21 June 2019

Published June 19, 2019 by rochellewisoff

Dear Friday Fictioneers,

While I realize my page is FF central where you come for the prompt and instructions,the lower half of the page is also my comment section. In light of this, I have a favor to ask of all of you. When you have an issue such as problems with linking in the inLinkz or have a technical question, please direct these to my email runtshell@gmail.com. I check my email as often as I look at my comments (which I also appreciate greatly). Thank you for your consideration.

Shalom,

Rochelle

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PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Click the Frog and Hop on board.

Genre: Recent Memoir

Word Count: 100

SWEET FULFILLMENT

At Ben Gurion airport in Tel-Aviv my cousin and I settled in for a twelve-hour wait.

A young man clutching a colorful bouquet and heart-shaped balloon caught our attention.

“Do you suppose he’s waiting for his arranged-for bride?” asked Kent.

“Doubtful. You’d never see a Hasid in shorts.”

My curiosity piqued. What would she look like? Our hero checked his watch. We checked ours.

At last his pretty sweetheart rushed into his arms. They laughed. They cried. They kissed.

“How romantic.” I sighed. “Dontcha just love a happy ending?”

“Yeah. Now what do we do for the next eleven hours?”

Cuzzin Kent and me at the Western Wall. © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

7 June 2019

Published June 5, 2019 by rochellewisoff

Dear Friday Fictioneers,

While I realize my page is FF central where you come for the prompt and instructions,the lower half of the page is also my comment section. In light of this, I have a favor to ask of all of you. When you have an issue such as problems with linking in the inLinkz or have a technical question, please direct these to my email runtshell@gmail.com. I check my email as often as I look at my comments (which I also appreciate greatly). Thank you for your consideration.

Shalom,

Rochelle

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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 © Ceayr

CLICK ZE FROG, S’IL VOUS PLAIT

Genre: Murder Mystery

Word Count: 100

KARMA BITES

Detective Lowry studied the corpse and otherwise orderly apartment. “Cause of death?”

Medical Examiner Gayer zipped the body bag. “It could’ve been the knife in his back, the bullet through his heart or the blunt force trauma to his skull with a flower pot.”

The detective donned a pair of rubber gloves and lifted a shattered laptop from a mound of potting soil. “Nothing seems out of place unless you count this and the old Scot, of course. Going to be a tough case to crack.”

“Not enough evidence?”

“On the contrary. Ten women have already confessed to the crime.”

31 May 2019

Published May 29, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Susan Eames

CLICK THE FROG AND HOP ABOARD!

Genre: Nostalgia

Word Count: 100

CALL ME

I love to sing along with the Marvelettes’ catchy 1962 hit single, “Beechwood 4 5 7 8 9.”

Remember letter exchanges in phone numbers? Ours was Willow 2 1774. For easy access, it was imprinted on the dial. “WI-2…” My brother added “soff” so it read “Wisoff 2-1774.”

The telephone has certainly evolved. Before 1954, you relied on the operator from the one and only Telephone Company to reach your party.

I’m as guilty as the next person of attachment to my cell.

Hey, Baby Boomers—just for fun—how many Millennials does it take to dial a rotary phone?

24 May 2019

Published May 22, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

HOP ON UP AND CLICK THE FROG!

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Genre: Memoir

Word Count: 100

TOYS, GAMES, AND YO-YO’S

My Chatty Cathy doll said eleven different things, ranging from “Let’s play house” to “I love you.” Her voice sounded just like Talking Tina of “I’m going to kill you” Twilight Zone Fame. No surprise. Voice actress June Foray spoke for both of them.

However, of all the toys I lost or broke, only one stood up to years of joyful wear and tear.

I owe it to inventor André Cassagnes, a baker’s son whose allergy to flour caused him to seek employment as an electrician. His creation would go on to become the Etch-A-Sketch.

I still play with it.

***

Portrait of Jan on my Etch-A-Sketch

17 May 2019

Published May 15, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

HOMMAGE À ALFRED NAKACHE

The guard tossed his dagger into a tank. “Bring this back to me in your teeth, like the Jew dog that you are.”

Alfred jumped into the fetid water. Diving under, Auschwitz disappeared and he remembered the crowd cheering when he set the world record for the 200 meter breastroke.

At night he’d lie in his flea-infested bunk and dream of Annie and Paule. Determination to reunite with his wife and daughter gave him the strength to survive the death march to Buchenwald.

In 1948 Alfred Nakache returned to his passion and went on to become a French national champion.

Alfred Nakache will be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2019 during the Honoree Induction ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 18, 2019. For more information about him CLICK HERE

10 May 2019

Published May 8, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

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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

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

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Published April 24, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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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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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”

19 April 2019

Published April 17, 2019 by rochellewisoff

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***

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. 😉