Below is the photo prompt for the week. What do you see? What do you hear? Tell me in one hundred words or less, then click the blue froggy fella and link your story. My story follows the linkz and prompt. I appreciate honest comments and constructive criticism.
PHOTO PROMPT Copyright-Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
The boy stared out the window beside his bed and listened to his Alyn Ainsworth record. He tapped his fingers on the night stand in time to the music.
Sentenced to the ‘greenhouse,’ a children’s sanitarium, he’d celebrated his fourteenth birthday with tea, boredom and Streptomycin. Yet, after a year of incarceration, the doctors still considered Ritchie too ill to go home.
“Join our band,” said a nurse. “Bring your new banjo.”
“I’d rather play drums.”
Ten years later Ritchie smiled over his drum set at a sea of screaming teenagers as Ed Sullivan cried, “Ladies and gentleman, the Beatles!”
.
.
.
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Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Another great piece from you Rochelle – once again I learned something 🙂 I love this week’s prompt and look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.
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Dear Jessie,
I delved back into the passion of my youth—the Beatles! They were all interesting people as well. Glad you like the story and the photo. I always love seeing where people’s minds will go with each photo.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice one, Rochelle! I didn’t read any story before posting mine, but–funny that!–I had a throwback urge as well. Your story is very well layered, though…
Greetings from Greece!
Maria (MM Jaye)
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Dear Mariea,
Nice to hear from Greece. 😉 Glad you liked my story. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This resonates strongly with me.. humanity has been those diseases and yet the music will bring forth a will to live.. Hopefully every disease finds its end.. My father had tuberculosis at the age of 11 and should have died I guess — but he made it through, even if there were no medicines in the 20’s …
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Dear Björn,
I’m glad your father survived or I’d never have met you. 😉
As I shared in my previous story, music is powerful. Although I’m not a musician myself, I have three sons and a husband who are. I like to listen to it.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another Magical Mystery Tour from our top composer!
We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah!
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Dear Elephant,
Compliments don’t get much better, yeah, yeah, YEAH!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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There is no way to top this comment. so I am going to just Let it Be.
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And all I gotta do is Thank You, Girl. 😉 Thanks Dawn.
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And the hits keep coming! lol
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Really liked this one, Rochelle. Nice work.
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Thank you, Peter. 😀
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Beautiful story, celebrating perseverance. Nicely done, Rochelle.
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Thank you very much, Loré.
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A great read. I did not know this about Ringo. Thanks for the early morning enlightenment.
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Dear Caerynn,
I remember reading in the fan magazines when I was a teenager that poor Ringo had a sickly childhood. I also remember that he missed part of a tour because he had to be hospitalized to have his tonsils removed. Happy to enlighten. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah! Now you’re entering my territory! Nice work on this, and a great little biographical piece. Short, but sweet, and utterly complete in it’s 100 words. I like it a lot, this is quite good! ^_^
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Dear Miles,
I think it’s fun that we both inserted clips from the Ed Sullivan show. I do remember seeing this broadcast live. I was in love with Paul McCartney from that moment on.
Glad to hear that things are settling down for your. Thank you for such nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You are always amazing me with your stories and the references. You often see things in a different way than others, but your research and meticulous search for the facts are rare. Even though we have lived together all these years, I don’t understand how you do it. Wonderful story and, of course, very interesting subject. You go girl.
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Dear Jan,
Too bad I didn’t figure out this research thing in high school, eh? But then there was no internet. 😉
Your constant support is what keeps me going. Thank you for the years, the space to write and the encouragement.
Love,
Rochelle
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How do you do it? I guess all you need is love…for story telling that is. Ha! “I’d rather play drums.” What a courageous thing for him to say, and look at how it paid off.
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Dear Stephanie,
I do a little digging, sometimes a lot of digging and then imagine what it was like for the person I’m writing about. Glad it worked. 😉 I’m always pleased to see you here.
