Copyright Jean L Hayes
On paper, thirty years ago, it had made perfect sense.
There’d been awards, accolades, honours for the sheer ingenuity of the concept.
It had taken some selling to the over-sixties, but then hadn’t that been the essence of the problem… their inability to adapt, keep up, take on new ideas?
“My grandmother was one of the first,” the technician said chattily, “and my mother did it five years ago.”
She raised the syringe to the light, flicking to disperse the air-bubble.
“Will I suffer?” he whispered, dry-throated.
Her wide baby-blue eyes blinked in astonishment.
“How would I know? You invented it…”
OK, the link is tenuous. 🙂 It’s in the title and the concept of new inventions, but as ever, something sinister just had to creep in. Nearly didn’t post today; inlinkz seems to have decided to put people (or at least me) through the hoops to get the code and it was a bit early for me to dredge through the old grey matter. But after a lot of clicking, two emails from inklinz confirming I was subscribed, two rejections on signing in and a search through the junk email, I finally reached home base. May need to go and lie down now… Thanks to Rochelle at Friday Fictioneers for her patience and tenacity in making sure our community does what it says on the tin. You’re a star. *****
castelsarrasin 
I’m glad you persevered Sandra! I saw the link to the image… the newer fancier car, the old rusted car. Great take on the prompt 🙂
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There’s something intriguing about the concept of one generation cheerfully bumping off the earlier one without a thought as to how it feels. It appeals to the ‘what goes around comes around’ side of my nature. 🙂 Only joking…
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Dear Sandra,
I’m sorry about the inLinkz code. It seems to have a way of blinking on and off for people.
Tenuous is us, eh? Lemmes see if I get your link…;) The Edsel seemed like a great idea at the time. I wonder if Henry Ford II ever drove one. It sounds like your inventor is about to get a dose of his own medicine. Powerful and close enough.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You encapsulated the link better than I could Rochelle. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a busy day…
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Very good story, nice creepy ending
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Thank you Sean! 🙂
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Hmm, hoist with his own petard, it seems.
Very clever tale.
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I love that phrase. (Hoist with own petard I mean, not ‘clever tale’. – though that’s always welcome.) It sounds so uncomfortable, ungainly and well-deserved, all at once.
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I wonder if the technician has signed her future away, and whether the person who administers her drug will be quite as cold-hearted? A great story this week Sandra, lots to think about.
Claire
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I’m not sure there’s a choice about the signing… a mere technicality I fear. Thanks Claire.
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The ideas and notions we fight for in youth are rarely unchanged as our age advances. I’m sure this sounded like a good idea at the time… 🙂
Nice take, and not so tenuous as you might think.
Cheers
KT
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Thanks KT. I expect this is one notion he wishes he might have not developed further.
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That pesky “inability to adapt.” So annoying, isn’t it?
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It seems to annoy others. But then that’s the good part of getting older, being legitimately awkward. 🙂 Thanks for reading Barbara.
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Great connection, very imaginative. What I really like about this is how you captured past-present-future so effortlessly. Excellent story, Sandra!
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Thank you! Glad you liked it.
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Dear Sandra,
Your ability to tell a story in one-hundred words is unparalleled. This was sooooo good and will probably come true sooner rather than later. One of the perks of getting old is that I may miss the coming downsizing.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thank you Doug. 🙂 Whether the downsizing is man-made or organic, it’s definitely in the pipeline. “It’s being so cheerful as keeps me going,” as they say. 🙂 Take care up there close to the moon.
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Sandra, If I understand this correctly, the engineer of the Edsel is being eliminated by his own request because of shame for inventing the Edsel. Some people may have been upset enough to feel like doing it I suppose. I hope it never comes to that. Well written. 🙂 — Susan
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No, Susan, I think you’ve taken it as a literal interpretation of the prompt. Not to worry, you ‘got’ last week’s story when it had a lot of people foxed. Thanks for reading.
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How interesting. our approach to the picture so similar.. but the sinister touch of euthanasia is really creepy.. and sooner or later it will hit the young inventor..
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Thanks for reading Bjorn!
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Good grief Sandra, LET THEM LIVE! I fear for every one of your characters 😉
Very well written, as ever!
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Nah! I let one live last week, and the week before that. Before you know where you are, they’ll all be wanting to be allowed to live, and then we’ll have to go in for some serious downsizing. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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I’m glad it wasn’t just me who had to jump through hoops to get code. Hopefully it’s a one-time thing. I like your take on the prompt. I can see it in the old cars, set out to rust away. The dialogue of the nurse, so chatty despite the circumstances is spot-on creepy.
