Short story/poem prompt

9/14/2020

Going to try something new here. This Franklin business window street scene seems more poetic than real, so how about you all who love to tell stories write a short story or poem for this photograph and I'll print my favorite in the Sunday edition newsletter next week.

4 Comments

Janet Aaron

9/14/2020 03:50:17 pm

You're messing with my mind by making the street backwards............took me a long time to figure out which store had this in the window.

Tim Young link

9/15/2020 04:03:54 am

Richard, i finished a story, just want to put some finishing touches on it. Paula is contemplating an idea.
You will have them later today. (Tuesday)

Tim Young link

9/15/2020 01:34:13 pm

Danny & Joe

I was eating at the same restaurant I always go to except I decided to go for a lunch special instead of the more expensive dinner. There was something about the angle of the sunshine, the way it was bouncing off the windows on Main Street that called to my appetite making it impossible for me to wait until my usual dinner time. Lunch it was. It felt funny stepping into Georgio's when it was only the bright afternoon. Georgio wasn't there but my favorite waiter, Danny was, and he helped me feel as comfortable as I could being I was out of time. He did this by sitting me at a cozy table for two in the middle of the oversized front window. I was able to see almost everything that was going on out on the street. I felt like I was seeing everything. of course I wasn't seeing every thing.
Danny brought me the IPA that I liked and a glass of water. His smile as warm as the sunshine flirting with my tablecloth. He told me this day, this Tuesday, was supposed to have been his day off but someone had called in sick. I said. "Well then, I'm more than glad I drifted in here on this sunny afternoon. Two things out of the ordinary."
"I like that you said out of the ordinary," Danny replied, out of the ordinary is exactly how I feel today."
I picked up my water glass to take a sip. "So, you know what," I declared, i will not have my usual chicken dish, but perhaps there is a seafood special?"
"You must be reading my mind," Danny said as he crouched as if to whisper in my ear. "We have a swordfish steak special that the chef says will knock your socks off and since it's lunch time the price is no more than the stuffed chicken breast you ordinarily order."
Of course i ended up ordering the swordfish and I immediately fell in love with it. Something about the asparagus, artichoke combined sauce the fish was swimming in sealed it for me.
I was savoring each bite. I didn't want it to disappear too fast. I ordered another beer and kept my eyes on the street scenes through the crystal clear glass. As I was just about to take my most desirable last bite, I thought I saw Danny walk by out on the street. I quickly turned around to see if I might catch him crossing the room to another table or perhaps through the swinging doors into the kitchen, but I did not see him. Then there was a tapping on the window. I turned to see but saw nothing even though the tapping continued.
The sun now had moved across the street leaving my side, my window in the shade which I realized was definitely darker than I thought it should be. I caught the eye of another waiter. I grabbed his attention and queried the whereabouts of Danny. he said, "Today is Tuesday , Danny's day off." I said, "but Danny has been taking care of me all afternoon. You must be mistaken."
"I wish I was." With those words he pulled the linen napkin from the back of his apron and wiped a tear. Then he went to the window, to the exact spot I had heard the tapping, folded his napkin in half and wiped that spot until his hands were bleeding. Then as the white linen napkin began to turn a bright crimson, I began to cry uncontrollably. I couldn't help myself because of all the blood and my stomach turning madly over and over while Danny's faint laughter began to fill my ears.
I rose slowly to move away from my table. it was then I felt what I thought were Danny's arms tugging and pulling at me to step away from the window. As I allowed myself to be moved by such an incredibly strong unseen force, an ambulance, sirens wailing, red lights flashing, crashed through the window where I had been seated and knocked me head over heels into the middle of the dining room.
"A bit out of the ordinary, right, Joe." Danny said as he crawled out of the back of the ambulance, wearing a shiny black tuxedo. "Nothing I like better."

Paula M Parente

9/17/2020 04:00:48 pm

I Know

No one knows that I know
what they're thinking.
I see their stares, finger pointing
hear their guffaws, knee slaps.
They don't care for my sparkle glasses
shell clothes, my bony hands.
There they are, staring again.
I stare right back. Come closer!
Ahh ... what can I do?
I'm stuck here.
They don't know
what I know.

Short story/poem prompt

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