This week Pegman takes us to Wroclaw, Poland
Feel free to stroll around the area using the Google street view and grab any picture you choose to include in your post. Note that there is both streetview and photospheres at this location.
To enjoy stories inspired by the What Pegman Saw prompt or to submit your own 150-word story, visit the inLinkz button:
For guidelines and rules for the What Pegman Saw weekly writing prompt, visit the home page.
For some reason, I’m not getting my Pegman notification in my inbox. So I had to go looking for it. 😉 Good job J Hardy and K Rawson. Now you know I’m hooked. Not to mention that I’m typing this in a moving car on the way back from a writers conference in Branson, MO.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 150
BEDTIME STORY
“The Cossacks came to Poland to recruit soldiers into the Russian army.” Rhoda’s grandfather’s faded eyes filled. “Soldiers? Feh! It’s 1903. I am fourteen and live with my sister and her husband. She hides me under a pile of soiled diapers and bedding. Oy, the shtink. When the Cossacks leave, she kisses me and shoves me out the back door. ‘Go,’ she says. ‘to America.’”
Questions stuck in Rhoda’s throat like cold oatmeal. “You came by yourself?”
“Like an animal in the ship’s steerage level. Nu? It’s better than serving 40 years as a Jew in the Czar’s army.”
“How did you survive?”
“To see dis shriveled old man now you would not know what a clever boy he was. You live on the street, you learn quick.”
Rhoda hugged her pillow to her chest. “You must’ve had gobs of adventures!”
Zaydeh pinched her cheek. “Stories for another time, yes?”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Good story. I’m sure he did have adventures that would make your hair stand on end. 🙂
By the way, hope your found the “Ladies” while you were in Branson. (Just couldn’t resist. Blame it on WMQC. 🙂 )
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Christine,
I’m sure Zaydeh had many more tales to tell Rhoda. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS Nope, didn’t see the Ladies. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad he made it to America. Is the story purely fictional or is this based on a specific person?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Dear James,
This is a rewritten excerpt distilled from a larger short story. That made sense, right? 😉 It was loosely based on my grandfather who came from Poland in 1906 to escape the pogroms and the Russian “draft.” He was never a particularly warm person, so for my own resolution I wrote the longer story of the conversation I wish we’d had. So many unanswered questions.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
Stories for another time, FROM another time. How did so many survive when so many more didn’t? Well done, my dear.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Lish,
Little was known about my maternal grandfather by the rest of the family. My mother told me he didn’t know his own birthday because of the pogroms. I was told by a cousin that Grandpa came fled Poland to escape the Russian ‘draft’ and hitchhiked from NY to the Midwest. Fodder for another novel I think. 😉 At any rate, he inspired the short story this snippet came from. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 3 people
And a wonderful snippet it is! So much history in your heart. As always, thanks for sharing it with all of us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this, Rochelle. Really nice dialog. Glad to see you back!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Many thanks, Josh. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
With that history, I bet Rhoda can look forward to an adventure story every day 🙂 Nice one!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Dear Ali,
I think Rhoda will be begging him for stories. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
He must have stored up a good many stories. Good writing, Rochelle. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Suzanne,
This grandfather certainly does. I’ve often thought he needs a novel about his life. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some lovely phrases in this story, Rochelle, my favourite being the cruel gruel sentence: Questions stuck in Rhoda’s throat like cold oatmeal.
I love bedtime stories. I would love one from your maternal grandfather.
Lovely story telling.
Shalom
Kelvin
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Kelvin,
I might’ve loved a story from my maternal grandfather if he’d ever told one. Thank you for such a lovely comment/compliment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another time, indeed! Great story this week. I almost chose the same picture, but then the monument really grabbed me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jelli,
That’s what I like about this challenge–choosing the prompt to fit the story. 😉 Of course I get that luxury in FF, too, but this is different. Thank you re my story. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle,
As always, you pull us into your story with wonderful descriptions and/or dialogue. This had both. Too bad the real Zaydeh didn’t share more stories with the family…
Lotsa love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale,
The real Zaydeh whom we called Grandpa was a cold fish…or so it seemed. I’ve always regretted not getting to know him better. I often wonder what he would’ve said if any of us had thought to ask the questions. At any rate I’m glad this boiled down snippet stands alone. Thank you for coming by and leaving such a nice comment, my friend. ❤ 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess we all have that one in our family that we coulda shoulda woulda…
LikeLiked by 1 person
And we’ll never escape them, will we?
LikeLike
Nope. Not a chance.
LikeLike
An amazing story of survival and resilience!
LikeLike
Good story. The Czar certainly laid the foundations for Hitler.
LikeLike
LOVE how this fits in with your family history. A very intriguing character, that man. I’d love to hear more!
LikeLike