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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 © Dale Rogerson
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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI FLOOD OF 1927
“I’m so glad the waters are finally receding.” Myrtle smoothed her blonde hair with one hand while sipping her lemonade. “It’s been an awful year, hasn’t it?”
Geraldine crunched an ice chip, savoring the cold on her tongue. “Dreadful. Just dreadful.”
“Daddy says he’s not sure how we will ever recover our losses.” Tears trickled from Myrtle’s blue eyes. “Momma’s carpets were washed away, Grandma’s china shattered and my best frocks are simply ruined.”
“Bless your heart. Why, I hear tell all our farmhands went north. Can you believe those selfish darkies deserted us in our hour of need?”
*
*
*
We don’t always like the characters we write, do we? I hope my story made you angry.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
It did! Also showed vividly the mindset certain people still have.
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Dear Sadje,
Mission accomplished. 😉 I could just imagine that attitude prevailing. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome Rochelle.
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A good point, Rochelle. Sometimes the whole point is to show the world from the point of view of people unlike us. And, perhaps this is wrong, but it made me laugh.
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Dear Neil,
Some of the attitudes people have amaze and appall at the same time. Laughing at such ignorance is certainly acceptable. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such an accurate depiction of those times. Perhaps, even prevailing times.
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Dear Joy,
I still cling to the hope that we’ve moved beyond. But sometimes I’m not so sure. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Interesting how some are just left to fend for themselves.
As an aside _ I can not get onto the link site, it keeps asking for verification and I am sent into a loop – odd really. I’ll keep trying.
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Dear James,
Some were left to fend for themselves and some weren’t. Somehow, I don’t feel that Myrtle and Geraldine were among those left to fend, although they thought they were.
As for inLinkz, I can’t say. Hope you can get the issue resolved.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Angry indeed, and as Neil says, it seems so absurd it makes you laugh, but sadly it happened. I can see a relation between this and the pandemic and the way the poor, and poorer nations like India, are struggling and other countries seem slow to come to their aid. Perhaps we haven’t come as far as we think in our attitudes.
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Dear Iain,
Laughing at the absurdity is certainly permissible and encouraged. 😉 It is sad that the attitudes prevail. Thank you for sharing my anger.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This did make me very angry, mission accomplished. And these attitudes don’t change, merely the actors and their targets. Great story.
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Dear Gabi,
So true. These attitudes do prevail. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A sad commentary on attitudes that still prevail in ways both obvious and subtle. That we would all aspire to compassion. Well told! 🌷
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Dear Earthskyair,
I keep hoping we’ll all move beyond these attitudes but it’s a tall order, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a historical perspective this story puts on racism. The poor darlings lost their best dresses. And, by the way HER darkies abandoned her. I realize it may not seem like it but stories like this remind us that we really have come a long ways. On another note the destructive power of Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me. Can you imagine the Missouri & Mississippi River being 80 miles wide during this flood. Imagine the logistics of everyday life then. Food, water, power, everyday necessities being separated with such distances 96 years ago. Hard times….
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Dear Jan,
I think we have come a long way…at least in some places and ways. In 1927, African Americans didn’t receive the government aid the whites did. And I think the south had a bit of a problem with the abolition of slavery. In many ways it still existed.
Nope I can’t imagine a flood of that magnitude. History…let’s not forget it.
Thanks, m’luv.
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Nope, we can’t like every character we write, these two are not very likable. Well, I’m sure they are sweet “to their own”, but… Nice details, like sipping lemonade, iced lemonade at that. Yeah, their hour of need, indeed….
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Dear Trent,
If we liked every one of our characters, our fiction would be boring. 😉 In reality, whites did suffer great losses in the flood, however the government offered aid to then that wasn’t offered to African Americans. 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You are right, if all of the characters were likable, fiction would be pretty boring.
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A beautifully told after the disaster tale, well done.
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Many thanks for your kind words, Mason.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome.
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It does indeed make me angry at the truth of it all. Writing from a callous character’s point of view makes it all the more real and despicable. Great writing, Rochelle!