Thank you.
shalom,
Rochelle
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I LOVE this video and I watched it in REAL life at my grandpas house with all the cousins!
I will try to do your prompt. Thanks!
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Dear Gardenlilie,
I watched it in my parents’ bedroom. I still remember my ten-yer-old excitement.
Thank you for coming by. I’ll be by to read yours soon.
shalom,
Rochelle
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A Beatles story to reel me in. How could I not resist. Loved it. Had to participate even if it meant going way past the midnight hour 🙂 Can I spam you with my other musical story http://tinyurl.com/lzz6qhg
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Dear Subroto,
What else did you have to do at midnight? Sleep? Feh. You can always sleep. 😉 Can you guess that I was and still am a Beatles fan?
I just read The Busker. Very nice. How much of that is fiction? Well done. I can see why it was picked up for publication.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle I so glad that you liked it. The core story is fictional but most of the incidents, locations and dates regarding Gibbs brothers are true. I too did my research for it 😉
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Who needs a set of encyclopedias when we’ve got you, Rochelle. What an amazing tale! Thank you!
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Dear Helena,
Such a nice compliment! Ah, but you really are better off with the encyclopedia. I’m a mere mistress of trivia. 😉
Of course, when it comes to the Beatles…
Thank you and welcome back, darling.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely! Loved how you managed to squeeze so much time into so few words, loving it ! v
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Dear Veronika,
It’s amazing how many words aren’t needed to tell a complete story, isn’t it? This exercise has done a lot for my longer pieces.
Glad you liked my story. Thank you for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fascinating tale. Had no idea Mr Starkey had such a background.
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Dear Paul,
It was fun digging into Ritchie’s past. I knew he’d had a sickly childhood and considered himself the luckiest man alive. So on that note I started the research trail. Glad you came along for the ride.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A great story Rochelle – one that I didn’t know. And of course, very well written!
Claire
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Dear Claire,
I’m always happy to find little known facts and write stories around them. Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely and informative! Great combination Bravo.
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Thank you Alicia. 😀
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Dear Rochelle,
I love the snippets of history you share with us in so many of your flashes. I’m a bit young to have followed the Beatles, but I love a good story about a musician who makes good.
All my best,
Marie Gail
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Dear Marie Gail,
I suppose the Beatles were before your time. (sigh) Glad you have taught you young whippersnappers a thing or two. Hard for me to think of this as history but indeed it is.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A fine story, Rochelle. I haven’t heard the word Streptomycin since the 40’s.
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Dear Ted,
Our age is showing, isn’t it? I remember the Ed Sullivan broadcast firsthand.
Nice to see you here. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Me too. That was quite a night.
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Hi Rochelle. I have become a great fan of your stories. I learned something new as usual. Music is really powerful and great therapy. Very well written .
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Dear Indira,
Music is a powerful. Alas, I’m in no way a musician or a singer, but I do enjoy music. Classical when I’m writing and old rock and roll when I’m driving.
Thank you for your kind words. Nice to know I have a fan.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You must be having lots of fans dear. Yes I like your approach and the way you write very much.
Shalom.
Indira.
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Love how you took such a familiar figure — Ringo! — and turned his story into something poignant, something we didn’t know about him. And — can I give this post a double-thumbs-up for featuring the Beatles? 😉
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Dear Jen,
I revel in your double-thumbs up review. 😉 I’ve loved the Beatles since I was ten. I see no reason to stop now.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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NEVER a good time to give up on the Beatles — ever! 🙂
All the best —
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Dear Rochelle, You are so smart and witty – you are like a walking, talking, encyclopedia! I love your story and remember this broadcast very well. Awesome story! Nan 🙂
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Dear Nan,
Most of my knowledge is trivia, a Reader’s Digest version of the encyclopedia if you will. I’m a good Googler.
