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 © Sandra Crook
Genre: Histrionic Fiction
Word Coutnt: 100
TWIXT WOOD AND LAUGHTER
Mae West said I was all wood and a yard long. Don’t remember her? Use your little fingers and do a Google search. That is, if you’re smart enough to use a computer.
(And they call me the dummy).
I don’t say much these days. I just watch the passersby at the Smithsonian Institution. I miss my buddy, Edgar who passed away in 1978. He treated me like a son. Some say he treated me better than his own daughter. To be fair, he only included one of us in his will. I’d be upset, too, if I were her.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Excellent voice in this one. Nicely done, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Mr. B,
I hope you took the time to listen to the recording. The voice is my cousin who has always been a Charlie McCarthy fan. 😉 At any rate, thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! I very much meant “voice” in terms of the recording and the tone in which you wrote!
LikeLike
Undoubtedly, I’d be upset too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, indeed.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not much a father, perhaps, but a hell of a showman
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neil,
I’m sure Mr. Bergen was never named Father of the Year. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Awesome! I could never do the voice until my jaws were wired shut.. When I was in Mexico many decades ago, now, I watched a puppet maker at the straw market carve one of those little touristy puppets. It was fascinating to watch how quickly his blades moved. And then, when he “gave it life’ I just had to have it. It cost me all of $3 USD, but it was priceless. Had it for decades. His name was Pepito, and he was quite the character. Used to walk him around the nursing home where I worked to visit residents. They loved him, too! P.S. My glasses are fixed so maybe this week I can read everyone. Shalom, Bear
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Bear,
Ouch. The thought of having my jaws wired shut is paintful. I guess that’s one way to learn ventriloquism. 😉 Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Edgar was a great ventriloquist and Charlie was a fantastic, well built “dummy”. I’ll bet his daughter was not a happy camper. Thanks for the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jan,
I’d say in the end Candice Bergen did all right for herself. No doubt those old scars are still there. Thanks m’luv.
LikeLike
You gave him a voice again, albeit briefly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, James.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I wonder what his daughter did to make her father be so mean to her. A very interesting story, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gabi,
I doubt that Candice did anything to warrant his attitude. But then, I wasn’t there. 😉 Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rochelle. Was Sandra’s picture taken at Weymouth? Fond memories for me if it was.
LikeLike
Swanage, actually. Just along the coast.
LikeLike
Thanks Sandra, we know it well. Hubby used to be the beach warden there. They do the best mango ice cream ever!
LikeLike
Interesting stuff (once again)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Dawn.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
All I can say is wow, that’s one effed-up parent. I’m glad Candace had the courage to share the information with the public.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lisa,
I’d say that Candice Bergen did a fantastic job of moving on. It’s bad enough playing second fiddle to flesh and blood sibling, but a wooden one??? Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, finally in his own voice! 🙂 Fun!
And about time that the voiceless, the silenced, the shut-behind, will have a right to voice, and to being heard. So, yeah. Here’s to moving forward, because going back isn’t all that great once one looks at what was acceptable, and what some want to revisit.
But enough of that …
Loved this! Na’ama
LikeLiked by 1 person
Na’ama Y’karah,
In this case, his own voice belonged to my cousin (on the recording, anyway 😉 ) Thank you re my story and for being a voice for those who have none.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my friend. As you are, too. So much of the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it’s a damn good thing Candice had her own successful career! Daddy had a heart of wood as far as she was concerned. Charlie was like a son to him.
Excellent voice, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Nancy,
I’d say Candice showed him. Very strange man, I think. Glad you liked the voice. Hope you also listened to the recorded one..ie my cousin Kent, a ventriloquist himself.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, very strange!
You have a talented family, Rochelle. Did you ever ask you cousin what he thought of Edgar leaving everything to Charlie? It would be interesting getting another ventriloquist’s take on the story.
Shalom
🕊️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Nancy. I’ll pass that along to Kent. I’ll have to ask him what he thinks of Edgar leaving her inheritance to Charlie McCarthy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
poor thing, it seemed she didn’t grow up to become a daddy’s girl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel,
Nope, she definitely wasn’t a daddy’s girl. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was more than a ventriloquist , and less than a good father.
LikeLike
that was me, Liz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz,
I think another reader described him well as having a heart of wood. Probably more splinters in his head than in his dummy. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I’ll have to get my little fingers googling to find out more! Great take on the prompt, Rochelle 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Fleur,
Charlie McCarthy was something of a wise guy, wasn’t he? Enjoy the Google. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
He sure was! You’re welcome 😊
LikeLike
Aw, lovely tribute Rochelle. Although yes, I think I’d be annoyed if I was her too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jen,
One has to wonder what Edgar was thinking to treat his own flesh and blood so poorly. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
That’s interesting. We had a similar one, Archie Andrews, operated by Peter Brough. As ever, you sent me on a trip down memory lane. Good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
Actually, Kent sent me some of his clips. I hope Mr. Brough treated his children better. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Sandra just beat me too it, I too thought of Archie Andrews, Brough had the easiest gig going, for many years he had a radio show!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Keith,
A radio show would be great for a ventriloquist. No worries about moving lips. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Loved this story Richelle! You read it so well, it really made the story come to life! 😁🎈💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Carol Anne,
I’m glad you enjoyed the story. However the recorded voice isn’t mine. 😉 I drafted my cousin Kent. He did do a great job, didn’t he? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I loved the voice and perspective! I feel like a goof for knowing not a single thing about Punch and Judy…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Angela,
I did do some research on Punch and Judy, then decided to go with a different famous puppet. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another bit of history brought to life. I did do a little Google search. 🙂 Well done, Rochelle, as always.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Brenda,
Viva Google! Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This really brought back a lot of nice memories!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Michael,
Nice memories are always good. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This takes me back to 5th grade. I was in a two-person play called Smarter Than The Average Dummy. I was the dummy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Nobbin,
Sounds like a fun play. 😀 Glad to take you on a trip down Memory Lane.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I love the voice of this tale. Love a snarky V dummy. So clear. That poor daughter! I’d be angry too.
Laurie
LikeLike