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Dear Brenda,
Mission accomplished. Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We don’t always like our creations, but we have to love them. At least that’s what my mom tells me. As despicable as they may be, they serve us well.
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Dear Nobbin,
I wrote a character in my second novel who was such an evil person that doing away with him was a pleasure. No remorse. 😉 And it was fun to write him. Can’t say I loved him…ever. Thank you for paddling by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah, but you loved killing him.
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Believe me. He had it coming. 😉
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Well observed bit of dialogue, Rochelle, even if they were a pair of spoilt brats!
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Spoilt brats indeed, Liz. Self entitled brats as well. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great post Rochelle! Always a bit of history in it.
Couldn’t help having a ‘give me a break’ moment reading that some of your comments believe nothing has changed. Ugh.
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Dear Susan,
I guess it’s all perspective. Somethings have changed a lot and for those I’m grateful. Sadly, bigotry abounds. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. Proof that what people look for, they find. ;-D
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Dear Rochelle,
I can see hateful conversations like this in different contexts happening today throughout the world, whatever the culture, whatever the history. That’s the genius of your story. The South has changed, and people who continue to paint Southerners as somehow more evil than the rest of us are unfairly maligning them and deceiving ourselves.
Shalom,
Dora
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Dear Dora,
I’ve found that prejudice and bigotry go in many directions. I’ve said it before and will say it again, if we could only learn to celebrate our differences…sigh. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A cleverly illustrated point, Rochelle, and yes, I felt angry with your characters, reading the story. Sad to say, it’s an attitude that still exists between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’, even from the same race. And racial prejudice came rushing to the surface in our recent Brexit debacle over here. We’ve learned a lot, but we still have a way to go. A great story.
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Dear Jenne,
Racial prejudice is universal, isn’t it? Thank you for your generous comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
This was very effective because it reflected the absurd attitudes of those times. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Racial prejudice, unfortunately isn’t a thing of the past. I was appalled and outraged when I read about a black man who was shot by a white police when he refused to be forced at gunpoint to unload a relief boat.
Thanks for sharing the link and for reminding us that we still have a long ways to go.
Shalom,
Adele
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Dear Adele,
There are so many appalling stories out there. I wish it weren’t so. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re right, we don’t always like the people we create. But I did like the story. I grew up near the Mississippi in Minnesota, and I always enjoy reading stories about that legendary river.
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Dear Linda,
If we only wrote likeable characters our writing would be boring, wouldn’t it? Glad you liked my story. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, you’re right. You have to have conflict, villains, etc. or the writing wouldn’t be worth reading 🙂
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Never heard of the Mississippi Fliood, Rochelle, informative stuff, and that attitude still exists over the other side of the pond too, a shitty way to position oneself.
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Dear Shrawley,
Sadly the attitude exists everywhere. 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You contrast rich and poor, Black and White, very adroitly, very powerfully. Racism is so difficult to combat, especially when powerful people continue to fan the flames.
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Dear Penny,
I wonder what would happen if we celebrated our differences instead of hating them? Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
How can one read this and not turn red from intense anger?
So true … and to the point. I have a friend who was raised by a Mami
and still doesn’t think it was wrong. We’ve had many conversations ( maybe, arguments).
Since she 95 I tolerate her opinions because when she gets to the promise
land – there’ll be hell to pay. Buen cuento …
Abrazos y Carino,
Isadora 😎
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Querida Isadora,
I think there will be some who’ll be shocked to find that heaven isn’t segregated. 😉 Thank you for your anger and your comments.
Abrazos y shalom,
Rochelle
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i guess it’s something we can expect from folks who feel so entitled they can’t look beyond themselves. after all, they’re the center of the universe. 🙂
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Dear Plaridel,
Sadly, this is true. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yeah, we decidedly do not have to like the characters we write. I know there are some I’d written, who I despise. And yet. There they were, telling an aspect of a story that needed telling.
As in yours.
