After I missed a few payments, they started circlin’. Never off the phone…callin’ at the farm… sendin’ letters.
Life was goin’ to hell in a handcart… hens wouldn’t lay, cows dried up, the bull looked like he was gettin’ in touch with his feminine side. And the wife…well, she was givin’ me hell, black looks and not much else.
And then he swooped… the bank manager.
Stripped me bare, took the wife, the farm, the stock. Only thing he left me was the beat-up truck, and that only so’s I’d leave quick.
Good men, bankers.
Won’t hear a word said against ‘em.
castelsarrasin 
guess one has to be grateful for the little things…. sad story.
Mine’s at bwfiction.wordpress.com
LikeLike
So true. Thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
Another good read with vision! loved it Sandra
LikeLike
Thanks Sue, glad to see you’re back on line again. I missed you.
LikeLike
Man, mean vulture of a bank manager!
LikeLike
Ain’t it just the way! 🙂
LikeLike
They’ll pick you bone dry and leave you bare and naked.
Nice metaphorical use of the bird.
http://logo-ligi.com/2012/07/12/soliloquy-of-a-disgruntled-raven/
LikeLike
Thank you. Loved yours.
LikeLike
Hahaha. Great story! The first line made me chuckle, actually, and could see right off its direction. Very nice.
LikeLike
Thanks Robert, sorry I couldn’t surprise you. This week was a hard one for me, surprisingly.
LikeLike
Ah, no, it was good, either way!
LikeLike
Definitely applicable in today’s economy. Well crafted story!
http://ebooksscifi.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/malignant-narcissist-by-ilyan-kei-lavanway-for-madison-woods-friday-fictioneers-100-word-flash-fiction
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Am I the only person who cracked up? That silver lining is a wee bit thin for this farmer. Lol
LikeLike
Hi again! Thanks for dropping by, glad if I made you laugh.
LikeLike
Clever use of the prompt, Sandra, and the narrative did make me smile, despite the topic.
Love your 2nd paragraph.
Thanks for your comment on mine.
http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/tideline-transition
LikeLike
Thanks Joanna, loved yours.
LikeLike
The wife left and took the dog. I’ll really miss the dog. Hahahahaha. Great little story, Sandra. Nice twist.
LikeLike
Thanks Rochelle, loved yours.
LikeLike
Dear Sandra,
Don’t sugar coat it. How did he really feel?
This was a great story (again) and made me feel a kinship with you and your MC. We were in somewhat the same vein this week. Come visit when you can.
Aloha,
Doug
http://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/roadkill/
LikeLike
I know he’s a happy man!
Betcha he’d recommend to a lot o’ other men folk who’d like to get rid o’ a lot of critters that is weighin’ ’em down, including, and may be most of all, the women folk, that they stop paying their mortgages as soon as possible – and then that nice ol’ bank man will just be real happy to o-blige ’em.
Obviously, a nice story. Thanks, Randy
LikeLike
I like your take on this one Sandra. It is topical and well crafted.
LikeLike
A great story Sandra.
Not often, nowadays, that bankers get a good mention.
Made me smile.
LikeLike
Bankers, ****ers, well, you know how it goes… 🙂 Thanks for dropping Mike
LikeLike
A brilliant metaphoric take on the prompt, Sandra. Thanks for coming by. Mine is here and linked for others: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/fridayfictioneers-spectators/
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting; yours was a good one this week.
LikeLike
Not that it isn’t every week, just I thought this one was a bit special. 😦
LikeLike
Haha! It’s not so bad if they leave you with a clean slate and no nagging headache!
LikeLike
So true. Loved yours.
LikeLike
Excellent, Sandra. I’m sure there are too many people these days feeling a bit like this. Even just the repeated calls from all those numbers I don’t recognize and so, don’t answer, are like buzzards/vultures of my time. Enjoyed this very much.
LikeLike
You’re so right. I get those calls all the time, and it costs me to take the damn’ calls when we’re cruising abroad. Grrrrr!
LikeLike
We’ll be losing our land line soon (on purpose) and although it feels a little weird not to have one after all these years, I’m hopeful that all those people I won’t be informing about my new number will never again find me. I so love caller ID for that very reason. I never answer 800 (toll-free) calls or any from “Anonymous” or and where the number is 1-000-000-0000!! 🙂
I have to get back to your blog when I have a bit more time and read about your cruising, which sounds wonderful.
LikeLike
We’ve still got a land-line though we hardly ever use it. So I’ve got to say that although we’re mostly mobile these days, they still get to us – don’t ask me how. I never return any calls that don’t leave caller ID, but sometimes when you know you’ve got an on-going situation at home…. well there you go!
LikeLike
I hear you! (So to speak, of course.)
LikeLike
Sandra, I always love reading your work. 😀 You have such a great ear for this voice, here. Very good use of contractions and colloquial-speech; it really brings out the character!
LikeLike
Thank you! You’re very kind, I look forward to your comments. 🙂
LikeLike
What a great take on this picture. Well done! I love the way the piece rises and falls to a finality. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
Thanks so much!
