This week Pegman visits Bristol in the southwest of England. This week’s location was suggested by the talented and inspiring Kelvin M. Knight, blogger and flash fiction ninja. If you haven’t already, wander over and check out his blog.
Your mission is to write a 150-word story, poem, or essay inspired by this week’s location. You’ll find both photo spheres and streetview to inspire you. Once your piece is polished, please share it with other Pegman contributors using the link up below.
It has been one majorly busy weekend with an unexpected trip to the ER and a whole day lost. Here it is Monday morning…still catching up on Friday Fictioneers and posting a late Pegman story. What am I meshuggeh? On the other hand, the following tweaked snippet from AS ONE MUST, ONE CAN puts me closer to having A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY completed. So it’s all good, right? Of course right!
Colston Hall in Bristol taken in 1917
Genre: Historical Fiction (Vienna 1908)
Word Count: 150
FUROR
Deep satisfaction surged through Ulrich. Four-year-old Rachel enthralled audiences across Europe, from Colston Hall in Bristol, to, just days before, in Vienna’s Musikverein.
“Rachel is a magnificent talent,” said Catherine.
“A prodigy. My little Mozart.”
The steady clop of the horses’ hooves along the cobblestones lulled Ulrich as they made their way around the circular courtyard called the Schwarzenbergplatz.
He stopped the carriage. “The famous Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain.”
“It’s simply gorgeous!”
In the midst of a large round pool, a geyser-like fountain spotlighted from below illuminated the night sky, by turns, with purple, blue, yellow, green and red.
A strident voice split through the peaceful water’s swooshing. A rail-thin youth gestured with the fervor of one addressing thousands rather than one equally scrawny youngster.
“These strange ones with their ugly language that sounds like snuffles and squeaking and their odd dress have no place here. We are Germans. ‘Deutschland über alles!’”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
You’ve portrayed Rachel as one AMAZING child! I’m coming in on Act Two here. Is she based on a real child?
Well told as always. One can guess who the rail-thin youth was. Nice play on words there.
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Dear Christine,
Rachel isn’t based on anyone I know, but is the product of a lot of research. I do have a blind friend who is an amazing singer and writer. I’ve told her that she is Rachel all grown up. And I think you’re spot on about the youth. But one has to read AOMOC to be sure. 😉 (That one took a lot of research, too).
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Anything historical takes a lot of research. I wrote about a girl in 1957 and had to research back to the war’s end when she was born, plus 1957, all the details of life then. Yes, a lot of research, if you want to be historically accurate — as I’m sure you do.
I hope your trip to Emerg was a quick and health-restoring one? Time to take a little rest now. 🙂
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I LOVE research! I’ve learned so much. One of my editors asked if that certain young man would’ve been in Vienna at that time. Dare you ask? I say. 😉 The trip to ER was a good call. Much better now. Thank you.
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Hope whoever was rushed to ER is on the mend. And it amazes me how you manage to work your work in progress into the prompts, no matter where they go. I do enjoy Rachel’s character, and always harboured a feeling she was based on someone we all know and love.
Take it easy and carefully, Rochelle.
Shalom.
Kelvin
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Dear Kelvin,
I recently met a lady via email who has a lot of Rachel. People who overcome such challenges amaze me.
Actually I was the one who took myself to ER with a corneal ulcer. I knew what it was as I’ve had them before. Very painful. Had my eye doctor been available on Sunday, I would’ve gone there. Antibiotics every two hours for two days and no contact lenses. I am much better today, thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So glad you are feeling over the weather, Rochelle, love Kelvin x
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Dear Rochelle,
I want more! Oh wait… I’ll just go to my copy of AOMOC😉. Would that Rachel was real (outside of our hearts, that is) and there were recordings of her playing… sigh.
Glad you are feeling better!
