Copyright J Hardy Carroll
I’ve never really liked Mrs Fortescue-Jones, but right now her swollen lips and missing front teeth evoke an overwhelming empathic response from me.
“Boomers…” the gatecrashers had shouted, hotly followed by “brexiteers…, housing-hoggers…, pension-bandits…, bed blockers…”
We, the remaining members of the WI, had been chained to the ancient church-hall radiator, which was ticking and clanking away as usual.
Mrs F-J, however, is made of sterner stuff.
“Snowflakes,” she’d hissed before making a break for the phone to alert Septaguarian Security Services.
Mrs F-J always did like the last word.
And that, sadly, might just well be it.
The inspiration for this bit of nonsense came from one of my favourite Margaret Atwood short stories called ‘Torching the Dusties’. The WI, for those who are unfamiliar with it, stands for Women’s Institute. For cultural and demographic reasons there will still be many Friday Fictioneers for whom the story will have little significance – sorry about that. 🙂 Thanks to Rochelle once again.
castelsarrasin 
A bit of nonsense, but a very serious commentary behind it.
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Thanks Neil.
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Great fun Sandra, enjoyed the comic tone. The WI seem to have a lot to answer for – I wonder how many of those accusations are true for their members?
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Not as many as popular opinion has it, I expect. And similarly the ‘snowflake’ accusation.
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Surely it will never come to that…will it?
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…Time to break out the WI gatling gun and go old school
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Right behind you, Martin. But behind you…
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Oh, very good….the war of the demographics, indeed
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Thanks Sue.
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A touch of the Handmaiden’s Tale here, perhaps. It could happen. Get yourself a boat!
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Indeed. I finally realised this week that although the last episode is on Sunday, it’s only the last of the series. I thought there were a few too many outstanding issues to wind up.
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Superb social commentary brilliantly executed.
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Thanks CE. Glad to see you around this week.
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Yikes! Poor Mrs. F-J
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Dear Sandra,
While I didn’t understand everything in the story, I still understand good writing. I can always count on you for that.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle. 🙂
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Love this. Serious stuff with a humorous tone, and such a vivid character. Well done!
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Thank you. Interesting photo this week.
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Definitely a Calendar Girl, but then, maybe she is? I like a humorous yarn. Thanks, Carol.
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Sandra, but the middle name is Carole. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Unfortunately, this went over my head but you created some strong characters there with great attention to detail.
xx Rowena
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I love your character and dramatic tone. You’re always a go-to for me while participating in Friday Fictioneers. 🙂 Cheers to you.
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Thank you Jen, kind of you to say so.
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I sincerely hope it’s not her last word!
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Who knows? 🙂
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I really detest the media and hospitals who use of the term ‘bed blocker’. British governments have closed the long stay hospitals that were build by charitable donation. Now they gripe when someone is in need of longer term care
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Like the other non-Brits, some of this went over my head; but the gist is there anyway and, like Rochelle said, you write so well regardless!
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Thank you, Dale.
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😊
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Let’s all sing Jerusalem! Nice one Sandra.
Click to read my FriFic
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Yeah, it’s great writing, if a bit confusing for someone not in-the-know. But I always like reading your stuff, Sandra. This story is kind of what cinnamon rolls are like for me. I don’t eat them, but I can tell a really good one when I do (if that makes any sense!).
Five out of five dusties. 🙂
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Aww, what a nice thing to say. I’ll send you some of the WI’s finest jam. 🙂
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😉
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Excellent story, Sandra. The WI being chained to the radiator by youngsters evokes overtones of suffragettes chaining themselves to railings – which some of your cast had probably done in their youth! But great to see FF being used like this for social commentary, especially done so entertainingly!
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Those youngsters forget that we septuagenarians paid for our pensions, and for the NHS. In Tenerife, fit people can only take out as much as they’ve put in, so nobody can live on the dole forever like many do here. Arrghh! Good for Mrs F.
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Well, I wouldn’t want to cross the WI 🙂
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Good one! Since I’m now a septuagenarian, I could easily identify 🙂
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As you say, these terms are bandied about – often by the media – easy labels for whole swathes of the population. And the WI demographic has changed a great deal too – filled with young women now so I hear. Not all Jam and Jerusalem any more! Love the tone and Mrs F-J – what a battler she is. Great stuff Sandra
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Great story with excellent writing. As a Brit with snow on the roof I really felt for the ladies. I don’t want to start, but nobody ever mentions the years over which we mollycoddled old gits paid up to 15% interest on the mortgages we took on to buy the supposedly oversized houses that we’re now hogging when we should apparently move out and shuffle off to the old folks’ home or the grave.
I feel for young people who can’t afford to get on the housing ladder, but sometimes it’s hard to do so when mature citizens are blamed for it. Rant over.
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Leaning against an open door here, hon. 😊
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Interesting from here. A glimpse into a different world that seems much the same. Thanks for the view Sandra.
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i like the snowflakes metaphor if only to remind me of what donald trump and company are doing to distract the public’s attention from the russian probe against him and his family.
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I assume from the comments that your story referred to some program that a few of your readers are familiar with. I don’t know anything about it, but the scenario of your piece is fun, and I love the voice of the narrator.
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Not a program, more a socio-political comment. Thanks for reading.
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Too bad she doesn’t have an opinion! LOL! Great take on prompt Sandra! 😀
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And I had always imagined the WI as such a dignified organisation. I can just see the experienced members and their trainees going for each other. ☺
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I am curious, what does ‘snowflakes’ mean? Loved the picturisation.
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Sounds like a great scene even if I don’t know what the fuss is about. Sounds like the aftermath of a European soccer match. 😄
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This is darkly comic, but also scary. I’m dreading being really old. There’s such anger being stirred up against the old, which causes a worse age divide than when I was young. In my darker moments, I truly believe that the anger is such that we’ll all end up being served compulsory euthanasia orders. Am I being too pessimistic?
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Perhaps they make us into little wafers, i.e. Soylent Green
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That film was galling but brilliant. I often think of it, all these years later, and wonder if it was a prediction. There’s quite a bit of science fiction that has turned out to be science fact.
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Talk about the generations not getting along!
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I got an inkling of what was going on here, but that’s about all. Mrs. F-J appears to be a tough old bird.
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Oops there goes Mrs. F-J. Loved those slogans by the gatecrashers.
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Interesting take on the prompt 🙂
Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
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The rythm was astounding and pleasant..
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