Copyright Ted Strutz
He’d enjoyed the swings, but now he seemed uncertain, so until the roundabout gathered speed, I paced alongside the undulating red and silver horse.
The second time around I saw his expression relaxing from angst to delight.
And the next time I looked he was chatting confidently with the pretty little girl on an adjacent unicorn.
“Again” he pleaded, when the ride stopped.
This time he joined a group of older boys on a row of gleaming Harley Davidsons.
Reassured, I took my eye off the ball, and then he wasn’t there.
It’s not true what they say… about swings and roundabouts…
Our genial host has now officially retired. My very best wishes to you Rochelle for a long, happy and productive retirement. I hope the B-B misses you … I know we at Friday Fictioneers would.
castelsarrasin 
Dear Sandra,
It is true what they say about roundabouts. As a mother this story gave me chills and tears at the same time. It put me in mind of an old song “Turn Around.” One line was ‘turn around and you’re two, turn around and you’re four.” Your story is beautifully subtle.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS Thanks for the retirement wishes. Cheers to B B.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I debated whether the last line should read ‘it’s true’ or ‘it isn’t true’. When I googled the saying I found mixed constructions – some said you lost on the roundabouts what you gained on the swings, others vice versa. But the overall view was that life balances out, which it doesn’t in my story so I left it at ‘not true’ and hence arrived at the title. But it could go either way. Thanks for reading and commenting Rochelle, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
HD handling is more shopping trolley than swings or roundabouts. 😉
Good piece.
LikeLike
I did have Honda Goldwings first off, but that seemed more disability scooter than swings or roundabouts. I could be wrong… we were BMW RST 1200 ourselves. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
BMW is a class apart.
LikeLike
I ride a 1974 R75/6, myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Matchless and a Sunbeam in our garage – I leave well alone now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nice.
LikeLike
The swings as gateway drug.But the real troublemakers ride Triumphs, so there’s that Good story.
LikeLike
Hah! Thanks.
LikeLike
Had to read this twice. The second time around was so much sadder. 😦
LikeLike
Thanks for persevering 🙂
LikeLike
A real history here. Perhaps he’ll be home next time she looks.
LikeLike
Or perhaps not… Thanks for reading Patrick
LikeLike
Chilling.
LikeLike
Thanks for an inspiring photo Ted.
LikeLike
My Mama heart just about beat outside my chest reading this. Especially since once you see your child enjoy something it’s as if you can look away for a moment. But not today, never today.
It was a great interpretation of the picture.
And best wishes to Rochelle!
LikeLike
Thanks Kir – I’m sure Rochelle will be around here but if not I’ll tell her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved your piece!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful title that says a lot. Well done, Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks Alicia. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome. Actually the whole piece is quite grand, I just focused on the title and how much it added to the 100 words.
LikeLike
Knowing you Sandra, I don’t think is as simple as a kid who has just gone missing. I think there are layers here most are missing. Or is it me who is wrong 🙂
LikeLike
Just an analogy for life Paul, from which you can paint your own conclusions. 🙂
LikeLike
Very nice title but the story made me sad. Very well written.
LikeLike
Thank you Indira.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Part of me feels like there might have been a time skip in this story and that by the end we weren’t on the roundabout anymore.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading Carol. Nice to have you back.
LikeLike
wow, gave me chills! well-penned, Sandra 🙂
LikeLike
Many thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What goes around doesn’t always come around. Perfect title and deftly done subtle story.
janet
LikeLike
Thanks for reading Janet, hope all is well.
LikeLike
I think I do dark until I come here, Sandra.
Superbly done.
LikeLike
Praise indeed from The Dark Master. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh you make good and bad choices in life.. alas as a parent you might be powerless. There are definite differences here..
LikeLike
Indeed, thanks for visiting Bjorn.
LikeLike
Well written, but sad. You have the babies for such a short time. You have to try hard to enjoy the time. Good story with layers. —– Suzanne
LikeLike
Thanks Suzanne, hope all is well.
LikeLike
A rich and multi layered story here indeed. It does seem that, sometimes in life, what one hopes will come round never does.
LikeLike
And that which one dreads almost inevitably does… thanks for reading Francesca.
LikeLike
It is a parent’s worse nightmare to lose a child at one of these places. I liked the way you ended your story. It was very effective. Well done.
LikeLike
Or to lose a child at all. Thanks for reading Amy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That too, yes!
