{"id":1046,"date":"2018-10-13T11:49:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-13T11:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/?p=1046"},"modified":"2024-08-23T18:55:21","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T18:55:21","slug":"reckless-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/reckless-behavior\/","title":{"rendered":"Reckless Behavior"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<aside class=\"other-formats\">Other formats: <a title=\"Reckless Behavior (PDF)\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/ebooks\/en\/pdf\/reckless-behavior.pdf\">PDF<\/a> | <a title=\"G\u00e1leysisleg heg\u00f0un (\u00edslenska)\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/is\/galeysisleg-hegdun\/\">\u00edslenska<\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=1024%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Reckless Behavior \u2014 Illustration by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson\" class=\"wp-image-2114\" style=\"width:256px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=900%2C900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Illustration by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo&#8230; I&#8217;m boring&#8230; too predictable&#8230; too prudent&#8230; too&#8230;\u201d Murray shouted after Lynn as she slammed the door behind her and left the house. \u201cI&#8217;ll show you recklessness&#8230; spontaneity&#8230; I&#8217;ll show you&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murray was angry\u2014really angry. He and Lynn had been arguing once again\u2014if their interaction could be called an argument, that is. The whole episode was more like a one-sided rant from Lynn about how bored she was living with him\u2014how fed-up she was of his pragmatic and systematic approach to life. She said she needed someone who was more daring\u2014someone more spontaneous\u2014someone more human. That&#8217;s what she had said. She wanted to be with someone more human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murray felt the tension build up in his body. He felt the urge to do something wild\u2014let everything loose. He strode from one room to the other, thinking about what he could do. He looked about himself, seeking an object on which he could focus his anger\u2014object onto which he could release the tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the bathroom Murray spotted the toothpaste tube and crazy ideas started to form in his head. You can do it, he convinced himself. You are not as boring as Lynn says. You can be rash. You can be daring. Yes, you can. Murray grabbed the toothpaste tube from the bathroom shelf and squeezed it in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSee!\u201d Murray shouted at the void Lynn had left in the apartment when she ran out. \u201cSee what I can do&#8230; I can be laid-back&#8230; I can be impetuous&#8230; Not everything needs to be optimized.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murray put the toothpaste tube back onto the shelf, sat down on the toilet seat and tears started flowing down his cheeks. At first, he felt relieved. Then, he felt exhausted. He felt the tension in his body gradually subside and he started to calm down. He sat for a minute or two staring at the bathroom floor, before looking again up at the toothpaste tube where it sat on its shelf. This wasn&#8217;t right. What kind of a man had he become? This wasn&#8217;t the life he wanted to lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murray stood up, walked over to the shelf and squeezed the toothpaste tube from the top to bottom\u2014like one should do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group book-ad has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#000000;background-color:#65aab1\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Among Other Things \u2014 Book cover Ana Pi\u00f1eyro\" class=\"wp-image-2143 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=1365%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1365w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=900%2C1350&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?resize=500%2C750&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/among-other-things.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Among Other Things<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This piece of flash fiction appeared in the flash fiction collection Among Other Things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you enjoyed the story, we encourage you to support the publication by buying a copy of the book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Among Other Things<\/em> is available as paperbacks from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Among-Other-Things-B%C3%B6rkur-Sigurbj%C3%B6rnsson\/dp\/993594669X\/\">Amazon<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/among-other-things-b-rkur-sigurbj-rnsson\/1146128813\">Barnes and Noble<\/a> and e-books from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Among-Other-Things-B%C3%B6rkur-Sigurbj%C3%B6rnsson-ebook\/dp\/B0DC4VDQZC\/\">Kindle Store<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/books.apple.com\/us\/book\/among-other-things\/id6636554661\">Apple Books<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/among-other-things-1\">Kobo<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storytel.com\/in\/books\/among-other-things-9136592\">Storytel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also support the author through <a href=\"https:\/\/patreon.com\/UrbanVolcano\">Patreon<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/buymeacoffee.com\/borkur\">Buy Me a Coffee<\/a> or by rating the book on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/217146264-among-other-things\"> Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/among-other-things\/\" style=\"border-radius:50px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#000000\">book details<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A flash fiction by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson. Murray and Lynn are having relationship problems and Murray finds himself needing to take some desperate measures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28],"tags":[56,71],"class_list":["post-1046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flash-fiction","tag-protest","tag-quirky-characters","col-md-6 col-sm-6"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/reckless-behavior.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1046"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2180,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1046\/revisions\/2180"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}