This meme was started by Delores a long time ago. Computer issues led her to bow out for a while. The meme was too much fun to let go, and now Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast.
Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write. Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image. What we do with those prompts is up to us: a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore... We can use some or all of the prompts.
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
Some administrative issues first.
A number of people have kindly agreed to provide prompts for the months to come.
So far it looks like this:
July: Delores
August: River
September: Granny Annie
October: Cindi
November: Me
December: Margaret Adamson and friends
If these dates don't suit, or you would like to volunteer to provide the prompts, please let me know.
This month the prompts will be posted here but are being provided by Margaret Adamson and her friend Sue Fulton. The prompts will include photographs taken by her Margaret's friend Bill.
This week's prompts are:
- Feverish
- Pencil
- Fabricated
- Typewriter
- Mix
- Sensible
And /or
- Penalty
- Caution
- Senility
- Lie
- Patched
- Trees
Have fun
The Feverish Pencil
ReplyDeleteFabricated what a Typewriter
could never Mix. To a certain sort of person, this is only
Sensible
Cloudia: I love that you have joined us. And some people can achieve great things with a pencil.
DeleteThat's good. I like that.
DeleteThe Feverish Pencil...could be the title for a novel.
DeletePencils know they can't be totally replaced by fancy gadgets.
DeleteGood job Cloudia:-)
DeleteThat first one should be easy for writers!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: I will be interested in seeing the very different directions the prompts will take people.
DeleteDid you post a story?
Deletepencil it is always useful
ReplyDeleteGosia k: They are. And some people (not me) can make them dance.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delete, had to slow down and get rid of the typos. A bit long but here I go. Here's mine :)
DeleteShe finished the story with a feverish twist of the pencil, it was the truth and not fabricated. This was just a draft. She could fine tune it when she did the whole story on the typewriter. It would be a good mix, a sensible and believable ending. Truth is stranger than fiction after all.
and
He realized the penalty would be severe. Next time he would use caution and would not blame his senility for the ridiculous thing he did. He knew the lie would get him into trouble one day. He put on his old patched shirt and jeans, his old socks and tied his shoes and escaped into the trees as the lights in the distance were fast approaching.
Denise inVA: Love them both. And would like to know more about the gentleman in the second. I am sure he has quite a story to tell.
DeleteThese are both very good.
DeleteSounds like he made a clean getaway. Great job.
DeleteWell told!
DeleteWell woven words.
Delete
ReplyDeleteIt has become obvious that tissues are made from trees. Or perhaps patched together from coarse grade sandpaper. Here I lie, on my bed of pain. Feverish. Suffering. Dying. This is the beginning of the end. Even in the grip of senility my grandmother is stronger than I am now. Gasping and voiceless I pick up a pencil and muster the strength to caution my beloved not to come any closer for fearing of catching bubonic plague. Or perhaps Ebola. I bravely ask her to bring me a typewriter so that I can make my last will and testament and ensure that she is properly cared for when I am gone...
She sniffs, and in her most sensible, least sympathetic voice says 'Man flu. You have fabricated a fatal illness from three coughs and a sniffle. Do try and be sensible about this . You need to stay warm and drink plenty of fluids. I will mix up a hot lemon drink, and then you should try and rest'. And with that she turned on her heels and marched out of the room.
Mother was right, and I am paying the penalty for sharing my life with an unfeeling, uncaring, unnatural woman.
Ha Ha, Man flu! They think a cough and a sniffle is the end of them and never notice when we have the same and soldier on.
DeleteI like this a lot.
Oh man...so true to life. Everything must halt in its tracks when a man is sick.
DeleteWell done, EC - made me smile hugely :)
DeleteMan flu :D so perspicacious! Loved the humour!
DeleteHeeheehee! Sounds just like what happens here.
DeleteHa Ha. You're so clever and really have a talent.
DeleteHugs,
HA! Boyohboy, is that ever the truth! Great job.
DeletePerfect story for the hypochondriac that I am. LOL Loved it EC
DeleteMan flu!
