This week’s prompt for Friday Fictioneers is one of my photos, taken at Fairview Vineyard in the Western Cape area of South Africa. For a picture of the inspiration for Fairview’s ‘Goats du Roam’ wine, see my Creatures Great and Small page.
“Isn’t it a bit bumpy Uncle Oscar?”
“Where I journey, son,” said Uncle Oscar, waving airily at the clouds, “I’m sure of a real smooth ride.”
“No pedals, so how does it go?”
“Just magic son, the power of a man’s imagination, the buoyancy of his dreams.”
“How do you bring it back down to earth then?”
A female voice bawled from back of the house.
“You get your pontificatin’ fat ass in here this minute, Oscar.”
Uncle Oscar flushed dull red, scratching his stubbly chin.
“Ah son, you’ll need a woman for that.”
Dear Sandra,
i am still laughing. What a marvelous sotry. i am that guy and his story is mine.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks Doug; I thought of you. 🙂
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Dear Sandra,
I’m rolling! This has to be one of your very best! Love it! Bravo. A standing ovation.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS Thank you for the stellar photo.
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Thanks Rochelle! 🙂
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I’d comment more but I’m not going to appears sexist!
Oh alright, it’s true. Nice job.
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🙂 Thanks Perry.
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I didn’t mean to ‘like’ my own post – I was going for the ‘edit’ button without my glasses. Duh!
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Oh that is class!!! I loved that. Still laughing.
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Thanks Alastair!
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A great take on a great photo. Thanks for the smile!
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My pleasure!
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‘you’ll need a woman for that’ Hilarious!! Loved it Sandra 😀
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Thanks Sandra
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So, are you saying a woman is like an anchor or like ballast? 🙂 Great story and great picture. I was going to ask you about where you saw this, so thank you for the explanation at the beginning.
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Anchor? Ballast? Maybe so. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
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A good laugh is always welcome,
a great take 🙂
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Thank you!
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Really great story Sandra. Very funny.
Claire
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Thanks Claire.
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Beautifully and hilariously told, Sandra. I love this line:” the power of a man’s imagination, the buoyancy of his dreams.” So true.
janet
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Thank you Janet 🙂
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Indeed! Beautiful pacing and timing Sandra, one of your hallmarks if you don’t mind me saying so! And wonderful photograph – thanks for letting us use it.
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Thanks Pirate! Glad you liked the photo too.
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Sandra! This made me laugh out loud. Nicely done.
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Thank you!
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Sandra, you’ve nailed this story beautifully. I worried for a second that Uncle Oscar was dead, then it all came into wistful focus until… BAM… This is one of my all-time favourites (and the photo’s great too).
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Thanks Jen! 🙂
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It does take two to make for a great ride.
great story.
I liked the title too – fanciful, but not too…
Randy
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🙂 Thank you.
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Sandra, this is wonderful. Going with the flow and then in the background the reality check or bawling voice. Yes I laughed too. I really liked this one a lot!
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Thanks Penny!
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Love your photograph – so whimsical…!
Your story brought such a smile with it… and so true..! 😉
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Thank you!
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roflmao! Oh, poor Oscar. Delightful as always Sandra. I really enjoyed the picture this week
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Thank you Carrie. 🙂
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One of the first I have, actually, laughed out loud!
Thanks,
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/4290/
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Pleased it made you laugh, thanks.
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Absolutely wonderful, Sandra, every last word of it!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Pingback: It’s Always Christmas At The Vineyards | The Equilibrium Point
That was stunningly good in its simplicity! I just love Uncle Oscar and his imagination. I wish I’d known my Uncle Oscar – if he was anything like my dad, he would have been a great friend when I was a kid.
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Thanks Lyn. Glad you enjoyed it.
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a fine picture and story. They are very well matched!
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Thanks Bill. 🙂
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That was hilarious. A woman is what holds a man to the earth lol quite true, we were made to serve as anchors I think 🙂 as the more rational and intuitive beings, wonderful story
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Anchors or weights? Depends on your point of view I guess. 🙂
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Excellent Sandra, I laughed, great little story – thank you and thanks for the photo!
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Thank you, glad you liked it. 🙂
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Great photo and punchline 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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So that’s where the photo is from… I was wondering about that! Your story is a lot of fun. I enjoyed Uncle Oscar’s flights of imagination and his being brought down to Earth. Your last line wrapped it up perfectly.
