This week Pegman takes us to St. Petersburg, Russia.
There’s an abundance of both street view and photo spheres in this beautiful city. Feel free to stroll around the area using the Google street view and grab any picture you like for your post.
Your job is to write a 150-word (or less) story about this week’s chosen location. Where will you take your readers? You’re invited to join the talented writers of Pegman this week in St. Petersburg, Russia.
To enjoy this week’s stories or to submit your own, visit the inLinkz button:
For guidelines and rules for the What Pegman Saw weekly writing prompt, visit the home page.
Thanks to Karen Rawson and J Hardy Carroll for facilitating this interesting and unique challenge.
As you may already know, I’m currently working on getting my fourth book A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY ready for publication. It will be a collection of illustrations and excerpts depicting characters and scenes from my novel trilogy. These excerpts seem to lend themselves to 100-150 word flashes. This week’s location was the perfect opportunity. Thank you for your indulgence and your help. 😉
St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 149
ELEGY
With the unpleasant task of delivering bad news to a dear friend and former patient behind him, Dr. Nikolai Derevenko settled back for the evening. In an attempt to cheer himself, he picked up his flute from the table, brought it to his lips and played a Bach sonata. Usually the music would lift his spirits, but tonight it only intensified his loneliness as he reflected on his life, beginning with the day he informed his father he had chosen to go to medical school.
Sergei Derevenko, a prominent violinist in the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, eyed Nikolai with a mixture of anger and hurt.
“You’d rather slice people open and wallow in their blood and bile than delight thousands of patrons with your talent? I don’t understand you, Kolyah.”
“You never have. Why start now?”
“But how can you abandon your dreams?”
“Don’t you mean your dreams, Tatko?”
For your listening pleasure.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Delightful, my dear. I love that last line and wonder how many children have been intimidated by those very words or have been made stronger. This – slice people open and wallow in their blood and bile – is a particularly vivid line. Cheers! Lish
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Dear Lish,
My cousin was a physician. I only learned in later years that this wasn’t his choice, but his father’s. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So Nikolai still smarts from his father’s disapproval, even after years where he’s achieved at least some of his ambitions? What a long shadow Sergei casts.
Small musical point. It is not an Allemande sonata; it is a movement in the form of an Allemande from a sonata by J S Bach. (Sorry to be picky; music is my hobby and I’m married to a flautist!)
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Dear Penny,
I wish you’d been around when the book was published. I’m afraid that’s the way it is in From Silt and Ashes. Now my face is red and there’s not much I can do about it.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve changed it here, but I can’t change the book.
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Crime and Punishment in 150 words. Challenge: accepted.
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And I really enjoyed your elegy. Great answer to the prompt.
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Dear Jake,
Thank you for such a nice comment. Glad you liked my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dang. Knocked it out of the park again, Rochelle. I think that scenario plays out between fathers and sons all the time. Mothers and daughters too. You captured it beautifully. Happy that the Pegman lured you out to play!
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Dear Karen,
I’m glad my little snippet resonated with you. Of course there’s much more where that came from. 😉 Thank you for your generous comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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How many father/son discussions have gone just like that? A lot, I’d wager. At least he held onto a piece of his music. Beautiful story as always Rochelle! 🙂
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Dear Eric,
Music will always be Nikolai’s solace. It’s just not his calling. Perhaps Sergei will one day understand his son’s heart. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Excellent story, Rochelle. Love this piece.
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Thank you, Josh. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Quite a turn-around to the norm in which the parent would prefer the child to put down their guitar, stop practising in the garage with their “band”, study hard and become a doctor 🙂
Following your own dream rather than your parents’ leads to a happier life in general, I reckon.
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Dear Ali,
I guess when the father’s a concert musician he expects his musically gifted son to follow in his footsteps. 😉 It’s always best to follow your own dreams. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The aspirations and the age old father-son disconnect nicely brought out. Good write Rochelle!
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Thank you, Lavanya. So glad you enjoyed my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The perfect story for this photo. Well done, and so real concerning father and son wishes and aspirations.
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Dear Jan,
That’s what I love about Pegman. We can choose the photo to fit the story. 😉 Thank you, m’luv.
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I agree with everyone’s comment thus far, and would like to add how seamlessly you transition from normal story time to flashback. It’s so good no emotional intensity is lost, in fact, quite the reverse, the emotional ante is upped. Great work. Can’t wait to see your new book. Good luck.
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Dear Kelvin,
I’m happy to know that the transition between the present and flashback worked. Always tricky to pull those off. Thank you for such a marvelous comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a shame parents cause their children pain that way. It’s so sad when someone hates their life’s work. Good writing as always, Rochelle. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
All too often parents expect their children to live up to their expectations, never taking into consideration what the child might want. Thank you for your sweet comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I find your story engaging, with a lightness of touch, also so powerful on the subject of other people’s dreams.
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Thank you for such a wonderful comment, Francine. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow. Another amazing piece, Rochelle.
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😀 Thank you, James.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a beautiful exchange of dialogue rendered with classy finesse and sophistication that is your hallmark. Reading is always a pleasure, Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
Your comments always encourage me and warm my heart. Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Makes me want to reread the trilogy…. hmmm. Yes. This winter when I am not working stupid hours…
I love how this is a classic, though backward case of not being what the parent wants you to be… most would shudder at a child choosing music rather than medicine!
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
As you know, Sergei isn’t just any parent. 😉 Although I didn’t care for him much when I wrote this scene, I grew to love him as I ‘learned’ more about him and why he did the things he did. Thank you for the support and encouragement. Isn’t it time for you to host a book club? (Our passports came this week…just sayin’)
Shalom and multiple hugs,
Rochelle
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Yes, I do know… however, can’t give anything away, right?
Hmmm…and have the author come and discuss her books? Now that’s a thought!
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You little mind reader you. Of course Skype can be used also but…;)
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Where’s the fun in that? You must be due for a.visit to Montreal…
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Dear Rochelle,
I can remember, when reading the story, feeling so angry with Sergei at first because I have such difficulty with the concept of parents deciding their offspring’s future for them, and then rejecting them for choosing another course. But of course, being the skilled writer that you are, I ended up feeling quite differently about Sergei in the end (but no spoilers from me, lest someone is reading this comment who hasn’t read your books).
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
I’ve had enough trouble determining my own life’s path without laying one out for my sons. 😉 But there are parents like Sergei, aren’t there?
The funny thing with writing, is that I had one idea of how things would go in the third book between Sergei and Nikolai and they took me in quite another direction. And I used to laugh at authors who said their characters wrote themselves. 😉 Thank you for reading and commenting, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Being a pantser, my characters always write themselves. Knowing how easily I get bored, detailed plotting prior to writing would never work for me. I like the excitement of my characters surprising me 🙂
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Lovely story dear. This link is not working for me it says’ video is not available.’
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Dear Indira,
I’m glad you liked the story. You’re so sweet to read and comment on my blogs. ❤ As for the video, it seems to happen between countries. Not sure why.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Your posts are worth reading dear. I learn so much from them. Shalom.
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