21 October 2016

Published October 19, 2016 by rochellewisoff

ANNOUNCING  GREAT NEWS!!!

Alicia Jamtaas has been published! Her short story, “A Private Death” has been included in the fall issue of  “Sweet Tree Review.” aliciaWay to go Alicia!

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit. 

 

PHOTO PROMPT © Claire Fuller

PHOTO PROMPT © Claire Fuller

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Genre: Anecdote

Word Count: 100

PENNY-ANTE

            Sunday was “Fan Tan” night when I was eight. My family played the card game for pennies.    

            “Where’s that seven of hearts?” Dad tossed a copper on the table with mock disgust. “Shelly? You only have one card left?”

            “The little brat’s got it,” said my fourteen-year-old brother pitching his coin.

            I batted my eyelashes. “Why, Jeffrey, whatever do you mean?” With a dramatic flourish, I laid down the seven. “I win!”

            It’s not the victories I remember as much as the unprecedented peace between my parents, my father’s relentless teasing, and laughing so hard I nearly wet my pants.

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.jeff-and-rochelle-circa-1960-with-border

106 comments on “21 October 2016”

  • What a lovely family night. I was looking for ages to try and find the link to the story, and then I saw it, just hiding there in plain sight 🙂 Good story Rochelle (as if you could write any other kind)

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Claire,

      Thank you for the lovely photo. So many directions to go. The first thing I noticed were the pennies and you can see where they took me…to one of my happiest memories. Thank you for your affirming comments.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear J Hardy,

      It’s so nice to know someone else besides me remembers Fan Tan. More often I hear it called Seven Up. I suppose it’s the difference between the East and Midwest. 😉 Thank you.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

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  • Warm and redolent of a kind of family life I suspect not many families indulge in these days. As a family we played a lot of card games – the kids always had to play the grown up games – gin rummy, whist, solo whist. No quarter was given for our tender years. You brought this back in such a wholesome way, and the pants-wetting was the icing on the cake, if that’s not too disturbing a term. 🙂 Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Sandra,

      I can’t imagine too many families indulging in games, although I do know of one or two. Of course we have to contend with the ubiquitous presence of the iPhone.

      Icing becomes a little less disturbing by the day. Today I have to pick some up at the store with ready made cupcakes to decorate for the upcoming wedding reception.

      I’m so pleased that my story came off the way I wanted it to. 😀 Thank you.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

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  • The warmth of the memory comes shining through, nicely done. I’d never heard of Fan Tan, but then I read in another comment it’s also called Seven Up. That sounds more familiar, although I’d never be able to reproduce the rules now. My family more often played Uno and Scrabble, or put together puzzles together, but the feeling was much the same, I think.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Joy,

      I used to play Scrabble with my mom but not my dad. Mom said when she played it with Dad she changed the name of it to Squabble. We used to play a game called Casino and another called Crazy 8’s which is basically Uno with regular cards.
      I’m glad the story came across the way I wanted it to. Thank you.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Ha ha — “Squabble” — yes, some games went that direction in my family too! Now I’m trying to remember all the card games we played, and coming up blank. All I can recall is euchre, which is very popular in Michigan and pretty much nowhere else, but I think I only started playing that with friends in high school. We did play an awful lot of solitaire — now I look back and wonder, when did I have the time for that?!?

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  • Fabulous news, Alicia! And I see our prompt is by another published author, I know because I have a copy of ‘Days’. I will have to inspect this shadow box carefully and see if I can find Ethel & Cheryl.

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  • So interesting that you wrote about families and memories as did I but with a sadder twist. I am fascinated by the responses that certain photos evoke in more than one person when there is no obvious connection with the photo. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your loving family.
    Tracey

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Tracey,

      I think one of the things that fascinates me about this challenge is the diversity and how people see the prompt. I try never to go with the obvious. I’m not always sure how I end up with some of the stories I do. This one? No problem. If you look, in one of the boxes is a stack of pennies. I immediately went to Fan Tan night.

