Mark Connelly
Mark Connelly
Mark Connelly’s fiction has appeared in Bristol Noir, Peregrin, Indiana Review, Cream City Review, The Ledge, Killer Nashville, The Berlin Review, The Brussels Review, Home Planet News, Change Seven, Light and Dark, 34th Parallel, Mobius Blvd, and Digital Papercut. In 2005 Texas Review Press published his novella Fifteen Minutes, which received the Clay Reynolds Prize. His story collection The Last Casualty was published in the United Kingdom by Chapeltown Books in May 2026.
Devlin’s Delight
When Devlin arrived at Lakeside Manor, the social worker urged him to count his blessings. “Counting your blessings every day is healing and restful,” she assured him. Easy to say when you’re twenty-three, cute, all the boys like you, and nothing hurts, he thought. But Devlin took her advice. And when his wheelchair was parked on the verandah the next morning, he savored the lake breeze and began his daily count. . .
Mr. Andrews who flunked me in algebra – dead!
Coach Lee who cut me from the team and cost me a football scholarship – dead!
Heather Sapperstein who laughed in my face when I asked her to the prom – dead!
Cathy Westin who gave me the clap – dead!
First wife – dead!
Guy she ran off with – dead!
Second wife – dead!
Her divorce lawyer – dead!
Judge who gave her the house – dead!
Jimmy Fox who took half my territory when I sold for Ajax Chemical – dead!
Terry Fox, his kid brother, who fired me from Ajax Chemical – dead!
Broker who sold me Enron stock – dead!
Son-in-law who stuck me in Lakeside Manor – dead!
Noticing the lone resident on the veranda, an aide approached. “Are you OK?” he asked with fleeting concern.
Devlin looked up, beaming, “OK? I’m having the time of my life!”
Devlin smiled, for he was truly blessed.