Copyright Sandra Crook
He frowns, clearly scanning through the labrynthian corridors of his past, searching for me.
Right now, he’ll be scrolling through his manifesto of ‘former protegees – favours to be called-in”.
I won’t be there, for I owe him nothing.
Frowning, he’ll embark upon the inventory of ‘past lovers – unsophisticated but a lusty lay’.
I might be cross-referenced there, but I doubt it; he’s never got much further than a tentative grope.
“Try ‘promising young writer’” I prompt, “but an implausible plot.”
Recollection dawns in his eyes, and a rising tide of shame flushes his neck as he’s called to the platform.
My photo this week, and I’m sure everyone recognises this for an insect-house… just the right place for my main protagonist. Rochelle leads our merry band of Friday Fictioneers into high summer this morning, thanks once again, oh multi-talented one. 🙂
castelsarrasin 
I loved this, Sandra. The clever metaphor and the denoument
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Thank you, Neil. 🙂
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Got his comeuppance!
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Got a shed- load of guilt to contend with. But I think he’ll manage.
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😀
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She sorted him out all right! Loved your take.
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Thanks Jilly.
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Fantastic interpretation, Sandra. Loved it.
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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I didn’t know the photo was of an insect house. How fascinating! Your take was even more so. Loved the quick tour through the labrynthian corridors 🙂
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Many thanks 🙂
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Ah, clever, clever, clever! Loved this.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you.
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I have known people like that. You can see the Rolodex flipping behind their eyes. Probably this is because they want to impress you with how great their memory is. Great vignette.
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🙂 Some people pride themselves on being able to pin-point everyone. Fortunately, I don’t have that problem. 😉
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I assume she has no way to prove it. Cleverly done Sandra. I guess he will learn to live with the shame now he’s an award winner.
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And the fear that she might ‘out’ him.
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Hmmm I can’t grasp this one, Sandra. Is he some big shot with a past of sexual exploits or harassment? And is the narrator meeting him on stage?
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Well he’s a celebrity (and libidinous) writer who told her that work she’d submitted to him for an opinion was ‘implausible’ and then proceeded to use it himself, being awarded a literary prize for so doing. Sorry it didn’t work for you.
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Oh! I did think that too. That last line made me think he stole her work. But I got distracted by the sexual references. It’s a good story, just possibly a slow day for me and too much self-doubt.
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scanning through the labrynthian corridors of his past…what lines. I lode this immensely. Have always loved your writings, your clever use of metaphors and imageries, Sandra.
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Thank you, Neel. Very kind of you.
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There’s much about this story that I really enjoyed, especially the scathing way your narrator thinks of the author. I’m afraid I didn’t understand the denouement until I read the comments, though.
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Sorry it didn’t work for you, Penny. 🙂
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An insect house? I had no idea. I’ll have to google it.
And the winner of that award would no doubt fit right in.
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Wouldn’t have one in my garden, but I have no need of one. Most of them have colonised my vegetable garden. Thanks for reading.
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I had a little trouble getting what was going on at the end till i read the comments, too.
I like the idea of an index in this man’s memory with various headings under which she might be stored for his recognition.
I was also distracted ( my fault) since i hadnt heard of labyrinthian but only labyrinthine, but apparently both exist with subtley different meanings.
Really enjoyed it and good punchline though i wasnt able to enjoy it properly without further study. 😊
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The difference is marginal, I think. 🙂 Sorry it didn’t work for you unaided, but thanks for sticking with it.
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she who laughs last~
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Thanks for reading.
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Oh… I love those lists. I can see her list too:
scumbags who tried their best to crush me
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Thanks for reading, Bjorn. Stay cool!
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Ah, but insect houses are used to help wild bees and other interesting insects find places to hide and lay eggs because their natural habitats get destroyed, and not for cockroaches like him. 🙂 That’s unfair to the bees… Wonderful story, Sandra, cutting and brilliant. And thank you for a great picture.
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Glad you enjoyed it. I’m sure the cockroaches aren’t fussy where they live. 🙂
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Dear Sandra,
I could feel his well deserved discomfort. Love it. Thank you for the photo as well as a well as a great story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My pleasure, Rochelle. I’ll keep on snapping away. 😉
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He is such a louse! Great story, Sandra.
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Hah! I see what you did there, Edith. Thanks for reading.