      Thank you .

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Björn,

      It doesn’t seem like families do much of anything together these days, does it? Although we have some neighbors who do. I used to have art nights with my kids. Thank you for dropping by as always.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

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  • Dear Rochelle,

    That’s a lovely story that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I guessed it was a a recollection from your childhood before reading the comments. I can also see how your experience of close family life has influenced your novel-writing, which is so full of wonderful snippets and warmly observed snapshots like the one above.

    By an absolute coincidence, my story that I’ll be posting tomorrow and wrote before reading yours, also features a copper coin, or rather, a copper-plated one.

    Yes, finally, I’m returning to FF after a lengthy break.

    With all good wishes
    Sarah

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Sarah,

      It goes without saying that I’m delighted to see you back in the FFFold. 😉 There I said it. Those pennies just took me right to this story. I wasn’t sure it would work but, apparently, it did. I’m pleased about that. Thank you.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Dear Rochelle
        …and then everything conspired against me doing a story for October 28. Anyway, I will try something for November 4, but most importantly for this week, your guest storyteller post over at mine is going live on November 5, which is exceedingly exciting. I’ll let you know when I’ve published it.
        All best wishes
        Sarah

        Liked by 1 person

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  • I love this. As many have said, it has such a warm and fuzzy feel about it. Nothing better than family nights like this! And, by the way, I would have known that was you in the pic a mile away! 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Dale,

      I only wish these nights hadn’t been so few and far between. At any rate I cherish these particular memories. No one could be as sharp and funny as my daddy. I guess I have one of those faces…and i don’t mind. 😉

      Thank you and shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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  • You know, it doesn’t surprise me that there are a bunch of penny pinchers in your family. I can just see you sitting there smugly and coy while holding a winning hand.

    My parents got a long well too. We were both very blessed. Connie has a little sign hanging in the bathroom that reads, “The best gift a Father can give his children is to love their Mother.”

    Best regards,
    Ward Cleaver

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Ward,

      I’m worried about the Russell. He didn’t post a story this week.

      Actually my parents didn’t get along all that well. I guess that’s why this is a memory I treasure and hold dear to my heart. As for the pennies, they spent the week in a jar, never to be spent. Me? Smug? Coy? Yes!

      Thank you for swinging by.

      Shalom,

      She Who Shall Remain Nameless

      Liked by 1 person

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  • A lovely trip down that winding lane of memories!
    I played card games at my Grandmother’s using old defunct half-pennies from a jar. Our winnings were converted into decimal currency for us to take home and spend at the end of the stay – never really occurred to me how kind and generous my grandmother and her brother were being.

    Liked by 1 person

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  • I think some of my best memories are over quiet or boisterous games played together. That’s really taking time out to spend with other. What a great memory to recall for your story, Rochelle. Very sweet and nostalgic.

    Liked by 1 person

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  • Querida Rochelle,
    A charming write about what family game night is all about.
    I wlays enjoyed those nights with my girls. The simple pleasure.
    Lovely photograph … brings wishes of those bygone days to mind.
    Please forgive the extra 2 words on my entry this week. It was a tough write for 100 words..
    Gracias mi amiga por su trabajo.
    Abrazos
    Isadora 😎

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    • Querida Isadora,
      I used to have “art nights” with my boys. Messy good fun. My middle son says it’s one if his fondest memories. Glad you enjoyed my story.
      One or two words over is no problem. It’s when someone goes 20 to 100 over that i tend to get annoyed. 😉
      If you’ve had trouble linking your story try again. My inlinkz subscription ran out. I took care of it.
      Shalom y abrazos,
      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Queried Rochelle,
        I’m pleased to hear I could still add my story. It’s part of a book I’m writing. I’d love to hear what you think. I’m in the very beginning of the story but your expertise would give me a bit of a confidence boost.
        Gracias mi amiga …
        Abrazos, Isadora 😍

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