You’re a long time dead…
You boarded the train, your fingers brushing briefly across my stomach.
Either that goes or I do…
You sent postcards with no return address.
Livin’ the life, hon…
You left phone messages, withholding your number so you never knew you had a daughter. I guess you never cared either.
One day you asked us to visit you.
For old times’ sake…
Those times were so old, I’d almost forgotten them, so I didn’t respond.
But now I know where you are.
And why.
And sometimes a whole week goes by without me thinking about you.
Fasten your seat-belts for a whole raft of misery this week. I did toy with the idea of trying for humour in response to the prompt, but it seemed like a bridge too far in the time available to me. Hopefully others may manage that. Thanks to Rochelle for leading the pack of Friday Fictioneers, and her efforts in trying to get others to stick to the 100 word count. Come on, with at least sixty or seventy submissions each week, you know it makes sense. 😉
I don’t think tombstones have a GSOH. Misery is good, and yours comes with a hefty ladle of menace
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Thanks for reading, Neil.
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So much pain and pathos and longing and unfulfillment. The cup of sorrow runneth in this excellent piece, Sandra.
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Thanks Neel.
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Dear Sandra,
Sometimes a whole week goes by…stunning last line. You set the standard for the rest of us.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. I appreciate your comments.
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And life goes on with or without us.
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True.
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Superb! Both the storytelling skills and the spirit of it.
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Thank you Reena.
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This is wistful. Is the torment of not knowing worse than the finality of finding out? Nicely written, as always.
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Many thanks.
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Sandra. Wrenching. I almost don’t want to read yours each week because I come away from it drained. Brilliantly done–again.
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I’m glad you liked it Kecia. And thank you.
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A great take on the prompt Sandra. Loved the poignancy running through the whole thing.
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Thanks, Mike.
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Rather a harsh one here… but probably dead-on. Just enough mystery to create a prompt for a future write that goes into more details. Love it! 🙂
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I seldom go into further details… 😉 Thank you.
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Hope he’s somewhere horrible.
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Well, underground is horrible enough for me. 🙂
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As long as he stays there 🙂
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Oh, such longing in this story. “For old times sake” my eye. So well done, Sandra.
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Thanks Alicia. 🙂
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Poignant. I think a lot of today’s posts will be poignant.
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Yes, I think it goes with the territory. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
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Yeah, I couldn’t get away from the misery either! Nice voice in the piece, a strong character.
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Thanks Iain. 🙂
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So much sense of misery and missed opportunities… and in the end it’s always too late.
My father used to say: Afterwards is always too late.
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Thanks for reading Bjorn. Particularly when I know you’re not quite back on top form again. Hoping you’re more comfortable now.
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I just tire early… but on the other hand I’m on sick-leave
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Did she kill him? That’s where I took the misery. I might have to watch cat videos between stories this week. Meow, Tracey
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No, I fear my reputation as a murderess precedes me. Something happened to him to put him in the ground, something serious enough for her to start thinking about him again.
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Sorry to paint you with a murderous brush. But you do it so well. 😊
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Time might not heal all wounds, but it makes the pain more bearable, sometimes we even forget.
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So true. Thanks for reading.
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A story which allowed the reader room to think, great. I saw him as being in prison! And so she had made the right decisions years back.
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In my mind she’d managed to get over him, seen him for what he was worth and forgotten him. Then he did something that brought about his demise, something that made her revise her opinion of him and now he’s back, consuming her thoughts. But there were only 100 words… 😉
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A person does not have to be physically dead to be dead to us. Likewise, they may still haunt us, if not as ghosts, then as memories that come back every week or so.
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Yes, I wonder if its a blessing to have the ability to consider people ‘dead’ to us.
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So wonderfully done, once again, Sandra. He doesn’t deserve to know his daughter.
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He didn’t; but maybe he died doing something that would have made him a worthwhile person to know. As ever, the reader must decide.
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Oh so sad.
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Thanks Sally. 🙂
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I’m odd, but I saw a grim kind of humour in there, I read every line as “who needs you?” And like Tracey, I read murder. Maybe I should go watch kitten movies, too.
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Maybe I’ll post some pictures of my cat… 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Excellent. Our minds went to the same place this week even though they took different roads along the way. I think he’s in prison. Seems to fit his character.
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Thanks for reading Melody. 🙂
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I read this twice, maybe three times. In my opinion he should have been dead to her long ago, but it appears he kept coming back like a nagging hemorrhoid.
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Off to bleach my imagination… again. Thanks, Russell. 😦
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So sad! Sounds like she’s better off with out him.
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Perhaps. Thanks for reading.
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I love this character! So strong. A lovely read.
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Many thanks!
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My pleasure.
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This is sad enough to tear me apart – well written, as ever.
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Thanks Liz. Great moody photo.
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Oh this is heartbreaking Sandra… I can’t help but think he is a total jerk. Just as she finally stops thinking about him he sucks her back in. He will never understand her pain of this. For the child its a tough choice. I would ignore the message. Arghhhh I hate guys like this. He makes it all about him but… grrrr I am quite steamed about this post this week Sandra. Soooooo well written!!
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Now I’m worrying about your blood pressure, Laurie. Thanks for reading.
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i guess he joined ISIS and he’s now in jail. 🙂
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That could be one end of the spectrum of possibilities.
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Wow. I love the last line!
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Thanks for reading.
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Dead to her or actually dead? Given the tombstone and “now I know where you are” I’m guessing the latter. Maybe his lifestyle caught up with him. Nice one!
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The possibilities are endless. I had him dead, but the jury was out on the nature of the deed that put him there. 🙂 thanks for reading.
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Oh how sad for all!
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Perhaps his ‘good life’ caught up with him. Well you know what they say about karma. I like how you used his phrases in between as part of the narrative – awesome. I will try to copy that some time. 😉
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Excellent as usual.
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Just wonderfully done, Sandra. Beautifully structured and paced – perfect
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Sad.
Good write
But sad.
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