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I can just see the headlines. Lecture gets their comeuppance, for a up and coming young writer. Lovely
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She’d have to give the game away. Maybe he’s more use to her whilst he’s trying to protect his reputation. 🙂
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Sorry Sandra ‘for’ should read ‘from’.
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Excellent, Sandra. Very subtle. I enjoy his discomfort and wonder what will happen in the near future.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen an insect house. I wonder if it’s more of a European thing that might be starting to catch on in the states?
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I’ve resisted the temptation to start one myself. My vegetable patch seems to meet all their housing requirements. Thanks for reading Sascha.
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i guess it’s always true that you always long for the one that got away.
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🙂 Maybe not when you’re plagiarising her work, but who knows…?
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Pingback: Layers – Friday Fictioneers | A Dalectable Life
I love the internal filing system trying to come up with the proper “file”… one would think that if one had done such as he, he would at least remember the source…
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Perhaps it’s a regular occurrence… Thanks for reading Dale. Hope you’re well.
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Sadly, probably true….
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Beautifully written, Sandra. Frankly, it took sometime to fully grasp.
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Yes, it seems to have foxed more than one or two this week, Indira. Thanks for sticking with it.
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One of your best and so very apt in today’s climate. Like it.
Dee.
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Thank you!
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I love the metaphor ‘labrynthian corridors of his past’. Doing better than someone expected is a great feeling 🙂
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Thanks for reading, Jennifer.
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I wonder how long she has carried the luggage of his guilt – I have a feeling a while for her strength shines.
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Maybe she feeds off it ? Thanks for reading, Kelvin.
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I guess she’s carrying it in a hamper then … so she can snack or picnic wherever she wants. 😉
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Ha! Clever take that.
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Thank you!
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Ha! I like the categorisations she’s imagining he has for the different people in his past. Pretty close to what we all have, I bet!
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Yeah, I’m not telling you mine. 🙂
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What a great story – and thanks for the photo. Your characters are always so clearly drawn.
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Thanks Liz. I like to think so, but with only a hundred words sometimes it doesn’t work too well. 🙂
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I also didn’t realize the photo was an insect house. Your use of metaphor is outstanding and the theme of the story fits the photo perfectly.
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Many thanks, Susan.
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Very clever.
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Thanks, Dawn.
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Cleverly crafted!!
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Your photo is truly a wonderful metaphor for him who values few other than himself. A great character portrait.
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~Thanks Sarah Ann. 🙂
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Thanks for the photo, Sandra, although I had no idea it was an insect house. It did look like it was meant to be something, though and hence my take with the guy spending hours out in his shed building something.
I enjoyed your take on it and the thinking behind it. I watched a news report this week about sexual harassment in the Green Political Party here and that came to mind reading your story.
I have a terrible problem forgetting people’s names when I’m each introducing people or networking and mentioning some mutual contact. It makes me look like I don’t really know the person at all, when it could even be someone as familiar as my best friend. Google saved me this afternoon when I was writing an email and I could jog my memory or cheat in other words. Bit hard to do that in person.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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I’m not red hot on remembering names myself, Rebecca. 😉 thanks for reading and commenting.
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Sandra- you really do submit cool photos to FF…
And your fiction here was layered and lively with social dynamics and pieces to ponder – like the lusty lay….
Ha
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I’ve been dying to use ‘lusty lay’ for a few days now. 🙂 Glad you liked the photo.
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🙂
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Dear Sandra,
Your writing remains top shelf of the bug house. Smooth, subtle, and scathing.
(How you handling the heat wave? Staying near the water?)
Yours,
Doug
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How lovely to hear from you, Doug. Hope you are well, and cool. (Well, just as cool as you always are) 🙂 Yes, it’s hot as Hades again, but living on a peninsular on the south coast, we’re surrounded by water and the accompanying sea breezes. If it weren’t for that, you’d probably find me dossing down in the supermarket aisles between the freezers – as some Brits are. 🙂 Stay safe, and enjoy your new life. x
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Some great lines in there. He is going to be looking over his shoulder waiting to be outed. She should make him sweat for a while.
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Love where you went with the prompt. Nice job!
Nice photo Sandra, but I admit you had me stumped with it! And no, I had no idea that it was an insect house.
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So cleverly written.
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