10 May 2019

Published May 8, 2019 by rochellewisoff

The following photo is the PROMPT. It is proper etiquette to give credit where credit is due. Thank you.

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

Click Frog for the Fun of it.

As this post goes live I will be preparing to leave for Israel on a humanitarian trip 😀 So my responses and comments are bound to be slow for the next couple of weeks.

I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that I’m a huge Fiddler on the Roof fan. I suppose it’s because it depicts my heritage in such a lovely way. One of my favorite characters in the iconic movie has always been the Constable portrayed sympathetically by Louis Zourich. So here’s my take on what the Constable might have done after the eviction of the Jews of the fictitious town of Anatevka. You may notice, I gave him a name since he never had one that I’m aware of. 😉

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

SUNRISE, SUNSET

Ivan strolled along the deserted streets of Anatevka.

“What choice did I have?”

He had been a model officer, following orders to the letter.

Men and women, babes in arms, the old and lame—they took what few belongings they had while he made certain the edict was carried out.

Why did there have to be such strife? What made these Jews less human than he? Why shouldn’t Tevye hate him? The dairyman who addressed his poverty with faith and humor had earned Ivan’s undying respect.

He entered the commissioner’s office and laid his badge on the desk. “I resign.”

Tevye the dairyman

The Constable

Weekend Writing Prompt – MEANDER

Published May 5, 2019 by rochellewisoff

A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.

Thanks to Sammi for the challenge!

Channel swimmer, Gertrude Ederle spoke my truth.

“When we are in the water, we are not in this world.”

Arms gliding and finned feet propelling her forward,

This writer flips and changes directions at pool’s wall

And allows her mind to meander from one story to another.

No plans for the English Channel

3 May 2019

Published May 1, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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As always, please be considerate of your fellow Fictioneers and keep your stories to 100 words. (Title is not included in the word count.) Many thanks.

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 © Roger Bultot

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“WE ONLY KILL EACH OTHER”

Eastern European immigrant Max Siegel held his eight-day-old son on his lap on a pillow.

The mohel smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve clipped dozens of schmeckles.”

Once the deed was done, the rabbi blessed the baby. “We welcome you into the covenant of Avraham on this day, in New York City on the 11^th of Adar in the year 5666—March 8, 1906”

The rabbi dropped wine into the squalling child’s mouth. “May you teach the brotherhood of mankind and may the name of Benjamin Siegel be a blessing in the House of Yisroel.”

Max kissed the baby and murmured. “Omayn.”

Glossary Words:

Mohel – A Jew trained in the practice of brit milah, the “covenant of circumcision.”

Schmeckles – Guess. 😉

Now if you’re still scratching your head and asking yourself why the name Benjamin Siegel should ring a bell:

Click to know more about BUGSY SIEGEL

REDEMPTION

Published April 30, 2019 by rochellewisoff

Today Pegman travels to Lod, Israel. The town takes its name from the biblical City of Lod, significant Judean town from the Maccabean Period to the early Christian period.

Click on the photo above and feel free to wander around. When you find inspiration, write 150 words on your blog and link it to the other entries via the blue frog below. Remember that reading and commenting is part of the fun!

Do your best and have a good time learning about a new place and the people who may live there.

I am ~~shamefully~~ shamelessly late for the party this week. It was a crazy busy weekend, but when I saw the location, of course, I couldn’t resist. As always…thanks to Karen and Josh for the challenge that takes us around the globe.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 150

REDEMPTION

I’m Tirzah, a warrior beside Judah Maccabee, the Hammer. We resist the Greeks and we will prevail.

I’ll never forget the day Antiochus’ men defiled our sacred altar. They sacrificed a pig. Then they slaughtered my baby brother Ezra and forced my mother carry his body, tied around her neck. I still hear Abba’s tortured cries when they beat him. His blood splattered my face.

My feet turned to stone until a soldier cast his lethal glare on me. “Pretty little Judean creature.” My gorge rose when he stroked my cheek with his filthy paws. He licked his lips and reached for my breast.

I spit in his face and ran.

***

Tirzah Rabinovitz skimmed her fingertips across the rough stones of an ancient building in Lod. “1949 in the Promised Land.” She hugged her infant son Ezra. “Antiochus could not destroy us. Nor could that German pig. We will prevail.”

Weekend Writing Prompt – VULNERABLE

Published April 27, 2019 by rochellewisoff

A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.

Thank you for the prompt, Sammi!

Everyone hides behind a mask.

Never did she feel more vulnerable than when she applied a whiteface mime mask and bared her soul to an audience.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Published April 24, 2019 by rochellewisoff

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

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Yes, it’s me. Second time around this week. Sometimes ya just gotta take another dip in the Friday Fictioneers pool. 😉

Genre: For my own a-MUSE-ment

Word Count: 100

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

The gauntlet has been thrown with Neil’s comment, “Why don’t you write something about the future?”

