Wandering Shop Stories 57

Prompt Word: Turn Minervie and Chip 45 As Minervie and Gungan were discussing the evening arrangements on the Birburrum train platform, someone called out, “Minnie! You’re here!” Minervie turned, “Edna! This is Gungan.” Gungan, on the other hand hadn’t turned at all, he was bracing himself for the stiff smile of a disapproving colonist. He took a deep breath and turned. What he saw was a native faced woman walking towards them....

4 Jan 2026 · 1 min · Gary Allen Vollink

Wandering Shop Stories 56

Prompt Words: Regard / Draw Minervie and Chip 44 Gungan was mostly just staring out the window of Minervie’s private cabin, while Minervie was flipping through the newspaper. “I find it hard to believe how much of the paper is dedicated to horse racing,” Minervie commented. He regarded her nonchalance, and wasn’t sure to be thankful for the change of subject. “Them colonists have been horse racing since before they started trying to kill us all,” then he looked down on the bruises visible across his own arms....

3 Jan 2026 · 2 min · Gary Allen Vollink

Wandering Shop Stories 55

Prompt Word: Champagne Minervie and Chip 43 Gungan was still not talking clearly, but he didn’t have to avoid using his lips now, “I passed their English dictation test. They won’t let us be a citizen, they won’t let us vote, but by passing their White Australian test, my mother and then I were allowed to stay in the city where I was born. Now, even that is being stolen from me....

1 Jan 2026 · 2 min · Gary Allen Vollink

Wandering Shop Stories 54

Prompt Word: Drink Minervie and Chip 42 Minervie rolled Gungan out of the Casualty Department, making sure to grab the clipboard with his information. “I assure you, though your bruises hurt, you are fully healed and able to walk,” she said, encouraging Gungan to stand from the gurney he’d been on for the last few hours. She stuffed the paper related to Gungan into her bag, stripped the sheets and kept those, too, and left the clipboard on the mattress....

31 Dec 2025 · 2 min · Gary Allen Vollink