Our Mantra
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© CEAyr
Please be considerate and keep your stories to 100 words. Thank you.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
FORWARD PASS
On an early November morning in 1909, Charles Stewart walked the deserted Kansas City cross-streets of Locust and Eighth. Weary after his team’s defeat, he reached his hotel. Throat raw, loyal fan that he was, he entered his enclosed hallway and cut loose.
“Rock chalk Jayhawk…!”
The next day, expecting the usual chastisement for his rowdy behavior, he met instead with cheers from other guests proclaiming him a hero.
Mr. Blank slapped the bewildered youth’s back. “Had it not been for your caterwauling, a burglar and his buddy would’ve robbed us all blind. You scared the bejabbers out of them.”
*Originally the cheer was created for KU’s (Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas) science club by chemistry professor E. H. Bailey in 1886. Former President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed it the greatest college chant of all time. Give a listen to what some have referred to as chilling. 😉
Click HERE to check out my new page.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
That’s a classic folk tale in modern guise
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Dear Neil,
It’s actually a true story cloaked in fiction. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom
Rochelle
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That must be exactly why I thought it was a fairy tale
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For a moment there I thought the first photo was going to be the prompt!
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Wouldn’t that make an interesting prompt? Hope you liked my story.
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Yes I did!
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What a great tale, Rochelle. Again, you make history approachable. And I like your new site, lovely portraits.
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Dear Gabriele,
I’m glad you liked the story. History is full of hidden gems, isn’t it? Thank you for visiting my new page. Now all I need are customers. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Entertaining little tale, m’lady, and intriguing chant!
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Thank you, CE.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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…Always take a burglar with you to sporting events…Got it!
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Interesting take. Thanks for coming by Martin.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A well told story, Rochelle!
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Many thanks, Penny. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow! such a great title , Rochelle and such a wonderful story ! The chant does sound chilling.:)
Congrats on the new page .
Best wishes,
Moon
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Dear Moon,
I’m glad you liked my story and the title. A good friend of mine once told me that the right title can add 100 words to a flash fiction. At any rate, I’m glad you noticed it. Thanks for the well wishes about the new page. I’m hoping now for orders. 😉 One step at a time.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for sharing the great suggestion, Rochelle. I hope and pray that the new page adds an abundance of happy news to your everyday .
Regards and best wishes,
Moon
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Love that stuff. Theodore Roosevelt was probably mad that Harvard never had as good a cheer as Yale. Bulldog Bulldog, Bow Wow Wow!
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Dear Josh,
In this instance truth was more entertaining than fiction. 😀 About T. R. I couldn’t say. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A great story, Rochelle.
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Thank you, Clare! 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another interesting bit of history! Thank Rochelle. Loved the other photo too 😀
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Dear Dahlia,
Glad you enjoyed my story. The photo I take no credit for. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Learned something new there. Better than a lot of football (soccer) chants over here, which generally involve some sort of insult or foul language!
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Dear Iain,
KU fans are pretty radical. I suppose with such an audacious history they have a right to be. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love this perfect timing! A writer’s prerogative. 🙂
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Dear Christine
I find nothing more entertaining than finding a gem of history and forcing it to do my bidding. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That was indeed a fun read!
And I must say that it is quite the cheer – starts off like a Monk’s chant, doesn’t it?
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Dear Dale,
Here it is Sunday and I’m only now getting around to replying. It’s been a crazy busy week. Perhaps we can Skype over wine again soon…or even a chat, which have been rare lately. At any rate…I’m rambling.
The cheer is amazing, isn’t it? Glad the read was fun. 😀 Thank you, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I know the feeling. Hardly read any FF because of my crazy week.
Yes. Wine and Skype this week!
Lords love,
Dale xo
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I can see why some call it chilling – that recording begins in a very odd way for a sporting chant! Love the tale. Enthusiasm saves the day – and scares away the thief! Lovely
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Dear Lynn
KU students and alumni are ardent about there school and their chant. This is a true story, believe it or not. I just distilled a newspaper article from 1909. Crazy. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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All the more interesting for being true! A pleasure to read Rochelle 🙂
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Not sure if my comment got through – seemed to vanish in the ether! Just to say a very creepy chant and a cheering tale of enthusiasm overcome the criminal mind. Lovely stuff, Rochelle
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Both of your comments went to my spam folder. Good thing I check it every day. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ooh, strange. Don’t think I’ve had that problem before on your site. Will kepp an eye on that and let you know if they vanish again 🙂
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Reblogged this on Blog Pad 2017.