Your characters? In today’s world, we’d call them “Karens” or worse. Oy.
Yes, reading left me angry. As it ought.
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
I can think of one character you wrote that I really despised. 😉 But without him the story wouldn’t have made such an impact.
There are many words for my characters. “Karens” is one of the tamer ones. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I hear ya. Yeah, that character … (there are others of various ickiness, of course, in other books, but … yeah … I hear ya. …). And … Karen is pretty tame in comparison, fah-shuah! xoxo
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It’s difficult to feel sorry for someone’s tragedy when they are so unkind to others. You captured that well in your story.
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Dear Lisa,
I certainly didn’t feel sorry for these two even though their losses were probably significant. Unkind is one word. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, I sensed that about that about your story. You are very welcome.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Reminds me of the description of our current crisis – we are all in the same storm but we are not all in the same boat. Some of us don’t have a boat at all.
Your post made me more sad than angry, we humans are not very good at seeing beyond our own troubles to those of others.
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Dear Jen,
Sadly those boats are full of holes. It all makes me very angry and very sad. Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
You set the scene perfectly. I could see those two prissy misses whining over their own personal losses with no regard for anyone else – especially those beneath them. Such horrid people in the world. Perfectly done!
Shalom and lotsa of real and heartfelt love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Exactly the point. Thank you for going where I wanted you to. 😉
Shalom and lotsa heartfelt hugs,
Rochelle
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You know it 🙂
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Tragedy spares no one.
It’s how we react that matters.
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True, Anita.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A ‘them and us’ tale of the worst kind. While it’s not easy to write from the perspective of a character with despicable views it makes the message all the more powerful.
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Dear Keith,
That was exactly my intent. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Whereas this post might make one angry as you suggest, the truth is that, at the time, this was the reality. That does not make it right or good, but if we forget the past we are bound to relive it.
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Dear Athling,
Exactly, the time frame doesn’t make their attitudes right. And the past shouldn’t be forgotten.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The story makes you think and reflect.
I feel that we still have people who think like that. How dare these poor people inconvenience my lifestyle by dying, how terribly inconsiderate of them. It’s happening now in some parts of the world in the current crisis.
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Dear Subroto,
Sadly, bigotry is something that’s with us forever. Thank you for your kind words and thoughts.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It did make me angry at the end. Wow, what a story, Rochelle. At first, I was oh like poor people losing stuff in a flood. I’ve had a basement flood and know that can be frustrating but I was wondering where it was going, if they lost someone they loved. And then the last sentence. Whoa buddy. Very well written and a strong reminder that this isn’t all about me and “my kind of people.” Jabbed me right in the anger strings. I hope I never get to be like that. But I fear if we don’t constantly remind ourselves not to, we can be. ❤
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Dear Anne,
Happy to have jabbed your anger strings. 😉 The infuriating thing is that African Americans weren’t taken care of by the government after the flood. Thank you for your wonderful comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It sounds like the flood was good cover for those who wished to slip to the more tolerant north.
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Dear Ali,
Opportunity flooded in. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The rich tend to be out of touch, then and today. Frustrating.
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Dear Tannille,
Some things never seem to change, do they?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I too see a a link between this and the pandemic, many disasters create change
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Dear Michael,
Interesting comment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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People like this certainly make me angry. But it also made me glad to be reminded just how thoughtless we can all be at times.
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Dear Genia,
Mission accomplished. Reminders never hurt. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s valuable to remind ourselves of the arrogant attitudes some previous generations had, and some current people hold, the better to challenge them.
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Dear Francine,
We can only hope for change in attitudes. Some do. Some never will. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow. So much in this. The mental gymnastics people perform to hold onto their view always astounds. You put it so simply and yet the layers are amazing. Well done.
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Dear Laurie,
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This made me laugh, Rochelle, they’ve expected others to do so much for them in the past, they are helpless to help themselves now. It’s the lack of self-awareness which always gets me.
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Dear Michael,
I’m glad you laughed at the absurdity. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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