DeleteJuly is fine for me.....I'll get to work on that AND this delightful selection of words.
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused: I am glad to hear that July suits - and looking forward to reading your take on the prompts. As always.
DeleteMe too, I'll pop over and read what you've come up with a bit later.
DeleteLove what I've read above and will certainly drop in again to see others stories ... here is my attempt.
ReplyDelete(Feverish, Pencil, Fabricated, Typewriter, Mix, Sensible)
Sara thought about picking up her pencil to write but then decided to sit down at her typewriter, she knew the story she would tell was not fabricated. It may seem such a mix of events but she would tell the story in a sensible manner so that people would know what had happened.
She paused momentarily, she had been feeling quite feverish of late ... but then as control came over her she started to type.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~Jan: I really, really like this and am so pleased that you (and Denise above) have joined in the fun. Thank you.
Deleteanother good one and so pleased new people have joined in.
DeleteIt's great to see you here. Terrific job with the words.
DeleteSince she knows her story, she will tell it well, just as you told hers.
DeleteGood job Jan. So glad to see you with the program.
DeleteYay, Jan! I especially liked the last paragraph.
DeleteThanks everybody ...
DeleteI've also read the stories from other's here below, just great to see and read.
Take Care
All the best Jan
With feverish hast
ReplyDeleteI used a pencil and fabricated an excuse to my wife.
I probably should a typewriter
because I read my mix when my wife came dressed as a fairy, and I realized, That seems sensible.
Martin Kloess: Loving this. It reads like a fever dream...
DeleteFever dream is a good description.
DeleteYou have certainly left me wondering what is wrong with him.
DeleteOK Martin, we need a lot more here. You have my attention and my curiosity. Funny guy.
Delete"Tentatively my fingers hover over the worn keyboard on my battered, ancient TYPEWRITER. This old thing has been everywhere with me.
ReplyDeleteIt’s so old it’s showing signs of SENILITY. I feel so old and so very tired these days, I’m sure I’m showing signs of SENILITY. Anything is possible.
My PENCIL lays discarded, dejected even, on my dog-eared notebook. Its job is done.
I have to take a SENSIBLE approach to what I want to write; what I need to record in black and white.
I have to proceed with CAUTION. Nothing will be FABRICATED, although I know, to some, the truth won’t be believed. The truth won't want to be believed by many.
I can’t LIE about what has occurred. Even if the easier, less distressing route would be for the horrific truth to be PATCHED up with fiction, I won't allow myself to go down that path.
I have to be strong and not let what I wish had happened to be thrown into the MIX.
Unfortunately, the PENALTY for living in these harsh times, is having to face reality, whether we like it or not.
In my chest my heart pounds out of control. My brow is FEVERISH. My hands tremble as tears flow down my cheeks."
The sad, depressing truth is - I can see the forest for the TREES.
Lee: This is so very sad. Truth is often stranger and less believable than fiction isn't it? And we need people with integrity to tell it.
DeleteIt does sound sad. It hurts to put the truth out there knowing many may not believe it.
DeleteVery powerful.
DeleteVery moving.
DeleteOften times we all live in the forest. Good job as always Lee.
DeleteReading the latest chapter and skimming through previous chapters again and again, she began to feel feverish as the words danced before her eyes. Wielding her red pencil, she crossed out this word and that phrase, rewriting, trying to make the fabricated mix sound sensible, believable. Only when she was happy with it would she transcribe the written piece to her typewriter.
ReplyDeleteAnother great job with the words....doesn't it feel weird writing about a 'typewriter'?
DeleteRiver: I really like this. I hope you are not using your red pencil too hard on previous chapters...
DeleteSounds like how many people used to write, when handwriting was taught in schools.
DeleteGood job for a quick tale. Will we still find you again on Friday?
DeleteOkay, I think I've got it....
ReplyDeleteDementia, senility…call it what you would, it was a thief that stole the very essence of a person. Darren had watched it take his grandfather and his father from him. Now he, himself, had been handed the dreaded diagnosis and would pay the penalty of the loss of himself. Every generation had been affected at a younger age than the previous. “What of his two boys?”, he wondered.
