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 prompts are supplied by ME and can be found right here.

This week's words are

1. derision
2. mendacious
3. plethora
4. manuscripts
5. unfamiliar
6. gently

and/or:

1. vaguely
2. expression
3. ornamental
4. peppermint
5. spinning
6. narrowed

and a picture, which I have included.

Here is my story:

I sat and pondered on the future now stretching before me. The road ahead seemingly empty, the past with its plethora of opportunities lost to me. I'd been undermined by that smug, self-serving, mendacious little yes man. He'd been the favourite before I came along and wasn't happy losing his position. Vaguely promising me upward advancement if I just followed the rules, all the while spinning tales in the boss's ear about my manuscripts being nothing more than ornamental, pages and pages of fancy words with little real meaning in them.
When I found out he hadn't even read them, let alone presented them to the publisher, I'd lost my temper and punched him in the nose. I'd been fired immediately of course and the derision in his narrowed eyes spoke volumes as a security guard led me away and out of the building. 
He gently sat me on this bench, telling me to wait, and soon returned with a sympathetic expression and a cup of soothing hot peppermint tea. 



"Don't you worry," he'd said. "You'll be in unfamiliar territory for a while, but you'll find your feet and that young fool will get his comeuppance." and handed me an embossed card with the name and address of a publisher in another city.

Comments

  1. A truly lovely take on your (challenging) prompts.

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    1. Elephant's Child; thank you. I was going to try and work a new chapter on Tom's story with the picture, but it wouldn't come together.

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  2. A great little tale, River. I love it :)

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  3. You picked some really difficult words, but well done!

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    1. joeh; thank you, nice to see you here. I usually jot down words from whatever book I'm reading at the time.

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  4. Even if he did punch someone, i hope he does land on his feet and do well.

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    Replies
    1. messymimi; I have the feeling he's going to do very well.

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  5. Things happen for a reason. Somebody needed a punch in the nose, and somebody needed a fresh start. Your story supports my theory of "no coincidences."

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    1. Val; I suppose some of the things that happen are coincidence, for instance rain stopping when I had to walk to and from work, for years. But in this case, I think the fates were at work, helping out a new writer.

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    2. Or maybe you deserved to walk to and from work without getting wet! Karma.

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  6. Those were really tough words. Well done and I love a positive ending.

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    1. Arkansas Patti; I find the words in books I'm reading, sometimes they're tougher than others.

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  7. Love it! I have a feeling the fella will do much better with a different publisher.

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    1. Susan; thank you. He will definitely do much better.

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  8. Great story, good on that sympathetic security guard for being so kind.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Wisewebwoman; the security guard has his 'ear to the ground' and knows something is amiss in the company.

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  9. love the way you used the word "empty" to set the road scenery.
    Coffee is on

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    Replies
    1. peppylady (Dora); I like it when words can have several meanings and uses.

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