Wednesday's Words on a Friday
The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.
The aim of the words is to encourage us to write a story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.
This month the words are supplied by Lee and can be found here.
This week's words are:
1. ludicrous
2. activity
3. rebellious
4. sceptical
5. acknowledge
6. begrudge
and/or:
1. philosophy
2. foolhardy
3. advantage
4. flawless
5. discovery
6. canopy
this week I'm continuing the story of Tom and his memories
Here is my story:
Looking up at the brilliant blue canopy above, Tom took a moment to acknowledge his current level of sky-high happiness was a little ludicrous, but still he couldn't stop grinning. Vanessa and Robert wanted him as their son!
He was sceptical about adoption being possible at his age, but even without that formality, Tom would be proud to be known as their son.
For the past eight years they had stood by him, teaching him the world wasn't such a bad place, raising him with love, steering him through his rebellious teenage years, talking him out of a foolhardy plan to drop out of school and just work with Robert on the farm. They stressed the importance of education.
His mood sobering, Tom recalled vague, long ago memories of panic at being lost and alone, not knowing where his parents were or what had happened to them. He remembered years of being shunted from one foster home to another, each time rejected because of his fear-driven tantrums, nightmares and sleepwalking. Growing out of those, Tom became sullen and socially withdrawn, taking advantage of every opportunity to steal money or food and skip school.
Robert and Vanessa Moore had turned all that around almost from the first day. Instead of talking at him, laying down rules and punishments for breaking them, they talked to him and with him, encouraging Tom to speak freely. More importantly, they listened.
They took him shopping for new clothes that hadn't already been worn by countless other boys before him, asked him to help with selecting groceries, and didn't begrudge him second helpings at the dinner table. Robert took him around the farm, showing Tom every aspect of self-sufficient farming, the crops, the small tractor, the chickens that laid their breakfast eggs, the orchard that supplied their fruit.
Tom grew, physically and emotionally, flourishing under their care. He rarely mentioned his parents. Requests made by Robert to obtain Tom's earliest paperwork, brought the discovery that nothing before age eight could be found. There had been a fire in the office building and the records of many children had been burned.
Putting aside those thoughts, Tom went back to his room, picked up a small knapsack already packed with notebook, a couple of extra pens and a camera and set out to find the trail Bill Money had told him would lead up to the Scenic Retreat.
There were two trails, one easily accessible that most tourists used and a smaller goat track for those who wanted a more challenging activity. There was a small turn-around halfway up with a seat where a person could rest and Tom thought this lesser track would give excellent photographic opportunities.
He checked his watch, Bill had said the climb might take as much as an hour, depending on how fit someone might be, saw there was plenty of time and set out to meet with Mr and Mrs Saunders. He'd leave the library and pub searches for another day.
The aim of the words is to encourage us to write a story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.
This month the words are supplied by Lee and can be found here.
This week's words are:
1. ludicrous
2. activity
3. rebellious
4. sceptical
5. acknowledge
6. begrudge
and/or:
1. philosophy
2. foolhardy
3. advantage
4. flawless
5. discovery
6. canopy
this week I'm continuing the story of Tom and his memories
Here is my story:
Looking up at the brilliant blue canopy above, Tom took a moment to acknowledge his current level of sky-high happiness was a little ludicrous, but still he couldn't stop grinning. Vanessa and Robert wanted him as their son!
He was sceptical about adoption being possible at his age, but even without that formality, Tom would be proud to be known as their son.
For the past eight years they had stood by him, teaching him the world wasn't such a bad place, raising him with love, steering him through his rebellious teenage years, talking him out of a foolhardy plan to drop out of school and just work with Robert on the farm. They stressed the importance of education.
His mood sobering, Tom recalled vague, long ago memories of panic at being lost and alone, not knowing where his parents were or what had happened to them. He remembered years of being shunted from one foster home to another, each time rejected because of his fear-driven tantrums, nightmares and sleepwalking. Growing out of those, Tom became sullen and socially withdrawn, taking advantage of every opportunity to steal money or food and skip school.
