riley «» Ania Vesenny «» Cover Art "No. 41 - 2007" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor