Common Decency Novels & Stories

Cora questioned Lucianne’s choice of word. Lucianne uttered firmly, “Yes. Decency. I am going to assume that all of us here share a common intention, a mutual goal, that is to do what’s best for the people, not for ourselves. There will come a time when our knowledge is no longer enough, and our skills are no longer relevant. When that time comes, we should have the decency to allow another individual, one who can maneuver in the modern ages, to take our place, since it would be in the best interest of the people to do so.”

I pronounced that last phrase slowly, deliberately, watching faces changing color with surprise, “I will make them regret it.” Murmurs rose up, but I held my hand up, silencing them. “I’m not asking,” I said. “I’m telling. This event is important. For our family. For our name. For the image we preserve. But more than that, this is about decency.” Eleanor’s voice came sharp from her seat. “Decency? Since when is this family about decency, Leticia?” Her tone was complaint. “We have rules, yes, but we have always been careful. Why the sermon?”

Pelham clicked his teeth, urging the horses down towards the hill path and away from the forests. "The only loyalty commoners have is to the coin. That's just the way the world is." It saddened me to see someone so young, someone, who had a full life ahead of them, be so jaded. I understood the boy's past wasn't easy; how could it have been with everything that had transpired? But the lack of hope he had in the goodness of his fellow man made my heart go out to him.

“Dear Charles, your words are true. Those nude women are notorious rough group. They are strippers and could do any unpleasant thing to get money. I had never been a stripper. I was born in an oriental family with sagacity, when the rigidness was peculiar among the modern women, when infidelity was a rare phenomenon. When womanhood was respected, and amoral love had not been common, when husbands kept their vows and when women took great care of their erred and roaming daughters. The frequent of moral decay among men and women of this modern age has driven them to the point of insanity. It has caused most of the heartaches in the world and has also led to many broken wedlock.”

Natasha greeted and the sarcasm dripping from her voice is not from this world. "Yeah, long time no see. You look beautiful as always. You know, the Barbie look and the goody two shoes attitude. You can take a child out of the gutter but you can't take the gutter out of the child, you still have the….." I had to grab her hand to stop her from talking any further.

A young girl rushed into a house in joy with a white envelope, it was her acceptance letter. She has been accepted in a school, City University of New York (CUNY) plus, it would be affordable for her. She had worked really hard for it, had many sleepless nights because she was studying. As the only hope of the family, she didn’t want to disappoint her hardworking mother who is the caretaker of the family. As she shut the door forcefully behind her, she regretted it immediately for the door fell off its hinges. “Christ Lillian, when are you going to learn to be gentle with this door?” she muttered to herself before clasping the envelope under her armpit and gently —but with a enough force to

“Then we, the Great Country H, have no interest in such civility!” “The civilization of the great Country H has gone on for more than five millennia. It has a long, broad, and deep history emphasizing on values such as compassion, people’s needs, good faith, truth, honesty, fairness, peace, perseverance, dedication, promoting good deeds, helping the poor, courage for justice, developing strong virtues…” “All this makes for an icon of civilization.” “This is the true meaning of civilization.” “You’re truly shameless for remaining so blissful despite living off people, just so you could be a foreigner! How would a hypocrite like you understand the Great Country H’s complexity and richness?”

"And do you have no sense of decency?" "What's the matter?" He asked with the help of the phone. "Can't bear seeing another naked man?" "No, in fact, I love seeing them," Eden said defensively. "But I have the common human courtesy to not look unless the person in front of me exclusively strips for me." "A gentleman, I see. How applaudable." The voice mocked as the man began to get dressed again, picking up the shirt and pants on the ground. "Would you like a medal for that?"

In fact, I had listened to her and done such things before. On my birthday, when Laurent deliberately smashed my cake in front of everyone, I had to apologize to him. During a meeting, when he deleted the pitch deck I'd pulled all-nighters to create, I had to apologize to him. Even when I was laid up in the hospital and he tripped on the steps, I had to say sorry. The most ridiculous part? My constant compromise had earned me nothing but the title of being petty.

Bennett “Seriously?” I ask with feigned surprise. “Seriously. And it’s pretty big.” He emphasizes the size of his scar. “And, can I see it?” It’s not a strange request. The truth is, maybe. I said maybe, if seeing his scar makes me think my marks are inferior and maybe changes something inside me. “Of course.” Alex seems proud of his mark as he promptly lifts his shirt to reveal a straight scar that goes from his chest down to a tiny part of his abdomen. “My mom told me it’s here to remind me of life.”