Robert and Vanessa Moore had turned all that around almost from the first day. Instead of talking at him, laying down rules and punishments for breaking them, they talked to him and with him, encouraging Tom to speak freely. More importantly, they listened.
They took him shopping for new clothes that hadn't already been worn by countless other boys before him, asked him to help with selecting groceries, and didn't begrudge him second helpings at the dinner table. Robert took him around the farm, showing Tom every aspect of self-sufficient farming, the crops, the small tractor, the chickens that laid their breakfast eggs, the orchard that supplied their fruit.
Tom grew, physically and emotionally, flourishing under their care. He rarely mentioned his parents. Requests made by Robert to obtain Tom's earliest paperwork, brought the discovery that nothing before age eight could be found. There had been a fire in the office building and the records of many children had been burned.
Putting aside those thoughts, Tom went back to his room, picked up a small knapsack already packed with notebook, a couple of extra pens and a camera and set out to find the trail Bill Money had told him would lead up to the Scenic Retreat.
There were two trails, one easily accessible that most tourists used and a smaller goat track for those who wanted a more challenging activity. There was a small turn-around halfway up with a seat where a person could rest and Tom thought this lesser track would give excellent photographic opportunities.
He checked his watch, Bill had said the climb might take as much as an hour, depending on how fit someone might be, saw there was plenty of time and set out to meet with Mr and Mrs Saunders. He'd leave the library and pub searches for another day.
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ReplyDeleteVery clever Ms River. As I scanned the word list, a plot involving current government activities formed in my mind. However, I have the attention span of a canary.
DeleteThe story has not ended yet. There must be more. What will he find at Mr. and Mrs. Saunders place? You have had me on the edge of my seat the past two weeks. Tom is most deserving of lots more happiness.
ReplyDeleteGranny Annie; there is plenty more and even if the words don't fit, I will keep writing the next chapters and eventually post them here.
DeleteI am super impressed at the way you used Lee's challenging prompts to progress this lovely tale.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; I kind of impressed myself. I didn't think this chapter would work so well. I left out a couple of words, but they'll make it in somewhere along the line.
DeleteThere you go,River...the words are an perfect fit for your on-going tale. I knew you'd handle them expertly. Well done. :)
ReplyDeleteLee; they weren't perfect until I woke up at 2am and started scribbling. I thought I might have to start a whole new story.
DeleteThank you.
.. great chapter River.... so glad Tom feels wanted and supported ... waiting for the next bombshell ... lol ... xxxxx Barb xxx
ReplyDeletebarbara; there's going to be a bombshell or two, it would be too saccharine sweet without them. I just need to work on it instead of mindlessly watching iZombie.
DeleteInteresting challenge, very good choice of words and excellent way to exercise the brain.
ReplyDeleteYou used every word and left my brain wanting more, your story pulled me in and left me wanting to hear the rest of the story.
Jimmy; thank you. I did miss a couple of the words, but they'll make it in eventually. Have you scrolled back to the two previous Fridays and read the beginnings of this tale?
DeleteWe'd be happy to have you join our Words for Wednesday challenge.
Well done. I often start a sentence and then another but never does it read quite right.
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm not made to write stories, but that doesn't stop me from having a go now and then for myself.
Margaret-whiteangel; not everyone is made to write, I thought I wasn't, but Delores hooked me in when she began this challenge years ago.
DeletePerhaps if you combine the sentences, a bit from this one, a bit from that one, it could work.
Sometimes when I'm stumped I write a sentence for each word even if they don't fit together, then sometimes I'll find a "link" sentence that pulls it all in. Then a lot of the time I don't and have to start over.
This is a terrific story River....I'm hooked. Can't wait for next week.
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused; thank you. Lee has given us some really challenging words, I'm surprised at myself for being able to use them.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, River. The possibilities are endless, I look forward to seeing where you go with this.
ReplyDeleteLove this story - what may he find at Mr.& Mrs Saunders place, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan