Copyright Kent Bonham
Aaron sells watches on the beach.
He proudly totes an aluminium briefcase stuffed with his wares, his arms wreathed in watches both ‘new’ and ‘used’.
Aaron knows everything there is to know about time; he should… he’s done some.
He sells to the dusties, who’re stealing time with pills and potions…
… to druggies, living on borrowed time…
… to chancers, making time with the local girls…
… and drifters, wasting it.
Today Aaron and I stroll beside a stinking, crimson sea, kicking bleached fishbones beneath sickly green skies.
“No watches today?”
Aaron shrugs.
“We’ve run out of time,” he says.
101 words this week; I had one left over from last week, if you remember. I hope Friday Fictioneers can see the link between the photo and this story. And I hope I don’t get sued for it… 🙂 You can never be too sure these days. You can, however, be sure that our gracious hostess, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields will be presiding over our court today. Thanks Rochelle.
castelsarrasin 
How interesting that we both did time this week.
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Dear Sandra,
“Not Guilty!” says herself. However, you are guilty of one thing and that’s writing a wonderful, gritty story. Dare I say, ‘timely?’ (I had to…besides, I’m still working on my first cup of coffee. 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle, I appreciate your commenting. Especially whilst you’re still on your first cup of coffee – I know how tough that can be. 🙂 Have a lovely day!
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Nice sketch. Makes me wonder how many of the “used” watches come from swimmers who left them lying on their towels!
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Maybe.
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The stinking crimson sea is a marvelous phrase, too.
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A very beautiful story rendered in your trademark beautiful writing. I just love your writings, Sandra.
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Thank you Neel, I’m flattered.
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Nicely penned as ever, Sandra
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Thanks Sue 🙂
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😊
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Awesome, Sandra. The time metaphor and the way you worked it was brilliant. I liked the ending line where it put it in perspective and kind of a diabolical sense of humor. Made sense to me.
Five out of five Bulova Watch Times.
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Thanks Kent. Great photo this week. I’m hot on ‘diabolical sense of humour’. 🙂
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Both Rochelle and I think you ghost write for Aunty Acid. 😉
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Excellent build-up to the surprise at the end 🙂
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Thank you!
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Love the way that tale spun around the dial. Out of time, indeed…. 🙂
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Thanks Jellie. 🙂
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Very clever piece, Sandra. Love how you put it together.
It also reminded me of a trip to Hong Kong many years ago where I often heard the chime: “Copy watch! Copy watch!”
xx Rowena
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I think the watch sellers are the same the world over. And I wouldn’t buy one, except out of charitable persuasion.
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I’m always amazed at how great a story you can pack into 100 words (or in this case 101 words). A great read.
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Thanks Mike 🙂
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And there goes the environment, Poof.
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That’s all it takes.
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Smiled at this line “Aaron knows everything there is to know about time; he should… he’s done some.”
I like the way you have this set up — the telling as well as the placement of the sentences.
Really enjoyed your post here today.
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Thank you Lillian. I appreciate your commenting.
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I absolutely love your use of time here right to the bitter ending. This time I don’t get the connection to the picture, but that’s probably some cultural reference i don’t get.
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Thanks Gabi. The link is the recent VW emissions scandal where they appear to have been ‘doctoring’ the software for measuring the harmful emissions from their engines. I wasn’t sure what kind of coverage this had ‘enjoyed’ around the world, but it was fairly widely publicised in Europe.
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Yes that, well, it’s a german company, it still is all over the news here. And one by one, the other companies turn out to not be little angels either. I guess I was thrown by Aaron, I thought he would be someone everyone knows but me (which would be the normal state). 😉
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Nice story, Sandra. A cautionary tale!
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But few are heeding it. Thanks for visting Penny.
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Simply brilliant. and your subtle reference to the VW scandal was inspired.
Click to visit Keith’s Ramblings
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Thanks Keith.
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Our VW has just had its emissions reset, we are not pleased, but I was pleased with your story.
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I read this morning that our Merc should be getting one. Better to jump than be pushed, I guess. 🙂
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Excellent work as always Sandra.
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Thanks Iain.
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Masterfully constructed, Sandra. I once wrote a poem about being slaves to time. How it controls us instead of the other way around. The automakers are all guilty of scandals. The big news here over the last few months has been air bags. They either don’t work or they kill the person they’re supposed to protect.
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The airbag stuff hasn’t surfaced here yet. But we learned this morning our Merc is to have a reset. Thanks for visiting.
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I love the narrative voice in this, Sandra, so strong for such a small piece.
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Thank you!
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Great story; you’re such a talented writer! Time is such an important thing, yet so hard to control… lovely ending and lovely story 🙂
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Many thanks for reading.
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That’s lovely, although I can’t see how the prompt took you there. But who cares. A good read.
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The VW emissions scandal, Patrick. Thanks for reading.
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Terrific,Sandra. ‘Bleached fish bones ‘, ‘stinking crimson sea ‘and ‘sickly green skies’- horrible man-made disasters , you have so brilliantly painted with words. Why does he say ” we have run out of time ? ”
Regards and best wishes..
Moon
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The clue is in the environment, I guess.
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Hmmm. sorry about the silly question. look forward to reading your story , tomorrow .
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Awesome story this week Sandra! I hope our civilization never comes to this but everyone fights over everything. Sad when we learned of Volkswagons misleading the consumer.
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Sad indeed.
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You are one smart lady.. brilliant take
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And you are one resilient lady. 🙂 Thanks for reading, Dale.
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🙄😎😘
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Loved how you worked the time theme here. The future is not looking good.
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It’s not, for sure. Thanks for reading.
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Nice, but hopefully not prophetic. Nice use of “time”.
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Thanks.
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Great description of the sea and fish. Let’s hope it never comes to that.
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Indeed. Thanks for reading.
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The value of time as an underlying approach–or at least to me. What an eye-opening piece. Thank you.
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Thank you Matthew.
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Chilling – For most of your story I was visualising the watch-sellers I used to see regularly on Tenerife beach, then you hit me with a crimson sea.
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Yes, Spain was overrun with them too. Thanks for reading, Liz.
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Aaron and time… this post say everything about time. he sells used watches too. interesting.
it is time to hit bed for me. good night.
http://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/07/photo-prompt-kent-bonham-i-always-stand.html
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Wow great prompt take. Time and all it’s meanings. I wonder where he got thrm all?
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A message subtly passed across’
Great writing.
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Yes, Spain was overrun with them too. Thanks for reading Liz.
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oops, typing faster than WordPress can catch me.
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perhaps it’s time to lay low. they’re being watched.
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The all elusive time and the ways it’s abused.
I very much like the way you’ve written it.
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Loved the play on time and it’s many manifestations. Great stuff
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I love how you brought this full circle.
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Really enjoyed the cast of characters you painted in the middle of this, and descriptions at the end – bleached fishbones etc. Such a poignant ending, but maybe it’s time Aaron called time on this life.
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I think Mother Nature is saving him the bother. 😦
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