Copyright C E Ayr
I was despatched to bring him home – a spiritless task rankling even more than the unconvincingly louche nonchalance of his newly-acquired Gallic associates.
Did they try harder to detain him, I wondered. Or were some seeking to extend their embrace to ensnare me also?
Whatever, the prospect of returning home, either with or without him, soon held significantly less appeal until ultimately I found myself coercing the prodigal into delaying both his, and consequently my departure from Paris.
And as autumn revealed the stark branches of the trees bordering the Champs-Elysées, so it would uncover each of our motives.
***
Only Words – retread from June, 2015
Your words are scattered like ice-shards on our bed.
People change… no-one’s fault…
They fall to the floor as I smooth the sheets, and I nudge the fragments beneath the bed.
I pluck my words from the pillow slipping them into my apron pocket.
Please don’t do this… please…
In the kitchen I shake your words from the tablecloth, as the dog snuffles amongst them, foraging for truths and toast-crumbs.
No-one else… well, no-one special anyway…
And on the dusty garage floor, I kneel to gather the words frozen to your lips.
Please don’t do this… please …
They’ll stay with me, forever maybe.
There will be little ‘visit-value’ for Friday Fictioneers in my first attempt above, if they’re not familiar with ‘The Ambassadors’ by Henry James (which I believe is the book in the prompt this week), so I’ve included the retread I was intending to submit when the muse couldn’t easily be roused from its reverie. Thanks again to Rochelle for leading our happy band of writers.
castelsarrasin 
Actually I haven’t read The Ambassadors and this still worked for me. I still aspire to use the word “louche” one day. The second story is a marvel. Just my kind iof thing
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Thanks a lot, Neil. I don’t know what the adjective is for that second style of writing. I just know that I only seem to be able to channel it very occasionally. It irritates me that these days my writing seems to be more literal than literary.
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Maybe it’s fabulism?
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I’ve had a quick google at that. It seems to describe topic rather than style, but I shall investigate this further. Thank you for the nudge.
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Your precis of The Ambassadors is masterful, if only Mr James had such economy of words!
Your second piece is pure genius, writing that only you can do.
‘ truths and toast-crumbs’ made me weep with envy.
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Aww that’s very kind of you. And thank you for a photo that offers many possibilities, not the least of which was to offer up the ‘truths and toast-crumbs’ phrase again. 😉
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I wondered about the first story, til I read your comments. The second story had me on my knees.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks Susan, I appreciate your comment.
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There is definitely more to this story. I finished reading wanting to know more …
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Glad you liked it, Colline.
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Dear Sandra,
While I’m not familiar with “The Ambassador” the story still worked for me. I enjoyed the two-fer this week. Brilliant writing as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, glad you liked it. 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better.
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I haven’t tackled The Ambassadors yet, but it seems fairly obvious to me that one would find it hard to leave Paris once one had found love there.
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Thanks for reading, Iain. Yes, a romantic city indeed.
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Absolutely loved the second story, Sandra. Incredible. I meet with a friend weekly for coffee. An older man the same age as my parents, his wife announced their marriage was over when their kids were teenagers. He was telling me today how he suggested they split up the house and live in separate halves for the sake of the kids but she wasn’t interested. I could see your story applying well to his situation.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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It’s funny how different people choose to structure the remains of a relationship. Thanks for reading and commenting, Rowena.
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An intriguing teaser, Sanda. Well done.
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Thanks, Josh.
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Wow, Sandra. I agree that the book in the photo is James’ “The Ambassadors,” a book I have not read but that I did google for a precis. What you’ve done here is amazing, outstanding writing.
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Thanks for your lovely comment, Linda.
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I was intrigued as to what the book itself was and whether it had any relationship to the bookmark, and now I know.
Your second story is also fantastic – toast crumbs and truth. I think I’d sometimes rather have the former.
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Thanks for reading them both. 🙂
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I enjoyed both stories… and I know from reading this that yet a book has to be added to my “to read” list. The second story was really masterful in the way every little piece of found word revealed a little bit more of gruesome story… (is the concrete still wet?)
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It’s setting nicely, Bjorn. 🙂 Thanks for reading both.
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I really enjoyed both offerings. I would be proud to have penned either one let alone both,
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Thanks so much, Michael.
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Seems you have hit it out of the park once again.
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Thanks so much, Dawn.
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You do know how to place words in the right order to impress everyone! Really, really nice.
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Thanks, Nan.
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What a submission this week! I am not familiar with The Ambassadors (you figured that out just by the words on the book? I am impressed!)
The second story had me in tears – and I seem to recall reading it back when… Just as powerful today. Boy oh boy can you write!
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Aww thanks, Dale. I just looked up the character name that I could make out from the text. Then I read the precis on Wiki. All smoke and mirrors, I’m afraid. 🙂
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You do smoke and mirrors sublimely!
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Both worked in their own way, so well done twice.
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Thanks, Liz.
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I’ve only read pages 44 and 45 of The Ambassadors (thanks CEA!) but I enjoyed the tale nonetheless, as I did the second.
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Many thanks, Keith.
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I’ve not read The Ambassadors but your story was almost poetic in the language you used.
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Thanks for reading! 🙂
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two-fer for this week. outstanding. 🙂
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Many thanks. 🙂
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Fantastic – that’ll teach him.
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Thanks for reading, James.
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Both the stories are brilliant. Having tackled Henry James maybe you should do one for James Joyce’s Ulysses too. A condensed version will help 😉
“foraging for truths and toast-crumbs” loved this!
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Ah yes, Ulysses. Right after I’ve done War and Peace, I think. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Both stories were well-written, Sandra. There is a great deal of loneliness and pain in the world. You did a marvelous job of expressing it. —- Suzanne
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Thanks for reading them both, Suzanne.
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Ooh, a double dipper. I feel like I got more than my money’s worth, especially since the admission was free.
Both were enjoyable, but that second one stole the spotlight. It was vivid and intense.
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I’m impressed you could make out the text in the image! I enjoyed both stories. Why do I feel there was some sinister end to the spouse in the second story? And I loved the dog ‘foraging for truths’. Mirrored her anxiety well. And now I will add The Ambassador to my reading list.
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