Hammock Snapshots are short flash fiction pieces, accompanied by an original illustration that aim to capture a moment, a feeling or a fragment of something without the pressures of longform writing. The series began on Instagram and now also features on our site.

The old man played an approximation of Brahms on the restaurant piano, as he had every Friday night for decades. When he looked up, he saw a grand concert hall rather than tables full of diners. In the audience he recognized his mother, the long dead teacher whose apprentice he had been, and other vaguely familiar faces. The chatter around him was replaced by improvisational flourishes he added to the allegro, anticipating the crowd’s applause. When he finished, he looked up and saw his wife seated at the bar, smiling affectionately as a waiter brought her starter while everyone else continued to eat and talk.