Words for Wednesday
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 ME and can be found right here
This week's words/prompts are:
1. amber
2. alabaster
3. bow-legged
4. extensive
5. seesaw
6. kill
and/or:
1. lighthouse
2. market
3. cloudy
4. pigeonhole
5. goldmine
6. mute
use either list or both, or mix and match, just have fun.
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Jim found life on a lighthouse interesting, but when an exciting day included cloudy with chance of icy rain. The market was a place he could go to shop if he could row from the lighthouse to the community. Jim was not dismayed, however. Storms usually wash ashore all sort of goodies. There was a goldmine of pirate treasures and coins.
ReplyDeleteDespite his pigeonhole of existence, Jim stayed mute to fellow town’s men. They did not need to know what theirs could be. Let them feel sorry for him and their wives sent Jim casseroles and desserts. ‘Keep your mouth shut, boy. What they do not know won’t hurt them, much.’
Jim kept rowing, smiling all the way.
Susan Kane: I hope Jim's search is successful - and fun.
DeleteSusan Kane; it sounds like an exciting life, never knowing what the waves will bring. Nicely done, thank you :)
DeleteJim sounds like someone I'd like to know. Well written story ... He reminds me a bit of Jim from Anne of Green Gables ;)
DeleteHe sounds smart and quite capable!
DeleteI had always enjoyed dining at the LIGHTHOUSE restaurant near the old MARKET but it got even better a few years ago when they hired Charlie, the BOW-LEGGED waiter. I mean you could drive a truck between his knees. But you never saw anyone as efficient and personable. He was (and is) an asset to the establishment, a GOLDMINE of good humour. He has an EXTENSIVE knowledge of both wine and food, and is never shy about offering advice. I remember one day when talking about fine sherry before ordering, he schooled us on the density of AMBER colouration in determining a good product. He always gives you the straight goods, he never sits on the SEESAW of ambivalence. If you giggle at his dissertations, or beg to disagree his disdainful sneer is fit to KILL. As for me, I have learned to respect what he says, and when he is explaining the menu, MUTE is the best option, listen carefully and follow his recommendations. You can’t PIGEONHOLE Charlie, he is in a class by himself. Today it’s CLOUDY and Hermione really wanted to dine on the patio, but I think inside is a better choice. Her fit of pique will soon surrender to Charlie’s platitudes, when he assures her that he will seat her where her lovely ALABASTER skin will be reflected in soft light to highlight her perfection. Sometimes I wish I had bow-legs!
ReplyDeleteDavid Gascoigne: I love this - and that Charlie has found a home where his skills and knowledge are appreciated.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne; this is delightful and I hope the restaurant fully appreciates Charlie.
DeleteCharlie would be an asset to any place, and he sure is to your fine story.
DeleteGreat story David. Excellent use of the prompts.
DeleteCharlie sounds like a true gem, i hope the restaurant can keep him. Great waiters are sometimes enticed away, you know.
DeleteNot going to read until i write, and i am going off to write.
ReplyDeletemessmimi; I look forward to your story.
DeleteOkay, it should be over here.
DeleteAmber and her friend Pagan couldn’t wait. Neither of them seesawed about their decision. Their eighteenth birthdays (less than a year to go) shone like a beacon. A lighthouse for the day when they could legally change their names. Change their names to something simple which didn’t stand out. Over the years both of them had endured extensive comments ‘you don’t look like your name’as well as the crueler ‘nice name, shame about your face’. Their current names squeezed them into an uncomfortable pigeonhole. . It would hurt their parents when they discarded the names they had been given – but it wouldn’t kill them.
ReplyDeleteUnder their new names they hoped that those comments/criticisms would be muted. It wasn’t as if they were ugly. Neither of them were bow-legged or had buck teeth, but neither did they have alabaster skin or exotic beauty.
They weren’t naïve. Even with their new names, there would be cloudy days ahead. Their new names wouldn’t exempt them from the market for beauty products, and the unreasonable expectations would continue. Expectations which were a gold mine for some, and torture for far too many. Jane and Lee were just leveling the playing field.