We of a certain age are bound to share this memory. I remember it well.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Great story. Commenting is a bit tricky however – are we going to become segregated into those who are old enough to have been around during the Beatles heyday and those who aren’t? Guess I’ll have to declare myself as one who saw them live in Sydney in 1964. I’ll never forget it. Thanks for bringing back some memories.
Cheers
Marg
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Dear Marg,
It was a great time to be coming of age. There’ll never be another phenomenon like the four lads from Liverpool and I don’t apologize for being old enough to remember. In fact I envy the fact that you got to see them live. But isn’t that when Ringo was out for his tonsillectomy?
If this segregates us, so be it. 😉 Besides we have more life experiences. More grist for the writing mill.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
It sure was a great era. And you’re right – Ringo wasn’t with them that time.
I like your perspective on life expeiences. Very true.
Cheers
Marg
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what a delightful story. brought back memories of the beatles.
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Dear Plaridel,
Glad you liked it. Thank you for dropping by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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what a lovely tale of determination. fascinating. 🙂
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Dear K.Z.
It seems to me that Ringo is a bit of an unsung hero. I imagine him as a rather gentle boy. I’ve heard him say in an interview that he was also damn lucky. Right place. Right time. Can you imagine?
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wonderful prompt this week, Rochelle, and as usual, I read your story AND learned something. Love the way you worked in the Beatles… as if you like them or something. 😉 Have a wonderful weekend! xo d
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Dear Dawn,
Me? Like the Beatles? Glad you liked the story. I had a great time researching and writing. Three lads down and one to go. 😉
Have a great time in Fiji.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I got to stay up, on a Sunday night no less, until 9PM to watch that particular Ed Sullivan show.
Oh my! Aren’t we lucky Ringo didn’t stay with the banjo!
Ellespeth
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Dear Ellespeth,
It seems to me that Ed Sullivan was on earlier here. I can’t imagine Ringo playing the banjo either.
Thank you for swinging by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Few people know that following that show, Ringo gave his banjo to Steve Martin, who later played it while portraying the young, squint-eyed Appalachian boy in the movie, Deliverance. I think he even wrote Dueling Banjos, too. Ilona Lauraine Youngtree won the Oscar for best makeup artist that year for her work on that film and when she won that award I was inspired to become a writer. I’m still inspired to this day….
So, from one makeup artist to another, great story this week.
Aloha,
Douglishka
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Dear Douglishka,
It’s always nice to learn little historical factoids. I will file this one away for future reference and inspiration. I’m grateful to Ilona Lauraine Youngtree for her influence as I think you’re a much better writer than you are a clock watching wok washer.
Thank you for such a wonderful comment. My mouth hurts from smiling.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Was she any relation to Henny Youngman? Sometimes I wish I were a Young-something.
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Another great dose of storytelling and history! Things would have been quite different in the world of music if he had gone with the banjo instead 🙂
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Dear Ali,
From all that I’ve read, the banjo was never an option. Thank goodness. Something tells me we’d never have heard of Richard Starkey.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle,
now I’m trying to picture the Beatles if Ringo had played the banjo instead of the drums in the band. 🙂 Thanks for the history lesson. Is this picture from your house, perhaps? Do you play any (or all) of them?
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Dear David,
According to the accounts I read, young Ritchie’s grandfather gave him a banjo and a mandolin. But the boy had eyes only for the drums. I daresay if he’d chosen either of the others we’d never have heard of him.
The room is in my son’s house in upstate NY. You should see the line of guitars just to the right of the records. I play none of them. The only musical things I play are things like radios and iPods. I used to play the cassette and the 8-track before that until they both became obsolete. 😉
Here’s a clip of my son just for the record. (get it…he he)
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The things you know never cease to amaze me!
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Dear Liz,
I studied Beatles 101. 😉 All those little things that were in fan magazines back in the day can be found on the interweb and then some. And the things I don’t know could fill the ocean. .
