5 August 2022

Published August 3, 2022 by rochellewisoff

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Genre: Hysterical Faction
Word Count: 100

ROAD READY

My best friend and I took Driver’s Ed the year we turned sixteen thinking we’d get our licenses together.

I passed the written part with flying colors. Recognizing road signs and learning the rules of the road was a snap.

The actual driving part was another story. Both excitement and terror welled up as I gripped the steering wheel. Images of every traffic accident I’d seen on the news zipped through my mind.

My instructor shook his head at my attempt to parallel park. “Your final driving score is negative fifty-one. Might I suggest you purchase a lifetime bus pass?”

29 July 2022

Published July 27, 2022 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.

Many thanks to those who sympathized with my angst over the pool closure last week. I’m happy to report the closure was short-lived and I’m back in the water.

A thank you to Russell Gayer, aka What’s His Name, for sending this historical tidbit. Truth is often much more interesting than fiction. 😀

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

NATIONAL BIRD

I was just a little girl, but I’ll never forget those huge red eyes. They’d pierce right through ya as they left a devastating trail of destruction. My father and other farmers, veterans of WWI, fought with all their might to save their wheat crops.

Day after day, the demons attacked. At last, the government declared war on them. Soldiers came to our aid bearing machine guns.

The enemy was more cunning than all the Australian army’s artillery. Despite their best efforts they only killed a few hundred.

There’s no denying those birds won The Great Emu War of 1932.

CLICK TO READ THE FACTS

22 July 2022

Published July 20, 2022 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.

Genre: Hysterical Faction
Word Count: 100

CHLORINE DEPRIVATION

Retirement has certainly taken the sting out of Monday. Every day is a weekend. Monday’s one of my swim days. Fifty-four invigorating laps. This morning I tingle with anticipation.

Sipping my morning coffee, I check my emails which are mostly deletable spams.

“What’s this? A member announcement from my fitness center? Have my old-fogy dues gone up again?”

My breath catches in my throat as I read. It’s as if I’m staring down a tunnel with no light on the other side.

“ ‘The Indoor Pools, both lap and rec, will be closed until further notice due to lifeguard shortages.’

Nooooooo!”

15 July 2022

Published July 13, 2022 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.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

HE NEVER GOT A DINNER

Papa put the finishing touches on a straw hat, placed it on his head and, to little Aaron’s delight, broke into a soft shoe.

Mr. Jerwick applauded and laughed. “I’ll take the hat, Mr. Chwatt. But I’m no dancer.”

“Hey Pop,” said sixteen-year-old Aaron. “Check out my uniform for my new job.”

“Doing what? So many buttons.”

“I’m a singing bell boy.” Aaron raked his fingers through his wavy red hair. “Making people smile—like you, Pop. And how about my stage name?”

From Vaudeville to Broadway and film, history will forever remember award-winning entertainer Red Buttons with a smile.

Aaron Chwatt was the son of Jewish immigrants. His father, Michael Chwatt made his living as a milliner in New York’s Lower East Side who enjoyed entertaining his customers.

RED BUTTONS NEVER GOT A DINNER

8 July 2022

Published July 6, 2022 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.

Genre: Fanciful Fiction
Word Count: 100

WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE

Gretta gazed at the mountain of wool beside her spinning wheel. How she longed to be outside with her friend Heinrich to watch the sheep and play with the newborn lambs.

“I would gladly trade my baby brother for some magic help.”

She yawned. The whir of the wheel lulled her.

“I’m here to spin this wool into yarn for you, little girl.”

Gretta rubbed her eyes and gasped to see a dwarf with pointed ears. “Yes!”

He laughed. “Your brother’s mine.”

Mama shook her. “Wake up and get back to work!”

Gretta sighed. “Where’s Rumpelstiltskin when I need him?”

If you’re unfamiliar with Rumpelstiltskin CLICK HERE.

1 July 2022

Published June 29, 2022 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.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

BLUMEN

I trembled with nine-year-old excitement as I presented the flowers. Their sweet fragrance filled my nostrils as I curtsied.