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I think I may have signed up for a newsletter as well, in my attempt to access the code! Thanks for reading, David, off to look for yours now.
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Yikkes!!! That was a creepy one. Loved it though! Great job
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Thank you!
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Very ambitious story in so few words. Have to admire the way you always explore this format to the limit. Great work.
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Thanks Paul. 🙂
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As you said in the comments, what goes around comes around. We’re not a very forward-thinking species, are we? As for your writing, I’l admit it took me a moment and a re-read of the title to be sure I’d got it, but that’s OK. It reads well and makes your point admirably to those of us who care to look.
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Thanks for reading Jen.
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Oh, wow! Great job, Sandra!
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Thanks Sandra!
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Sinister indeed crept in. That grey matter of yours is something else!
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Mind of its own Dawn. 🙂
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Sandra, I had the same trouble with Inlinkz this am and was up against a time crunch so wasn’t terribly pleased with my story. (I sent them a nasty gram.) I got your story right away. Sometimes the stories we may not want to post turn out just fine – and yours certainly did.
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Thanks for reading Alicia. Yes, it was a particularly irritating start to the day. 😦
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I’m sorry you wrote this; I’m sorry I read it. Bravo – great piece. I’ll be unsettled for a while yet.
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Well you certainly captured my attention with that opening remark Patrick. Phew! Thanks for reading.
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Terrific and subtle story as always. Yes, it will take a bit of selling to this member of the over-sixties, but this week your piece especially served a compelling purpose. And a great twist ending!
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Thanks Perry. Glad you liked it. 🙂
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Great story with a little bit of creepiness mixed in!
I had “inlinkz” trouble too – in the end I “viewed source” on Rochelle’s page and grabbed it out of the page code 🙂
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I’ll try to remember that for the future. (Some hope!) Thanks for reading.
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I like the sinister twist. Somebody may just put that contraption in the photo to good use with all of that “downsizing” going on.
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Thanks for reading Honie.
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Wow! Sandra, we all can learn from you how stories are told and this is textbook.
Great, as usual! Five syringes. 😀
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Thank you Kent. 🙂 Now I’m looking for five patients…
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😀
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I am awed that you conveyed so many moods and thought provoking idea’s in just 100 words. Beautifully written.
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Thank you Leona. 🙂
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So, by downsizing, I take it, you don’t mean growing smaller a la Alice-in-Wonderland.
Well, we all have to go some time even the inventors.
I enjoyed it. Not the idea – the story telling. Randy
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Thanks Randy. 🙂
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Funny our our perspective changes with time… no doubt, it was a good idea, thirty years ago, sir. Nicely done, Sandra!
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It was a good idea for someone else I suspect. Thanks for reading Dawn.
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Reminds me of my doctor, who administered a colonoscopy without having had one himself. Later, he related to me his personal experience. It was quite eye-opening for him–bless his heart 🙂
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🙂 ‘eye opening’ – I can see that. Even with my eyes closed.
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Well, a tenuous connection is still a connection, and I enjoy weeks when we see a variety of tales. So far, this week seems to be shaping up nicely in that regard, and I think yours is a choice prize among the lot.
All my best,
Marie Gail
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Thanks Marie Gail. Glad you liked it.
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A lovely but sinister take on the prompt Sandra ~✏️
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Thank you for reading John.
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hahaha, inlinkz did the same to me but since i hadn’t posted in 3 months, i let the glitz slide:) very nice inventive spin on the prompt.
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Thanks for reading, glad you liked it.
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A great twist at the end.
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Thank you!
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interesting take on the prompt
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Thank you.
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Downsizing, is it what I think it is? Sometimes I like dark and sinister, especially in fiction. Too much in real life. In fiction it provides relief. Thanks!
Lily
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Thanks for reading.
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‘Downsizing’ is a wonderfully evocative word. I’ve been trying to do it (smaller house, fewer possessions, less clutter) for a couple of years, and believe me, it’s painful. I won’t be taking the concept as far as your story suggests. I loved it. Very clever.
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Thank you Margaret.
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An Edsel is still and Edsel. But there are better looking ones. …. Oh, you not talking about cars?
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Creepy, an eerie sense of some sort of eugenics going on here. Well done.
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Thank you!
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