(Sadly my use of the prompts was triggered by memories of a young woman I went to college with. Her parents named her Pagan Moon. She was enrolled under that name, but answered much more readily to Sarah.)
Elephant's Child; I hope the girls find the future they are destined for, whatever their names may be. Some parents really should think through all the options and outcomes before deciding on names.
DeleteThe names that some people call their kids never ceases to dismay me.
DeleteUInusual names are oine thing, these are on the verge of inappropriate, well Pagan may be over that border, Amber's not that bad. But a namechange is in order. Well written.
DeleteI have always liked my given name but many of my friends wanted to change theirs.
DeleteThis is why i gave my children average, every day names that wear well and don't fade in the wash. What i told them was that if they wanted crazy nicknames, they could get that from their friends. All of them thanked me.
DeleteWhy parents think they are doing their children a favor giving them "unique" names i will never quite understand.
Finally. Story's ready. Here: WfW; after a small break I'll be back to read your stories.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte; I'll be over to read in just a minute.
DeleteI could not find your story (blind, dumb? Am I?) but you found words I had a cling to and added to your theme :-)
ReplyDeleteIris Flavia; I always post my story on the Friday after the words are supplied.
DeleteDumb me, LOL. "I´ll be back"... on Friday.
DeleteYou really had me wondering! Despite I should´ve been able to guess, of course.
Whhhops... here...
ReplyDeletePRETTY LITTLE AMBER EYES by Granny Annie
ReplyDeleteHarry Mitford was bow-legged and had alabaster skin. He was ridiculed all his life because of his strange vampire appearance. Because of his leg shape, the only equipment on the play ground he could enjoy was the sees-saw but rarely found anyone to sit on the other end. One day Rachel appeared at recess. He had not seen her before and was immediately captured by her amber eyes. She saw him staring at her. Rachel crossed the extensive playground and walked toward Harry. “May I join you?” she ask in a soft voice. Harry could barely squeak out his reply, “Sure”. He knew that from this day forward he would do anything for this girl, even kill for her.
The first body was discovered in an abandoned goldmine. Detectives had been searching for this missing young man for weeks. His name was Philip Roach and has last been seen by a schoolmate Harry Mitford at the local market. Philip had been beaten and stuffed in a small recess like a pigeonhole in the mine.
The second body of Brian Bennett was found at the base of the lighthouse. He had been missing months. Both detectives went mute when they learned the last person to see Bennett was Harry Mitford. It was a cloudy day when they went to question Harry for a second time. He readily admitted to his crimes. He had to end the lives of these young men because they had tried to take Rachel's place on the teeter-totter. It made perfect sense to Harry.
Granny Annie; Harry is scary, I'm glad I never knew anyone like that.
DeleteScary story. Good that he was caught.
DeleteIt is sad what such treatment can do to a person's psyche.
DeleteWell done! Chilling and entertaining; a tale of obsession taken to its extreme.
ReplyDelete"bow-legged" = What manner of a man is this; who walks with legs in parentheses?
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Amber and Alabaster were the alliterative cats of Annalise. Their favourite place to hide was under Annalise's bow-legged table, because of the extensive tablecloth on its top. One morning, the doorbell rang. It was an Amazon delivery of an exciting present for the cats. A specially designed see-saw, with a space for treats and furry seat covers. Annalise opened the box, and the two cats rushed out from under the table, and immediately began to 'kill' the packaging pieces, and ignore the present. Annalise was not discouraged, as she knew that the box and packaging is always the best bit. She now uses the see-saw for her own amusement, catapulting ping pong balls and walnuts across the room which the cats like too.
ReplyDeleteSo ends the story without a proper end!
Sarah: I loved this. And how true it is that the packaging is the very best bit of cat treats.
DeleteSarah; this is lovely. I'm reminded of when I had a toy delivered for my cat Angel. He wouldn't play with it, nor the packaging either.
DeletePackaging is best for cats, dogs and children when small. Funny alliterative story.
DeleteWell done!
DeleteEven for young children sometimes the packaging is the best part.
ReplyDelete