With feverish determination he hunched over his typewriter (he had long since forgotten all his on line passwords and besides the computer frightened him) as he fabricated line by painful line what he hoped was a sensible missive to the Provincial Health Regulators outlining the seriousness of the disabling condition and appealing for more research.
He had rewritten his letter so many times he was afraid to think of how many trees had to die just to provide him with paper. Patching the sheets of paper together with tape he stopped suddenly and shook his head. What was doing, again? He turned once more to the typewriter and stared at it, puzzled. Sighing, he reached for a pencil. He could still remember how to write, couldn’t he? He hoped that wasn’t a lie he was telling himself.
Gathering up his papers he approached the stranger in his kitchen with caution.
“Excuse me, miss? Could you please look at this and tell me if it makes sense?”
Edith blinked back tears as she took the crumpled pages of rambling gobbled gook and smiled tremulously at her husband.
“You’ve been working so hard on this. Wouldn’t you like to have a cup of tea and something to eat?”
Aww, Delores. So sad. So true for those affected and their families.
Deleteonly slightly confused: How true it is. One of the cruelest illnesses I know. It steals the person away, and leaves a shell to be cared for.
DeleteDeep and sad and true, you've told this very well.
DeleteYes, you had it:-)
DeleteAt a feverish pace, using a pencil rather than a typewriter, she fabricated a mix of sensible and inane lines of poetry.
ReplyDeleteSix words, one sentence....WOW!
DeleteMarie Smith: I love it. And echoing Delores. All in one sentence is really impressive.
DeleteI'm impressed :)
DeleteWell done!
DeleteGreat skill Marie. Wow!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe big lie was only the beginning of a constant stream of tales fabricated just to support the untruth. Any sensible person would have stopped it in it's tracks but not Lillian. Oh hell no,not her! She had never apologized to anyone, much less patched a wrong she had inflicted on anyone. Of course she had never done anything like this to her own daughter before, so the penalty for this particular behavior was a total unknown.
ReplyDeleteOnly she and her husband knew what was best for their daughter. She was so young, only 29. What could she know about life and a predator who never loved her but who was only after her money. She could tell by his eyes he was incapable of love, and in the beginning had tried to tell Kiki over and over, but her advice was unheeded and she knew then it was up to her to make sure her daughter was safe.
So now it was decision time, she could either throw caution to the wind, fall on the sword and blame menopause or early senility. Or she could do everything in her power to get rid of the asshole once and for all.
With a feverish pace she launched an all out attack. She dug out her old typewriter and began an assassination of her son in law's character, complete with a red pencil underlining the words like psychopath, abuser, sociopath, thief, parasite, and manipulator before she angrily stuffed it in an envelope and mailed it to the HR department at his work place.
Surely this would finally get him fired and Kiki would have no other option than to leave him and come back to their family home. She convinced herself she was only doing what was best for their daughter. No one could ever love her like they did, and she would see over time that a young woman of her breeding and intellect would never mix with that uncouth lowlife.
Once they had her back in their home everything would be back to normal. Even though she had not seen or spoken to Kiki in 3 years surely once she realized how right she had been she would be speaking to them in time for decorating the Christmas trees.
She was so pleased with herself. She would do anything and everything to protect her baby girl. Nothing would ever get in the way of her
love__nothing!
And the madness became even more unrelenting.
Anne in the kitchen: This is so very sad, and so totally believable. I don't know whether I feel sorriest for Lilian or for Kiki and her husband. 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions' in painful action.
DeleteInterfering mothers. Oh dear. At least mine wasn't heading into madness.
DeleteVery well written Anne.
This is extremely powerful and thought provoking. Makes a mother question eveerything she ever did.
DeleteThis is why i have accepted without comment those my children brought home. The wrong ones are gone, only the good have remained.
DeleteProtecting our daughters is a difficult job at any age. Good story and use of the words Anne.
DeleteThe words this week brought strong emotions, not weak.
ReplyDeleteWell done, everyone.
Lee: Most people did go on dark journeys this week didn't they?
