Copyright Dale Rogerson
He enjoyed the swings, but then 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.
“More,” he pleaded, when the ride stopped. “More!”
So 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’d gone.
It’s not true what they say… about swings and roundabouts…
A re-run, from Rochelle’s first Friday Fictioneers gathering after her retirement in 2015. How time flies, as does my muse from time to time. 😦
castelsarrasin 
Perhaps he’s gone to a better place
LikeLike
Maybe. Maybe not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And a thrillseeking boy is born. So sad.
LikeLike
So inevitable, it sometimes seems.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your description of the little boy’s growing confidence is beautifully written. The transition to the Harley-Davidsons is smooth, and the ending powerful. A nice little allegory, Sandra.
LikeLike
Many thanks, Penny.
LikeLike
Dear Sandra,
This was powerful then and powerful now. Wow. Four years already?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I know how much you miss your old job. 😉 Thanks for re-reading.
LikeLike
Oh yeah, I miss it…like I miss a bad case of dysentery. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very powerful, Sandra
LikeLike
Thanks, Sue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They grow up so fast, don’t they…
Your usual accomplished, understated, painful slice of life.
LikeLike
Thanks, CE. 🙂
LikeLike
I often look at children and wonder what they’ll be like. Even my own, whom I know quite well, continue to surprise me. Well told.
LikeLike
Yes, it’s amazing how quickly they grow, and how quickly they turn from one path to another. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well. J Hardy Carrol’s response caught my eye before I started typing, and totally rearranged what I now have forgotten I was going to say 🙂
Anyway, as the mother of four who are still youthful in my mind, I am gob-smacked at how fast they’ve all started looking the same way I still see myself. Unrealistic? Yes, but it helps keep a smile on my face 🙂 Really good one, Sandra. But yours always are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thanks Linda. And I’m sure you’re still as youthful as you feel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOVE your Friday Fictioneers posts, they always have a twist! Best, Carole Grant
LikeLike
Lovely to hear from you Carole. I still pop into Women on Barges on a regular basis. This time of the year is always a bit poignant… the start of the season, the plans… Good luck with your travels.
LikeLike
Gone to Iceland again?
This has to be every parent’s nightmare! Smooth writing Sandra.
LikeLike
I’m not a parent, but I see it with friends’ children. And when I look into the mirror. A great way to describe the passing of time.
LikeLike
And just like that, he’s a Hell’s Angel… nice one!
LikeLike
Who knows which way they’ll turn when the time comes? Beautifully written Sandra.
LikeLike
Goodness, you’ve managed to convey so much in so few words, Sandra. Beautifully done!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLike
Roundabout: I’m taking a leap of faith and equate it to a merry-go-round. Yeah, watching the kids grow and find themselves (hopefully) is wonderful and frustrating and…but when they ride off into the sunset? Not so much fun
LikeLike
Oh ….those little boys… some just cannot have enough. Why can’t they stick to the unicorns?
LikeLike
I see this with my friends’ children, it’s exciting and uncomfortable how fast they get bigger, and most of the ones I know are under three!
LikeLike
Oh my goodness! That’s dreadful. I didn’t see it coming, Sandra.
LikeLike
hopefully, she had taught him about life well.
LikeLike
Oh oh ..
LikeLike
Can’t believe I have an adult and a late teen at home. Maybe I should adopt another to relive those moments. Naah! A wonderful re-read as I remembered this from when it was first posted.
LikeLike
Wonderfully done, as per usual, Mistress of the Short Story! I look at my boys ages 19 and 21 and know there is still so much ahead for them…
LikeLike
A sad story that made me think Sandra. Time moves so fast, and we all have to find our path in life. I once loved riding scooters and motorbikes, but not now on today’s busy roads. I still dream of the wind in my hair. Sadly even the hair has disappeared.🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a smooth transition I had to reread it. That right there tells me how well you captured the passage of time. We have to look back to realize how much has changed.
LikeLike
Speed certainly thrills younger people. Nice story.
LikeLike
I have a daughter who is just about to hit her teens… so for me this story is something that I’m about to step into (I mean, probably not with the Harley’s, but with a child growing up). Your words hit me right in the heart, Sandra, and now I have tears in my eyes at my desk at work. I’m not ready for the growing up part!!
-Rachel
LikeLike
Wonderful.
LikeLike
Had to look up that expression. I havent heard it before. Love your use of “undulation” for the merry-go-round horse’s travel up and down the pole, as seen from the ground.
As for your muse disappearing now and again, everyone needs a vacation, and perhaps that’s the secret, to its vigor.
LikeLike
Mine is 10, I have no idea what or where he’ll end up, but i’m sure he’ll have a silly time doing it. A great tale well told, such a lot into 100 words.
LikeLike
Lovely story! Especially loved the way you showed the transition from one to the other. They grow up fast, don’t they?
LikeLike
Taking your eye off the ball when he’s just discovered Harley Davidsons isn’t a good idea. However, I reckon by that stage it doesn’t matter what you do, they’re on their own. such an apt picture of growing up. Fantastic.
LikeLike
Well captured, that shift from shyness to confidence, that growing up and growing away. Heartbreak in 100 words
LikeLike
Oh my…a mother’s worries never end!
LikeLike
Sandra, your writing as always is just something to behold, seriously. I unfortunately have a sister-in-law who lost her oldest son to a biking accident so when I see Harley and gone that’s where my thoughts went, although I don’t know that that’s the outcome here. I presume something a little less dreadful, just the passage of time and a child moving on. Lovely.
LikeLike