They sat in the back of the old pickup truck the situation framing their fate With tireless views and a bit of good luck Neither bothered to fret at the wait. They had taken their pills, vitamins for good health with a mug of hot coffee in hand The morning brought thoughts anew full of wealth adoringmerry, sweet sights ‘cross the land
Although the feeling all around was a melancholy mood The policy of folks like me was fastidious and good The swell of hope I felt that day diminished in a flash While standing on the center lane, no barriers to dash The happiness just slipped away to crush my vivid dream Like oil on a flabby piece of skin in need of cream Luck would have it no one else here seemed to see me cry Except for one lone shaming man, I felt like I would die. I tried to turn but felt real stuck with sorrow and some pain Jumping now would do no good, there wasn’t any gain. So here I stood aside the man, a standstill in my head Realizing my day was done, so I left and went to bed.
Before I could make a colossal mistake I went to my laboratory wondering just what to make I thought of achievements and those of my kids I looked for recognition in everything they did. Listlessly sitting under long bright white lights a milestone reminded me of a time of a fright A leopard had lumbered its way in my head A display of lactation while I lay in my bed Sort of a nuance the vision soon cleared and I realized my daughter was where I most feared. Alone in the kitchen with only the cats Lapping up milk and softly giving them pats I leapt out of bed and threw on my clothes Reminded I thankfully washed the floor, I suppose. Forgetting the mess and only laughter ensued Thought my jovial reputation was what I couldn’t out-do
A Letter A Week: https://nopenotpam.com/2022/06/19/a-letter-a-week-l/ (There are a few extras here!) place – Laboratory, emotion – listless, adjective – long, verb – lumber, lay, lapping, animal – leopard (noun – lactation)
For the visually challenged writer, the photo is of an elderly lady with a look of concentration on her face. Her arms are stretched out in front of her and she’s holding a camera in her hands attempting to take a photo with it.
Come on you nincompoop, I said to smile. What the heck is wrong with you? Your lips turn to stone?
Bethel, will you give me a minute to think here.
What the heck is there to think about? You turn your lips up and voila you have a smile. Now hold still so I can get this picture.
Bethel, you don’t understand me.
Aw, that’s all you ever say. Bethel, you don’t understand me. Bethel, you don’t listen to me. Bethel, you don’t cook my favorite foods…
Okay, okay. Here, how is this? (Bernard turns and pulls down his pants to show her a full moon)
Dirty old man is what you are! Now turn around and smile!
The photograph below is from ninerio at DeviantArt.com.
For the visually challenged writer, the photo shows a couple embracing in front of a large, illuminated clock, as well as other smaller, x-ray-like images of the mechanical components of clocks.
Okay so mine isn’t prose, although it could be considered fiction.
First Kiss
Dancing in time holding the moment lives intertwined loves bestowment love will not fade where it does exist until the very end from when we first kissed.
Milly had dared Bernadette to do it and she couldn’t believe that her best friend went through with it! The day before Bernadette was telling Milly how in love she was with Brandon. “If you’re so in love, Juliet, why don’t you show it at the drive-in tomorrow night!” “What?!?! You want me to prove my love at the drive-in? That is disgusting. There is no way I am taking off any of my clothing in the back seat of Brandon’s car, let alone anyone’s car. If we do it it’s going to be in a bed. Jeez, Milly! I can’t believe you would even want me doing it in public like that!” “Bernie, that isn’t what I meant! I meant, drag Brandon up onto the platform and kiss him in front of all the cars. I’ll be there with Jack and who knows who else will be there! Are you afraid your mom might be there?” “Milly, first of all, my mom doesn’t do drive-in movies. Second, I’ll take the dare! I think it will be fun to get up. there. I just have to hope that Brandon will go along with it.” “Well, just prove that you made your greatest effort and I will give you credit! But, you really have to try and convince him.”