LikeLike
When it rains, it pours! Good story with a ring of truth!
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
This really made me laugh, it reminded me so much of my mother – she was a farmer’s wife and boy did those bank managers lose every inch of power they had when they sat down to lunch at her table. She knew they really did have the upper hand but boy did she make them sqirm and appreciate every well baked morsel that passed down the oesophagus. Those men all had their manners checked each and every time. Well done!
I’m in this week for the first time:
http://wp.me/s1nUrn-buzzard
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting Claire; and I thought you made a brilliant entree if I may say so!
🙂 Look forward to reading more of yours.
LikeLike
I love the line about the bull getting in touch with his feminine side. This is a great take on the prompt, Sandra.
http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Thanks Russell; I always enjoy yours.
LikeLike
Ha-ha..the comment about the bull made me chuckie. You mean the banker took the wife as well? Hm…sounds like she went willingly for she knew which side her bread was buttered on. That poor sucker/debtor was pretty much….stripped naked. Nice work.
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting Lora. 🙂
LikeLike
Nice turn in the last line. Bank manager/vulture does him a favor to get rid of all his negative baggage! Enjoyed this one.
best,
Lorelei
http://www.westcoastwriters.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Thanks Laura, good to hear from you.
LikeLike
Thanks for dropping by Laura, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Banks are the worst unless you live in Bedford Falls with George Bailey! 🙂 Great dialogue and dialect. Loved it!
Here’s mine for your readers…
http://susielindau.com/2012/07/13/be-careful-what-you-wish-110-word-flash-fiction/
LikeLike
Hi Susie, thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
I enjoyed this :). Thanks for stopping by mine
LikeLike
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
LOL! Yes those dame bank vultures. It works. 🙂
LikeLike
I’m glad. Thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
Again my Kindle Fire changed a word dame should be damn, sorry.
LikeLike
A great take, using the buzzard as a metaphor for the banker.
LikeLike
Pleased you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
When we were traveling this past week, we drove past a couple auction houses. The amount of farm machinery in the yard was heartbreaking. Uggg… It’s sad to think how many dreams died and were picked apart by the vultures (who were, in reality, just doing their jobs…)
~Susan (www.susanwenzel.com)
LikeLike
And some did their jobs very thoroughly! Thanks for dropping by Susan.
LikeLike
So cleverly told! I love the line about the bull “getting in touch with his feminine side”.
LikeLike
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Excellent and creative take on the prompt, Sandra!
–Jan
http://janmorrill.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/flashfriday-fictioneers-the-ugly-one/
LikeLike
Thanks Jan.
LikeLike
Sounds like the banker did him a huge favor.
LikeLike
He’d be the first, if he did! 🙂
LikeLike
Metaphor. Good job. I took it a bit more literally.
http://littlewonder2.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/friday-fictioneers-crow/
LikeLike
Hi, thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
That is so great and so TRUE! Damn bankers.
LikeLike
A universal truth!
LikeLike
bankers…vultures…yes. great job
LikeLike
Too much of that going on where I live. Don’t think many are as positive about it as your character.
Well told in few words.
LikeLike
LOL That was a wonderful twist at the end. I suspect your mc is looking forward to a fresh start.
Here’s mine
http://tollykitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/i-should-leave-fridayfictioneers-poem/
LikeLike
I always love reading your work. Very effective voice, humor, sad cynicism, and idioms…is the comment about the bull an idiom? If not, it should be…very cool write
LikeLike
Great job portrayng the bird=vulture=bank manager=savior saga in few words (also like the title). Look forward to wandering around your blog–interesting.
LikeLike
LOL Well that last line was unexpected!
LikeLike
Oh, so brilliant, turning from the burdens to freedom. And I loved the bull gettin’ in touch with his feminine side!
LikeLike
Well done, as always. (Eventhough I am a former banker as is my ex. Actually, I worked at two different banks for years but I didn’t handle loans–I handled the marketing so I didn’t take part in squashing anyone’s dreams.)
Love your voice on this one–and months ago I started a short story in this same vein. I still plan to use it. It wont’ have a buzzard, though. Methaphorically–or not. Thanks for your nice comments about mine. http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Clever use of metaphor. Thanks for your comments on mine.
LikeLike
Great take on the prompt, and a good strong character for the man, though I want him to get angry and go after that banker haha. Maybe that’s coming next? Thanks for commenting on mine!
LikeLike
Haahaa! You got me in the end. I loved how you used the prompt to imitate a banker as a vulture – except the banker was welcomed! No more troubles, just him, his pickup and a clean slate. Very well done. Loved the story.
LikeLike
LOL. Made me laugh. 🙂 Loved “the bull looked like he was gettin’ in touch with his feminine side.”
LikeLike
“took the wife” lolol! And the way he said it, too, just lumping her in with the other stuff. Love the voice of this character, the kind of thing it’s easy to overdo, but you got it just right. Not surprised. 🙂
LikeLike