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A collection of short stories for your reading enjoyment
Currently 12,517 short tales
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The Argott King: A Tale of Criminal Obsession
Once upon a time, in the bustling streets of the City, there was a young hoodlum named Romeo. He was known for his quick wit and sharp tongue, able to outsmart even the most seasoned of scoundrels. But little did anyone know, Romeo had a secret: he was obsessed with the argot of the underworld.
Every night, after slinging hash at the local greasy spoon, Romeo would slip into his favorite dive bar to listen to the streetwise tales of the patrons. He was particularly fascinated by the argot they used, a specialized language that only the most hardened criminals knew.
One evening, as he sat nursing a whiskey, Romeo overheard a particularly juicy tale from a grizzled old thief. The man spoke in a quick, clipped manner, using words and phrases that Romeo had never heard before. He was captivated by the way the man's voice seemed to weave a magic spell around him, making him feel like he was part of the criminal underworld himself.
From that night on, Romeo became obsessed with learning the argot of the underworld. He spent every spare moment listening to the stories of the patrons at the dive bar, and practicing their language in front of the mirror. He even started using slang terms like "chew" (money) and "the drop" (a criminal hideout).
But Romeo's newfound love for argot came with a price. His boss at the greasy spoon, a gruff old man named Louie, caught him speaking in the language of the underworld one day. Louie was not amused, and threatened to fire Romeo on the spot.
Romeo was devastated, but he knew he had no choice but to continue practicing his argot in secret. He started sneaking into the dive bar during his lunch breaks, hiding behind a crate of eggs to eavesdrop on the patrons' tales.
As the weeks went by, Romeo became more and more skilled at using the argot of the underworld. He could rattle off slang terms like a pro, and even started using them in his everyday speech. But he knew he had to be careful, or else Louie would discover his secret.
One night, as Romeo was leaving work, he bumped into a group of rough-looking characters on the street. They looked him up and down, sizing him up like a potential mark. Romeo's heart raced as they approached him, but he kept his cool, using his argot to deflect their questions.
"What's the haps, boss?" one of them asked.
Romeo grinned mischievously and replied, "Just livin' the dream, my man. Chewin' on some hash and sippin' on a whiskey. What about youse?"
The men looked at each other, impressed by Romeo's quick thinking. They nodded and moved on, leaving him to continue his nightly ritual of listening to the argot of the underworld.
As he entered the dive bar, the patrons turned to him with a mixture of curiosity and respect. They knew Romeo was one of them now, a true member of the criminal underworld. And they welcomed him into their fold with open arms, ready to share their tales of crime and deception with him for years to come.
From that night on, Romeo became known as the "argot king," a legend in the criminal underworld who could speak their language like no one else. And he knew that as long as he kept practicing his argot, he would always have a place among the shady characters of the City.
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All stories are fictional works
- You may use any of these short stories as a base to create your own longer stories! -