The new chancellor smiled and said, “Danke schön meine Liebchen.”

When I made my way back through the crowd to my classmates, my friend Ilsa hugged me, her blue eyes sparkling. “How lucky you are to be chosen.”

Soon after that day, my family and I packed all the belongings we could carry and moved away from Germany.

Lucky? Jah. Never will I forget his cold eyes. What would the Führer have said had he known this flower girl was Jewish?

24 June 2022

Published June 22, 2022 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.

Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100

IF WORDS COULD MAKE WISHES COME TRUE

“This looks real old, Grandpa,” said nine-year-old Noah.

Edmond set down a piano-shaped teapot to check out the dog-eared book his grandson had picked up.“Whaddya know? It’s Tom Swift and his Airship. Looks just like the copy my pop bought me seventy years ago in a flea market like this. It was his last day of leave. A month later the telegram came from the war department.”

Edmond took the book and opened it to the title page. “It-it can’t be!”

The cramped handwriting blurred.

17 June 2021

Published June 15, 2022 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.

I was going to post a rerun because I’ve been under the weather this past week. I’ve since rallied a bit and am on the mend. The photo is mine and my following tale of woe will explain.

Genre: Hysterical Non-Fiction
Word Count: 100

PITY PARTY – TABLE FOR ONE

Rochelle’s hot tears trickled down her cheeks. “I missed my kindergarten party on the last day because of measles.”

“Seriously? This still bothers you? That was over sixty years ago.”

“Don’t you see? It’s come full circle. I’m missing another party. It’s enough we had to cancel our fifty-year reunion last year due to COVID. We worked hard to make our fifty-plus-one reunion a huge success without virus worries.”

“It’s a great party.” Annie smiled from her square. “You should be proud.”

“This sucks. It’s not how I planned to spend my evening.”

“You mean on Zoom?”

“Stricken with COVID.”

I was on the planning committee for my class reunion. They had a Zoom session set up so we could see and interact with those who were there and those who weren’t. Annie’s on the bottom left and she and I continued to chat long after the others signed off. Thanks for being my high point, Annie.

These are the lovely ladies of the committee. How sweet they were to make sure I was part of the picture.

10 June 2022

Published June 8, 2022 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.

A few of you might recognize the following story from a couple of years ago for What Pegman Saw. A little nip and tuck to make the story 100 words and it’s a Friday Fictioneers story. 😀

Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100

MOUNT SINAI IN TANZANIA

Jelani’s ebony cheeks glisten, “I was but a child when Idi Amin’s henchmen destroyed our synagogue. On his deathbed my father grasped my hand and said, ‘Son, promise me, never forget who you are.”

The Torah scroll I brought from Canada is processed among the people. As it passes, Jelani touches the scroll with the tzit-tzit attached to his belt, then brings them to his lips with such reverence I weep.

Yehuda Kahalani leads the congregation in a Hebrew chant. My pulse races. I add my voice to familiar prayers and songs. Although we are different, our hearts are one.

*Tzit-tzit are the fringes G-d commanded the children of Israel to attach to the four corners of their garments in the books of Deuteronomy and Numbers. So when Tevye asks “How did this tradition get started?” You’ll know. 😉

Click to read the true story that informed my flash fiction.

3 June 2022

Published June 1, 2022 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.

Genre: Historical Fiction circa 1935
Word Count: 100

MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU

Nine-year-old Melvyn Kaminsky held his breath as he stood by the tenement window watching for Uncle Joe’s checkered cab. He could always tell when it was his uncle’s because he was so short the cab appeared to be driverless.

Uncle Joe’s friend gave him two complimentary tickets for a Broadway play— Anything Goes by the great Cole Porter, starring Ethel Merman.

Melvyn hid on the cab’s floor so Uncle Joe wouldn’t get in trouble for giving out free rides.

From the dizzying last row of the second balcony, the future Mel Brooks decided there was no business like show business.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT MEL