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Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
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A clever take and fun. Thank you for the photo, Sandra
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My pleasure Nightlake. 🙂
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The dialogue is priceless, great observation and very, very funny!
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Thanks Trudy! 🙂
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Just love it!
Brilliant!
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Thank you!
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Tooo good. Made me laugh because it seemed so real.
Tom
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This is what we women do, Tom. 🙂
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Great story, with so much imagery. I love the line, “the buoyancy of his dreams.”
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Thank you! It took me a while to get that line 🙂
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Hilarious! Still laughing!
It’s good to see your funny side – I didn’t manage to find my dark side this week though – maybe next time…
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Thank you! the dark side will be back… 🙂
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Sandra that was great, very funny. I loved the last line and the way you set it up. Great Story and a fab picture.
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Thank you!
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This made me laugh, such fun!
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Thanks! 🙂
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I loved this line : “Just magic son, the power of a man’s imagination, the buoyancy of his dreams” This is a fabulous picture, i am so glad we got to see and use it this time.
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My pleasure Joe. 🙂
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LOL, awesome take!
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Thank you!
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Worth a great laugh. It’s all true. My wife keeps me on solid ground too, but very often she’s up in the clouds with me. Couldn’t ask for anyone better.
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As long as we can take the occasional fight of fancy, we’re generally quite happy to go aong. Thanks for dropping by.
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haha that was extremely hilarious! brilliant last line ^^ lol
and thank you for the fab photo ^^
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Glad you liked it kz!
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A complete converse of my story! Both sides can be true. Absolutely loved this!
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Thank you!
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Sandra that was awesome. I love the picture first off, it is a real work of art. Thank you for sharing this photo. The story was hilarious, the punch line at the end was perfect.
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Thanks Atiya, sorry to be so late responding.
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lol Sandra.. enjoyed reading this story 🙂
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Thank you!
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Great use of dialogue–I could “see” everybody. Great last line!
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/siblings/
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Thanks Maggie!
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You really captured your character with the dialogue–very well done. Also, thanks for the photo–great prompt.
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My pleasure vb. 🙂
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The imagination a wonderful thing. I enjoyed your story. Your photo is fantastic.
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Thanks Kim. Glad you liked it.
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See? It’s stuff like this, Sandra, that makes you one of my “go-to” authors. Fan-tab-bulous!
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I’m flattered Kent. Sorry to be so late responding.
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Just when he was riding cloud 9, a lightning bolt struck him down. I can relate.
A great piece of humor, Sandra. Well done.
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Thanks Russell. 🙂
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LOL. Poor Oscar being dragged down so completely. Thanks for the lovely photo.
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Thanks Sarah Ann! 🙂
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Pingback: Friday Fictioneers-The Cellist | Rendezvous With Renee
Cracked me up. So cute.
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Thank you Shirley!
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Loved your story. Well written, as usual, loved the theme and especially the last line, says it all really
Dee
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Thanks Dee, glad you liked it.
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Thank you for sharing your photo for inspiration.
I really enjoyed your story.
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Thanks Jules. 🙂
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Another delightful, funny story. Now why did she have to burst his bubble? Why? Because she can…that’s why. lol. Now that’s two stories in a row that made me chuckle. First Silent Kim’s and now your’s. And thank you for this interesting photo, Sandra. ps: Where did you ever find that rusty, old relic?
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Why? Because she can. I guess that sums some of us up. Not you and me, of course. 😉
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Lol…that was great! Poor Oscar, he don’t let her stop him from dreaming, bless his heart.
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Thanks for reading and commenting. 🙂
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I love the ending! (And after following your link to the photos of Fairview Vineyard, I also love the goat ladder 😉 )
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They’re so funny, those goats. But the smell is almost intolerable. What am I saying. It IS intolerable.
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Hi, Sandra. I’m writing you on this particular post because I am working on a book of short stories that will include the story I wrote for FF based on this photo from you. I’m including that story — with a little more development — in the book, and it will be much more interesting for the readers if I include the photo as well. I’m writing to ask if you would consider giving me permission to use your photo in the book — giving you full credit, of course, including your blog address. If you’d rather I do not use it, that’s fine, but I’d like to if you feel good about it.
Just let me know. Thank you.
Sandra
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That’s fine Sandra, no problem. A copyright credit and the blog address would be lovely. Best of luck with your venture.
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Thank you so much. I do appreciate it, because I’m sure the readers will get much more enjoyment from the story if they can see your picture as well.
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