I could write a dystopian story about how the honeybees are dying causing famine from a lack of pollination. I did.

I could write a story about our future being ruled by artificial intelligence, but I can’t raise the bar any higher than such authors as Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark or Isaac Asimov already have.

Lemme give it some thought.

“Hey Siri, what kind of futuristic story should I write?”

“George Santayana said, ‘those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it.’”

26 April 2019

Published April 24, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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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 © Sandra Crook

CLICK THE FROG TO JOIN THE FUN!

Get the Code

Genre: Paranormal

Word Count: 100

BIRTHDAY

The swirling waves beckoned me. I imagined my obituary: ‘Sixteen-year-old Amy Weinberg Jumps to her Death… April 25, 1969.’

“He ain’t worth it,” said a voice behind me.

I whipped around. I’d seen those eyes somewhere before. “How’d you know?”

“I’m Marigold. My aunt committed suicide right here in 1937 over a dopey fella. She was our age. Guys can be such cement-mixers. Take my Charlie. He threw me over for some bimbo.

When I told Mom about my new friend, she gasped, “My sister,” and handed me a yellowed obituary:

“Sixteen-year-old Marigold Weiner Jumps to her Death…April 25, 1953”

Weekend Writing Prompt -IMPRESS

Published April 21, 2019 by rochellewisoff

A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.

Thanks to Sammi for the challenge.

A few of my high school class mates and I friended each other on Facebook. One day someone suggested we all meet at a local café for lunch. I hedged. Why would they invite me? We never hung in the same social circles. With great apprehension, I went.

The visit wasn’t what I expected. As teenagers we all worried about what everyone else thought of us. Today we’re simply women of a certain age with more in common than not—adult children, grandchildren and imminent retirement.

We’ve left high school and its emotional baggage four decades behind us. Who do we need to impress?

Rochelle at 16 – A very serious student.

19 April 2019

Published April 17, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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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.

CLICK THE FROG TO JOIN THE FUN!

Get the Code

***

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

A SHOT IN THE DARK

Dora never took “no” for an answer. As a wife and a balabusta extraordinaire, she kept her Bronx apartment in immaculate order. With her children she was a rough taskmaster.

She doted on her eldest son, a docile, studious boy. “Always your head’s in a book—destined for greatness.”

She kvelled when he exceeded even her expectations.

After his City College graduation with a Bachelor of Chemistry degree, he informed her he had set his sights on law school.

“Lawyers are a dime a dozen, Jonas,” said Dora Salk. “Go to medical school. The world will thank you for it.”

Yiddishkeit Glossary:

balabusta – homemaker

kvell – burst with pride, to boast (What? You never kvelled over your kids? Say it isn’t so. 😉 )

***

*Remember Polio? If you don’t, Jonas Salk is the man to thank. I, for one, am grateful for those times I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into Dr. Cohen’s office for polio shots. A stick in the arm beats Infantile Paralysis any day of the week. 😉

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GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT

Published April 14, 2019 by rochellewisoff

This week Pegman is in Portland, Oregon. Your mission is to write up to 150 words inspired by the location. Feel free to use the image supplied with the prompt, or choose your own view of Portland in streetview or photosphere.

Once your piece is polished, share it with others at the link up below. Reading and commenting on others’ work is part of the fun.

Congratulations to Karen for passing her certification test. Did we have any doubts? Thanks to Josh for holding down the fort in her absence.

Below is the photo I chose from Google.

Click Mr. Froggie to join the fun!

Genre: Wishful Fantasy

Word Count: 150

GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT

“Portland is amazing.” Dale snapped a photo. “Especially at night.”

Rochelle breathed in the rain-soaked air, relishing the salty aroma. “What a fabulous way to celebrate Karen’s certification and Dale’s birthday.”

Lish ruffled her fingers through her auburn hair. “Let’s find a place to sit, shall we?”

The ladies found a table at a local tavern. Karen popped the cork of a bottle of champagne.

Rochelle raised her glass, shifting her gaze from face to face, etching the details of each one into her memory. “To writing challenges and great friends.”

Without warning, the floor rumbled beneath them. Glass shattered.

The bartender screamed. “Earthquake!”

Karen, Lish and Dale vanished amid the rubble.

“No!” Rochelle cried. “The party’s just starting.”

“Honey, wake up.”

Rochelle rolled over and looked up at her husband. “What day is it?”

“Sunday. Why?”

“Oh crap. It’s April 14^th. I forgot to send a card to Dale.”