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Of course there’s a little more to come in ASFTJ. 😉 The book for those who’d rather look at pictures than read. But then many, I hope, will do both. I know there are Rachel’s in this world. One I call friend but she’s a singer not a pianist. She has validated Rachel as believable many times over. 😀 Feeling much better thanks. Couldn’t have felt much worse. Thank you, my friend. ❤
Shalom,
Rochelle
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💗💗
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Just as peace and fulfillment comes to us, sometimes, a harsh reality such as this interrupts. The thin, unnamed, but possible Adolph, shows up to shake us back to reality. Nicely done M’luv.
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Dear Jan,
Adolph? Did I say it was him? Thanks for reading, commenting and supporting, m’luv.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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There seemed to be a number of like-minded people on the lunatic fringe in Deutchland back in those days, and esp after WWI.
CDN columnist Gordon Sinclair wrote once that “Hitler worked like a wind-up toy in reverse.” His interview with the Fuhrer, done through a translator, started out calmly enough. But Hitler worked himself up into a frenzy, talking faster and louder. The translator couldn’t keep up; finally he and Sinclair made a quiet exit. Hitler ranted on full force, never noticing his listeners had gone.
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Dear Christine
Oh yes, there were many likeminded German folks. It’s one of the reasons composer Gustav Mahler came to the US from Vienna.
For my research for a few paragraphs I read a book called “The Young Hitler I Knew” by August Kubizek who was the other scrawny fellow in the scene. He described his friend as a speech maker who would emphatically wave his arms as he delivered his speeches to his audience of one. The book was a very uncomfortable read.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
What stark contrasts you make: the beauty of the music against the ugly prejudice; the love of Ulrich against the hate of the rail-thin young man. What a tragedy for Europe and the world that hate won even a temporary victory.
Shalom
Penny
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Dear Penny,
Many thanks for such a lovely comment/compliment. That rail-thin young man was full of hate and evil and quite a dept at spreading it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Superb little snippet. Your gift for scene setting is downright magical. Although I’ve got a bad feeling about that youth.
Hope you are on the mend!
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Dear Karen,
A bad feeling you should have about that youth. 😉 Thank you for your high praise.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such an emotionally powerful story, with such a lightness of touch, so vivid. I imagined being there with your characters. And I like the photo.
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Dear Francine,
Thank you for such a lovely compliment. Thank you. (Found the photo in Google. 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Excellent excerpt, Rochelle. I am sorry you’re sick. This is a bad season for sick.
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Dear Josh,
Thank you re my excerpt. Actually it’s my eye that’s sick. Corneal ulcer. Strong antibiotic eye drops are working their magic. But the ER made me nervous…hot bed of bacteria. 😉 Thanks again.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hope you are healing and on the mend…. (sounds like you are)
thanks for the excerpt and my favoritie part was near the end:
ugly language that sounds…
it has been a while since I have heard anyone talk about the sounds of languages and their view of ugly vs. smooth or nice…
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Dear Yvette,
The language quote actually came from Hitler’s hero, Richard Wagner.
And yes, the eye’s on the mend for which I am grateful. Thank you on all counts.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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eeeeks- I take back liking that part of the phrase –
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I used your picture for my own Pegman chapter.
A picturesque setting and compelling characters. The last sentence smacks of the kind of xenophobic attitudes which led to horrors in that region in the middle of the century. Perhaps my thoughts are colored by the fact that I had recently watched the documentary “What Our Fathers Did,” about two men whose fathers were responsible for some of the heinous crimes during the Holocaust.
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Dear Cara,
As the granddaughter of Russian Jewish refugees/immigrants I am quite sensitive to Holocaust themes. I’m glad the last sentence in my story is effective. It means I hit my target’s bull’s eye. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A chilling portent of things soon to come. Nice one!
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Dear Ali,
I’m glad you picked up on that. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love your descriptions of the fountain, of the travelling, you convey well the whizzing excitemtn of travel and performance. And then … That rail thin youth (wonderfully brief but perfect description by the way) and the mood changes, the clouds cover the sun and you chill us to the bone. So well done
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Dear Lynn,
I’m blushing. Coming from yourself, the mistress of description, your comment is high praise indeed. Thank you very much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My absolute pleasure. Thank you 🙂
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