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Thanks for the reblog, Henrietta.
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You are welcome!
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Fun story, Rochelle, with a nicely accidental but fortuitous outcome. Although I hope he doesn’t keep trying yelling his cheers on subsequent occasions, thinking he’s going to keep getting positive feedback from his neighbors — there are (probably) only so many burglars to scare away!
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Dear Joy,
I have the feeling from the 1909 newspaper article that Charlie was a bit of a rabble-rouser to begin with. At least one time things worked out in his favor. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This made me laugh. Great story, Rochelle. 😁
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Dear Magarisa,
Mission accomplished. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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More great history we’ll never learn about in school. Thanks.
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Dear James,
History’s a lot more fun than it ever was in school . 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice take, R.! Wow, that’s some chant. Yes, chilling. Thanks.
The minute I saw the rock my story started forming
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Dear Ted,
KU fans are pretty hardcore. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Even the little tiny ones? Oh, they’re probably the worst.
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Yeah, that chant was pretty unexpected. Started out like a Latin liturgy and changed so suddenly it took me by surprise. Thanks for another fascinating historical tidbit 🙂
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Dear Linda,
It is a different chant for sure. Glad you enjoyed. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely portraits, Rochelle.
CS’s caterwauling helped his team. nice historical fiction.
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Dear Kalpana,
I don’t know that CS’s caterwauling helped his team any but it certainly saved a few hotel guests from being robbed blind. 😉 Thank you on all counts.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Had my headphones today. LOL! That rocked! Great story.
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Hey, all, for some reason the linkage has me listed at #34 for a post I haven’t made. It opens to my page with edit entry. Can’t get rid of it, no clue how it got there, either.
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oh, and it looks like something in a foreign language on the link up page
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Dear Jelli,
Glad you were able to listen to that crazy chant. 😀 Thank you. I hope you were able to resolve all of the other issues.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for the history lesson finished with a great turn of events. Fun story.
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Dear Lish,
The most fun of this story is that, for the most part, save a few minor tweaks, it really did happen. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Haha! Nice. I wonder if that’s ever happened in other university towns. I grew up in a big university town. The fans can be…boisterous, to be diplomatic about it. I’m one of them. 😉 Fun story, Rochelle!
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Dear Eric,
I can’t speak for other college towns KU is pretty close to here and the fans are hardcore and over the top. And their chant is sacred. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I see two funny people having a grand time! Cute story Rochelle – as always!
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Dear Nan,
Not sure where the two funny people are in this story. There certainly is one. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You made me laugh as usual, Rochelle 🙂 I can just picture him singing 😀
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Dear Joyful,
Glad you laughed. My work here is done. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ha!!
Absolutely loved it.
❤
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Comments don’t get much better than that, Chioma. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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i suppose, all’s well that ends well! 🙂
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Dear Plaridel,
In this case it certainly was.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Of course, next week they’ll be back to cursing him again 🙂
That chant starts off cult, turns religious and ends rugby (as in the All Blacks’ haka chant). Very weird!
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Dear Ali,
Believe me, KU fans are religious about their team. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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If history was taught like this I’d have been much more interested! Brilliant Rochelle.
Click to read my FriFic
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Dear Keith,
What a lovely compliment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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At least there was some kind of victory in the end:)
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Dear Fatima,
Well said. There was a victory in the end. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
As always, historically accurate, deftly told and enjoyable to read with that sparkle of enlightening. Love the little moral you built into this one: Shout and make noise, you never do it may do more good than harm!
Hope you are enjoying your time away.
Shalom.
Kelvin
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Dear Kelvin,
I love history and finding little nuggets like this one makes me do a happy dance. 😀 I’m glad you enjoyed it and took the time to leave such a lovely comment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS I was only ‘away’ last weekend, however I’ve been ‘all over the map’ this past week and am trying to catch up with myself.
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To share with the rest of our readers the story i told you yesterday, if someone goes to K-State in Manhattan, KS., they say, “Rock chalk chicken hawk, boo, K.U.” I had more friends who went to K-State than K.U.
I stayed out — I went to Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS.
Fun story!
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Dear Cuzzin Kent,
K-State has better school colors. 😉 I went two years to the Kansas City Art Institute. Multicolored. Weaver High, Weaver High, duh duh duh duh Weaver Hiiiiiigh. Thank you
Shalom,
Cuzzin Shelley
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Hahahahaha! “Weaver High, Weaver High …”
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Ha! See? All the college cheers are useful in the end. Maybe I should update my burglar alarm? Fun story, Rochelle!