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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More knowledge is always welcomed. Great story Rochelle. 🙂
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Thank you, Jackie. 😀
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Hi Rochelle. I love this story and the Beatles. I bet Ringo was Glad all over because he was Getting better all the time. Thanks. LHN
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Thank you, LHN.
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Dearest Olive,
How I’ve pined for the days to hear such a tale. My ears, stretching forth from the side of my moose-shaped head, straining to pick up the tribal drumbeats of a young Richard Starkey. Tis been a great pleasure to read. I shall inform my colleagues so that they too may enjoy the richness of your writing.
Good day, Madam
Bill Snakeshit
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Dear Mr. Snakeshit,
You’ve left me speechless. My husband might call that nothing short of miraculous. I’m glad you enjoyed the read. Thank you for any plugs.
Shalom sir,
Olive
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From Noah: I really liked how your story was based on an historic event but wasn’t non-fiction!
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Dear Noah,
That’s the fun of historical fiction. You take the facts and then imagine what it was really like. Indeed, it’s my favorite genre.
Thank you and keep writing!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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“Teeeeeeeeeeee-RIFIC!” – a quote from another 60’s icon. 😉
Was this the first song they played on Ed or was it All My Loving?
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Dear Tom and Manfred the Wonder Dog,
I believe it was All My Loving first but I’ll have to get back to you on that one.
Shalom,
Loretta
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Roger that! 🙂
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A great little history cameo. Very well executed, Rochelle.
I remember them well, those four boys with their funny haircuts from Liverpool. It was so exciting to be around–albeit as a youngish child–to see their rise to fame. Sad that only two of them are alive today: namely, Paul and Ringo.
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Dear Sarah,
I was ten when I first saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. I was hooked from that moment. And then came what the “British Invasion.” It was a great time to be coming of age.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a positive & inspiring story, Rochelle!
Love the encouragement to the li’l boy & what he ultimately becomes! We all love the Beatles!
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Dear Anita,
Thank you for your positive and affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another remarkable story that I didn’t know about. I loved it, Rochelle. I love that clip from the Beatles, too. Every time I hear it, I get chills. That was such an era, never to be repeated.
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Dear Amy,
I still love that clip, too, and the memory of seeing the broadcast for the first time as starry-eyed ten-year-old. It was a great era in which to come of age.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great piece.
We are only 30 miles from the Beatles museum in Liverpool. Never been in. “Beatles museum”! Definitely not cool. Main visitors are pre-pubescent Japanese schoolgirls.
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Dear Patrick,
Afraid if I ever make it out your direction I’ll have to be not cool. I’ll even learn Japanese if I have too.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a tale of perseverence and succeeding over adversity. Thank you for this enlightening history. What happened to the banjo?
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Dear Sarah,
One story of what happened to the banjo can be found by scrolling up and finding Doug’s comment which could feasibly be referred to as his flash fiction for the week. 😉
What probably happened was more like this, the boy spurned it and it was either sold or donated to a second hand shop.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As soon as I read this title, I knew it was going to be a rockin’ story. Well done as always, Rochelle!
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Dear Tiffany,
Thank you for your kind comments. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Loved this one, Rochelle!
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Glad you did, Vinitha. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love the way your bring in the past. This has me looking closer at The Beatles.
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Dear Alice,
The Beatles were an integral part of my coming of age era. I used to read all the fan magazines and collect their pictures and records.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Funny! The first thing I thought of was Richard Starkey, or Ringo Starr!
Good story, Rochelle!
(And I LOVE The Beatles!)
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Dear Vijaya,
Glad you liked. When it comes to the Beatles, what’s not to love?
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh, how cool is this! I’m not the biggest Beatles fan, but I do respect them as a genre changing group. As always, interesting bit of fiction and entertaining story!
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Dear Emilie,
I’ve been a Beatles fan since they first appeared on Ed Sullivan.
Thank you for your glowing comments. They warmed me on a cold morning.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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