Later that night, as the movie began to play, Milly, who was sitting with her head resting on Jack’s shoulder, sat up abruptly! “Oh my God! She is doing it!” “Doing what, Mill?” “I dared Bernadette to drag Brandon onto the platform and kiss him in front of the whole drive-in theater and she is doing it! Aw, look how cute they both are!” “I’d have done it,” Jack responded. “Well, I know that. It wouldn’t have been much of a dare. I would definitely do it! Maybe we should surprise the crowd and get up there too.” “Let’s not and say we did. Give them the limelight for now. I’m happy with kissing you right here.”
For the visually challenged writer, the photo is of an older couple sitting on a park bench on the top of hill overlooking a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. Next to them on their left are two electric bicycles. Also, that is not Fandango and his wife! Lol!
Martin, what do you think is in store for us now? I don’t know Elaine? Isn’t that a bit of a deep question after an exhausting bike ride up here? Well, I just thought I would ask. Being tired makes me think of stuff like that. Like what? Like the meaning of life. Our purpose. Setting out to do what we are supposed to while we are here on earth. I know I’ve done what I was supposed to do. Now I’m done. Why do you think I bought an electric bike? I’m tired of working so hard. Well Marianne said Walter still wants to get a lot of his bucket list checked off. My bucket is empty Elaine. It’s been empty and I’m leaving it empty. You see that cloud over there? Which one? The one that looks like a boat? No, the other one, next to it. I don’t see anything in that shape, what do you see? Nothing! More of nothing and that makes me so happy! Now let’s go home.
Trevor walked through the park. He knew many of the guests would cringe once they saw what he was holding but he did this to show people that not all snakes are dangerous or gross. He could understand the fear, since fear of the unknown typically overrules. Snakes aren’t something people see everyday or are around. If you see a snake it is usually because you are out gardening or hiking and that is not what you are anticipating. Trevor knew all this and tried to teach the public that snakes were nothing to be afraid of.
As he walked, Trevor could hear the children squealing and the parents gasping as he held the snakes head to everyone to see. What they didn’t know was that Betsy, the python, was a people watcher herself and loved to see all the people ducking and jumping when they saw her. Betsy loved Trevor and was so happy to have him to walk her safely through the zoo without being squished by pedestrians or worse, zoo buggies full of food for the other animals. She couldn’t imagine her body bouncing back after being totally flattened. Because of Trevor, Betsy could be at ease and do her people watching silently.
The photo below was provided by fellow blogger Li @ Tao Talk. Thanks, Li.
Marcus found the pieces from when he was a kid. He knew he had buried them in the yard but he never believed he would still be living here to find them. What had he been thinking back then? That someone would discover them and think of them as a treasure? All he knew now was that if he wanted to preserve what was now a vintage toy, he had better clean them up and get all that dirt off them. Luckily plastic doesn’t dissolve!
He threw the pieces into a bowl of soapy water to let them soak. He had left them there overnight, knowing plastic doesn’t do anything but sit in water, no damage would be done. By morning he took the pieces out, dried them with a paper towel, then threw them onto the pile of stuff he had on the kitchen table.
Like soldiers in a battlefield looking for mines, the soldiers he tossed onto the table were diligently looking for pressure points to use in a foot massage. Marcus laughed to himself. They probably needed a good foot massage after all the work they did in the service. Kids didn’t know what it took to be in the service and they didn’t understand that massage isn’t just a quick karate chop to the back.
Looking down at the toys now Marcus wondered if those old army men could remember being buried as a treasure. They were still sort of a treasure to Marcus; they had been a gift from his mother.
Fandango offers us this photo from Erean @ Morguefile.com for his flash fiction challenge this week. For the visually challenged writer, the image shows the silhouette of a woman on a stage, provocatively posed sitting on a chair with the starry night sky behind her and also reflected on the stage floor.
This is a poem even though this is a flash fiction challenge. I mean it is ficticious.
If I lay my head back with my neck to the sky will you come here and hold me, keep hold while I cry? I need you to be here no matter what time Your love means so much now, your love is sublime.
Stine Writing 
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