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Dear Eric,
It would make an interesting burglar alarm at that. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love your quirky sense of humor, Rochelle!
(And I’m back. I was heartbroken after the elections, then very busy, and now I’m back. And I LOVED your short stories in the book you sent me. I’m sorry I’ve been so silent since the beginning of the year.)
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Dear Vijaya,
I’m glad you liked my short stories. That book’s now out of print, except for the ones in my possession. 😉
I do understand busy but am really happy to see you back among us.
Re this story, Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hahaha! We learn something every week, thanks to you! :). Lovely story.
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Dear FP,
There are so many little nuggets of history to be discovered in old newspapers. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Roll Tide. HA! I’ve so missed all the fun here. The Barber College cheer is my favorite. “Rip their lips! Slash their jaws! Make their faces RAW, RAW, RAW!
As always, your story makes me want to join in.
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Dear StepHonie,
I’m so happy to see you here. 😀 Love the Barber College cheer. That’s hilarious. I’m glad my story pulled you in. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great story as ever & site looks lovely.
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Thank you, Louise. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a great title and a wonderful take on the prompt, Rochelle!
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Thank you, Esha. Glad you liked. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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LOL! Great story! So nice to see youthful high spirits channeled into something useful
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Thanks, Alice. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Bernice Kopell,
That cheer is nothing. Here at Hard Knocks, where many of our students are enrolled in state run vocational/technical programs (sometimes referred to as prisons or penitentiaries) our cheers are much more volatile and blood curdling.
According to Donald Trump, the best thing about our school is the scantily clad, voluptuous cheerleaders with KNOCKERS emblazoned across the front of their uniforms. You won’t see that in Kansas, Dorothy.
Smashed,
Dash Riprock
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Dear Dash Riprock,
I would love to hear the cheers of which you speak. 😉
To each their own and then some.
Shalom,
Bernie, rah rah rah.
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Sounded like something out of Monty Python’s Holy Grail
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Dear Susan,
Now I’ll have to go back and watch that movie. It’s been years since I saw it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another little gem from you Rochelle. Learned something new. Cheers, Varad
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Dear Varad,
I’m always happy to pass along a little obscure history. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice one, Rochelle.
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Thank you, Kitty. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Welcome Rochelle:)
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Amazing take on the prompt!
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Thank you, Zainab. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Congrats on your new venture. And a new look website. And what a great piece of historical fiction was this! Hats off to you, ROCHELLE.
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Dear Neel,
Thank you on both counts. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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How fascinating! Thanks Rochelle… another taste of history. Sports mad and a hero
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Dear Laurie,
This was such a fun bit of history. Glad you enjoyed my story. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Neat story – unfortunately I couldn’t access the cheer!
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Dear Liz,
I’m glad you liked the story. I’m not sure what the problem might be with the cheer. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
I see we’ve all managed to scare away those purple flowers that populated your blog, thanks to last week’s prompt, courtesy of Dale 😉 This new background looks solid and works well, as it makes the blog content stand out more.
Loved your fun story and snippet of history this week.
I won’t be able to participate in FF this week and probably not again until the last week in August (there’s a tiny chance for next week, although it’s fairly unlikely). Have rather a lot on my plate just now. Will try to email you.
All best wishes,
Sarah.
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Dear Sarah
You’re always so kind to comment even when you don’t have time to participate.
You’re also the first to say anything about the change in background. I realized that putting up a new page didn’t do me any good if the link got lost among the flowers. Thank you for your confirming comments on it. It shows that there’s someone who actually pays attention. 😉 Guess you could say it’s time to get down to business.
Shalom
Rochelle
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Now that was a creative take on the prompt. It made me smile. Thanks.
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Glad it made you smile, Cindy. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A true story? That must have been retold a countless times then 🙂
I liked your version of it. As far as sporting chants go, I find the haka performed by the New Zealand rugby team as most compelling one to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXEzldBHZoU
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Dear Subroto,
A true story indeed…lifted from a 1909 newspaper article and distilled into a fictitious account.;) Glad you liked. As for the Haka …stunning. The Maori are fascinating. Thanks for sharing that.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And now I have learned a bit more history. Well done! 🙂
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Dear Miles,
When it comes to obscure history, I love to pass it along. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Haha…smile worthy!
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Thanks, Dawn. 😀
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Amusing story. That howl after the defeat of the team? is it true story? You really paint good, story or…
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Dear Indira,
I have to confess that I distilled the story from a newspaper article from 1909. It really did happen. I just tweaked a few of the details. 😉 It was too funny not to relay. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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:).
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