LikeLike
hauntingly surreal.
LikeLike
Thank you Plaridel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so true, and then you’re old at the end of all that too. Ya gotta keep your kids off the Harley Davidson’s. I’ve never heard that expression though.
LikeLike
The ‘swings and roundabouts’? Funny how proverbs and expressions sometimes don’t travel.
LikeLike
I like the way you allude to what it is like being a parent. The only trouble is we do have to let them be more and more independent. When my kids first started driving and made longer and longer trips, I was anxious about them. Especially in the beginning. Oh well, once you are a mother, you are a mother forever. And still worry about them. I never let my son have a motorcycle though.
LikeLike
I can identify with your fears re motorcycles. I’m on tenterhooks whenever my husband is out on his. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great title for a great story.
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved the title and story. So true, about life not being fair.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading!
LikeLike
“what you lose on the swings…..”
Life is an ‘unfairground’. Very subtle ending
LikeLike
Thanks Subroto.
LikeLike
That’s very sad. Not a lot she could have done once he took to the motorbike, though it sounds like she blames herself. Great title!
LikeLike
Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
So sad and chilling. Then the ‘if only’ starts. If you watch all the time it’s not good, if you don’t, you could lose them… unfairground, indeed.
LikeLike
So true.
LikeLike
Cleverly done. Lovely words 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Motherhood is one of the most terrifying jobs around.
LikeLike
And a non-stop job at that!
LikeLike
Oh, this is hard hitting. Masterfully crafted story, Sandra.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good boys ride Harleys too. Mother likely did a fine job! I enjoyed your take on this prompt.
LikeLike
Thanks Caerlynn. 🙂
LikeLike
Good take on prompt, Sandra. Sadly it reminds me of real accidents.
Lily
LikeLike
Thanks for reading Lily.
LikeLike
A chillin story so cleverly crafted ! Not taking my eye off even for a second 😦
LikeLike
🙂 Thanks for visiting.
LikeLike
Every parent’s nightmare….well written and full of unspoken pain. Nice one, Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks Erin.
LikeLike
Leaves a shudder. Good story.
That thing about sayings is interesting too – they often seem to mean one thing to some and opposite to others! (And never go into the Brit/America couldn’t care less vs could care less thing!)
LikeLike
Oh I can well imagine that! Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
Such a beautiful, somewhat heart-breaking story. At first, I felt a clutch inside (okay, that was an unintentional pun), thinking he had died. Then, I realized that he must have gone.
Great story!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Oh, wait. Did he die after all? Now, I’m sad again.
LikeLike
It is what you decide it is. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
Chills … but for the loss of my daughter for an hour while on vacation once. It was the longest hour of my life. Your story brought it to mind. This is realistic in so many ways. Your writing always brings out huge emotions whether sad or happy. Super write !!!
Isadora 😎
LikeLike
Thanks Isadora. I always enjoy you coming to visit.
LikeLike
So chilling and moving, Sandra. As a mother, it’s the kind of story that gets under my skin… and makes it crawl. Brilliant.
LikeLike
Thank Dawn. And thanks for including me in yours this week. 🙂
LikeLike
It was my pleasure, Sandra. I really appreciate all the support this group, and members like you, have given! xo
LikeLike
It’s stories like this that make me a helicopter parent. A horrible thought written very well (as always). Nice.
KT
LikeLike
I can’t believe I’d never heard that expression but boy does it ever apply to this fabulous story. We have no choice but to take our eyes off eventually…
LikeLike
Perhaps there’s a Junior Biker Bar on the other side of the ride and he’s having a cold one and chatting with the cute girl from the unicorn. Boys are known for disappearing acts, and they’re not always hijacked by those up to no good.
LikeLike
Well done! As you can see, people have their own take on this. You’ve made people think and feel!
LikeLike
This story is terrifying and I didn’t see it coming. Well done!
LikeLike
Very well told Sandra, a cute childhood piece becomes a teenage tribute. Nicely done
LikeLike
Your stories are always so deep. I don’t know how you manage to do that consistently but you do.
LikeLike
What a wonderful use of the prompt, and of the ‘swings and roundabouts’ saying. The dilemma of parenthood – delight that they’re independent and coping, side by side with the agony of letting them go to fend for themselves. Such a tragic outcome in your story, but so economically and movingly told.
LikeLiked by 1 person