Skip to Content

Serialized flash fiction by Rodger Jacobs… updated every Monday

Crumbling Slowly 4: Hector Escobar

The remote control for the TV was resting on the bar top next to a jar of cocktail onions and a stack of napkins. “Here, I’ll show you what I mean, “she said. “Have you ever heard of a man named Hector Escobar?”

I popped a handful of peanuts into my mouth. “Can’t say as I’ve ever heard of the man, no.”

“He has a nice home in Holmby Hills. What do you think is happening to Hector Escobar right now?”

I sipped my Maker’s Mark and shrugged indifferently. “I dunno. He’s having a colonoscopy? A guy named Hector Escobar sounds like he needs a colonoscopy. I have visions of undigested carne asada and chunks of green salsa in his colon. It’s not a good prognosis.”

“Do you want to know about Hector Escobar or not?”

“Rock on.”

Evelyn grabbed the remote and clicked on the TV impatiently. It flared to life.

Breaking News

Holmby Hills

Helicopter shots of a raging house fire and the pilot communicating with the retards at the anchor desk through that damn microphone filter thing in his helmet.

“That,” Evelyn turned to me slowly, “is Hector Escobar’s house. We did that. The Moss Foundation did that. Sadly, Hector Escobar did not make it out alive but society as we know it is this much further away from slipping into entropic destruction.”

She watched the hungry fire devour the luxurious home on the TV screen and her eyes positively glowed like jewels.

Part 3

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

Norway’s Subtly Sour Waffles Have Landed in L.A., Topped With Brown Cheese and Jam

“You are just happy to be somewhere new, experiencing everything L.A. has,” Vaffel&Venn co-owner Elin Mork says. “Then the longer you stay, the more you start to yearn for the food, for the people, for the feeling of home.”

July 13, 2026

“The Dreamy Side” Dives Deep Into L.A.’s 1950’s Era Of Local Soul, Blues Music

Molina has written a deeply personal book that will delight the many fans of the music he covers and invites us all to think about the songs that make up the soundtrack of our lives.

July 12, 2026

Community Members Hold Vigil for Houston Father Killed by ICE

Close to 60 people paid tribute to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo who was killed on the early morning of July 7 while on his way to work.

July 11, 2026

Despite the 3-2 Defeat, Mexico Finally Has Reason to Believe Again

In a turn-around from previous tournaments, there’s lots of positivity surrounding the men’s national team despite their recent loss. Rafa Márquez officially stepping in to lead them into 2030's World Cup has many fans hopeful.

July 11, 2026

We Spoke With a Mother Detained In the Glass House Raids, One Year Later

"There are times in the middle of the night when I wake up thinking I’m back in that same place, because it's terrifying," the Glass House Farms worker and mother tells L.A. TACO, one year after the raids.

After 34 Years, Hollywood’s Iconic Cactus Taquería #1 Is Being Forced to Close This Sunday

You have two days left to eat at the taquería that survived a drive-by in the 90s and is beloved by Brad Pitt and Johnny Knoxville. We sat down with the owners to go down memory lane with them and remember when Bourdain stopped by to try his favorite lengua tacos.

July 10, 2026