Littleman: Short Story

by Tish Cohen

In “Littleman” by Tish Cohen, the eponymous Littleman, having completed his daily errands on a snowy Sunday afternoon in Toronto, is prevented from returning to his attic apartment by a particularly menacing mound of snow. But for his ankle-high galoshes, the aging poet could scrabble over the embankment. As it is, he faces wetting his ankles and very possibly catching a chill. Vexing, indeed—how is a person to work on his poem if he is shivering to near-certain death? Of course, there was that sensible pair of snowmobile boots back at the widow Macintosh’s weekly garage sale. Ms. Macintosh, she calls herself now, parading about with her pert new haircut. Her smiles could make a man blush so deeply he’s barely able to make a decision! However. The boots did come clear up to his knees. And he does need proper seasonal attire. Lately, his poetry tends to leave him cold and uninspired, and with the recent snowfall, his apartment seems farther away than usual. Yes, perhaps he should go back and get those snowmobile boots.

22 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2014

About the author

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
Anais Nin quote from Oprah's website inspired Tish Cohen to write her first adult novel.

Tish Cohen is the author of TOWN HOUSE, a 2008 finalist for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize – Best First Book Award (Canada and Caribbean region), and in development as a feature film with Fox 2000. Ridley Scott’s Scott Free is producing and John Carney, the award-winning, critically acclaimed director of ONCE is directing. TOWN HOUSE was released to massive media interest in Canada and has been published in Italy and will soon be released in Germany.

Cohen has also written the middle-grade novels THE INVISIBLE RULES OF ZOE LAMA, and its sequel THE ONE AND ONLY ZOE LAMA

Cohen has contributed articles to some of Canada’s largest newspapers, including The Globe and Mail and The National Post. Having grown up in Los Angeles, Orange County and Montreal, Cohen now calls Toronto home. INSIDE OUT GIRL is Cohen’s second novel for adults.