Daily Flash Fiction

Terry walked past the sign. Then he stopped and stepped back, and read the sign again. Yep.

“Buck bucks for a buck!”

Whilst he was mid-stare a disheveled man approached, leaning on a fence post. “He will, you know.”

“Who will?”

The man waved his hand behind him. A deer stood in a paddock, calmly eating grass. It was a male – a buck.

“So you’re telling me that in exchange for a dollar this deer will…”

“Perform a sudden jerky movement.”

Terry grunted, and pulled out a dollar bill, waving it to the man.

“What are you doing that for? I don’t want it.”

“Don’t you own it?”

“Don’t be stupid, nobody owns a deer. I own the land, but the deer happens to be on it.”

“But it’s in a paddock.”

“And the gate’s open. Come on.”

He walked away and Terry walked through the gate, which he now realized was indeed open. He found himself staring at the deer, which stared back.

“It’s funny. I thought they were skittish creatures.”

“Only if they think they have something to fear.”

“I suppose I do have a kind heart.”

The man laughed “No, I doubt that’s it somehow.”

Terry frowned, feeling dimly insulted, and then held out the dollar. The deer ate it.

“Hey!”

The deer bucked backwards, and then landed back o all fours and continued eating.

“It ate my dollar!”

“Well what do you expect a deer to do with a dollar? He’s not going to go down the convenience store and pick up some groceries.”

“And all it does is buck?”

“What do you expect for a dollar? Anyway, you kids have fun, I’ve work to do.”

“You’re just going to leave me alone with the deer?”

“I’m sure you’ll be okay.

Terry grunted. “Stupid waste of money.” he held out another dollar.