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. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

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 to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by messymimi and can be found here

This week's words/prompts are: 

1. thanks 

2. preparation 

3. hypothesis 

4. gradual 

5. island 

6. calf 

and/or: 

1. short end of the stick 

2. goody two-shoes

Here is my story:

Tony slammed the front door and threw his schoolbag into his room before stomping into the kitchen and reaching for the cookie jar. “Stupid goody two-shoes, getting the good people and leaving me the short end of the stick, again.”

He turned to get a glass of milk and almost dropped the cookie jar when he saw Great-Aunt Lilian sitting very erect on a kitchen chair.

“What are you muttering about boy? Speak clearly and stand up straight! What’s all this about ‘short end of the stick’? How long is a stick anyway and how does one tell which is the short end?” she demanded.

Tony stuffed a whole cookie in his mouth to give himself time to formulate an answer. Great Aunt Lilian wasn’t as stuffy and forbidding as she sounded and he’d seen the twinkle in her eyes, but she didn’t like whinging. He needed a better way to explain his feelings.

He held the cookie jar out to Lilian, who selected a cranberry studded sugar cookie with a cheerful “thanks Tony”.  He poured them each a glass of milk and sat down opposite her.

“It’s the school play,” he began. “I’ve spent a lot of time in preparation, writing dialogue, building a gradual tension leading up to a grand finish, even asked the best artist in the class to help with painting scenery, then Sandra puts up her hand and tells Mr Wilson that she needs Nathan to help her with the costumes.”

“And Mr Wilson agreed to that hypothesis?” said Lilian. “That means idea, right?” said Tony.

“Yes it does, you’re learning,” said Lilian. “So did he agree?”

“He did,” said Tony, “and no one else is good enough to paint island scenery, so I’m going to have to do all of that myself. It’s a good thing Dad is a painter and has plenty of half used cans of paint left over from the last house he painted.”

“How much time do you have before the play?” asked Lilian.

“There’s just under a month left,” said Tony, “plenty of time really, since I have the dialogue worked out. I was just looking forward to having help with the painting.”

“Is there no one else you could ask?’ said Lilian.

“I suppose I could ask around,” said Tony. “It’s just Nathan and me have been best mates since grade one!”

“Nathan and I,” corrected Lilian, “and I seem to remember you being rather enthusiastic about John Sullivan’s drawings at the last class art show, perhaps he’d like to try painting?”

“I’d forgotten about John” said Tony. “He’s such a quiet thing. I’ll ask him tomorrow. What’s for dinner Aunt Lil?”

“Braised veal shanks,” said Lilian. "That’s the calf section of the leg, isn’t it?” said Tony. Lilian smiled at him, “better put the cookies away or we won’t be hungry enough to enjoy them,” she said.

Comments

  1. I like Aunt Lil. She did make a good point. I have used that expression before but actually, how do you know which is the short end and why would that be bad? Google here I come.

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    Replies
    1. Arkansas Patti'; I'll be very surprised if google has an answer, although they may tell you how and when the expression came about.

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  2. Every family should have (and appreciate) an Auntie Lil. Her interpretation of the short end of the stick reminded me of my father (often) saying 'how long is a piece of string?' when asked questions for which there were no answers.

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    Replies
    1. "Double the length of half of the string" is the correct answer to that one ;) I too have wondered how you can tell which end of the stick was the short one. It's a funny saying.

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    2. Elephant's Child; Charlotte got in before me, I knew that answer to the string one, although my words are "twice as long as half its length". I used to wonder if I would be a good Aunt, but I have only one niece that I never met in person until she was about thirty, so we'll never know now.

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  3. Aunt Jill is a phenomenon. I love her. Thanks for this story.

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    Replies
    1. Charlotte; all families should have an Aunt Lil.

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  4. A very smart Aunt, helping to raise a smart boy.

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    Replies
    1. messymimi; I think boys need aunts, someone to confide in when life get too tough and parents would just say "suck it up boy, be a man" or similar things because they are too busy to sit down and discuss the situation.

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  5. Clever Aunt indeed, I´ve never heard that saying!

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    Replies
    1. Iris Flavia; it probably doesn't get said in Germany. I don't hear it very often myself.

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  6. Dear Auntie Lil...a cleaver lady. Nice, River :)

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  7. Let's hope that Quiet John is just the remedy needed to cure the short-end-of-the-stick malady!

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    Replies
    1. Val; quiet John turns out to be quite a surprise.

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