DeleteNo kidding.
DeleteThe first set -
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth is a scoop called a ‘story’? It isn’t FABRICATED, she thought, writing FEVERISHLY with the first thing she could find – the stub of a PENCIL. She wished she could whip out the palm sized gizmo that had replaced her trusty TYPEWRITER, but she didn’t want to scare the man off. He looked jittery, barely able to string the words together. Convenient and SENSIBLE often don’t MIX well with traumatised witnessing of world events.
Nilanjana Bose: How right you are. Sensible and trauma don't sit comfortably together at all. This is a wonderful flash, and I want more. (But I am greedy that way).
DeleteThank you, EC!
DeleteThe second set -
He had seen his country go from glory to garbage in a heartbeat. SENILITY was no justification for the LIES. The damage done couldn’t be PATCHED, and they were all paying the PENALTY for one person’s folly - rushing headlong into rash, irredeemable promises without any CAUTION. He wished the journalist would go away and leave him alone. Her pencil made scratchy sounds on the paper - it set his teeth on edge. He turned his face towards the TREES, they were much better company than humans at the moment, but they too would soon be gone.
Nilanjana Bose: Oh dear. Another powerful and sad use of the prompts. Trees are often much better company, and I worry (a lot) about a future without them. The political parallels with this piece scare me too.
DeleteWow! The story from the point of view of both. Makes me want to know how they got into this position and what will come of it.
DeleteNilanjana, you took the words in two parts and did a good job on both.
DeleteNearly, yes nearly made a silly rhyme with the first set of words :)
ReplyDeleteMargaret-whiteangel: I wish you had. I really wish you had. Most of the players have lurched to the sad side this week.
DeleteIt all amounted to nothing really
ReplyDeleteTwo figures fighting in the rain
Over a missing TYPEWRITER
One used his fist and the other armed with just a PENCIL
It wasn't a fair MIX
And nothing SENSIBLE came out of it all
Two days later they remained FEVERISH in bed.
The outcome of a fight is seldom good, you don't find the truth, nor do you settle anything once and for all.
DeleteBlogoratti: Thank you so much for joining us. I loved this - but was also thinking of the old story 'two worms were fighting in dead Ernest'. messymimi is right about fights though.
DeleteI began to imagine the two fighting in the rain. Talented use of the words Blogoratti:-)
Delete@messymimi: I very much agree.
Delete@Elephant's Child: Thanks for having me, and it was an exciting theme. I must revisit that old story again.
@Granny Annie: Hello, thank you very much for your kind comment :)
Interesting words. I always enjoy what's inspired here.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: So do I. I read them in awe and wonder.
DeleteIt's a beautiful Wednesday, and and my word story is here.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I have been, I have read, I am super impressed. Thank you. Thursday morning here. And chilly.
DeleteGlad I visited you and read your story:-)
DeleteYou will find my story for this week posted on my blog. Here is the link
ReplyDeletehttp://granan10.blogspot.com/2017/06/words-for-wednesday.html
Now I can go read the others. Can't wait:-)
Granny Annie: I am so glad that you were able to join us again. I will be over to applaud shortly.
DeleteWow, I didn't see that coming!
DeleteHere is mine. I didn't use all the words this week.
ReplyDeletehttp://jannghi.blogspot.com/2017/06/words-for-wednesday.html
Jamie Ghione: I really, really liked wandering down memory lane with you.
DeleteHappy that I visited your page and read your story:-)
DeleteI give you 2 stories using both separate sets of words.
ReplyDeleteSENSIBLE! Well that will be a first! How many times have I told her to use a typewriter when she is making up these FABRICATED story lines. But no! She insists on using her old HB PENCIL. And the result, a MIX of pain and tears! Yes she was not paying enough attention and the pencil when straight into her eye. You would think she would learn as this is the fifth time this has happened. Last time she was so FEVERISH due to her eye being infected she ended up in hospital!
-------------------------------------------------------------
My grand father was a tree surgeon and knew everything there was to know about all the different types of TREES. Even when he retired and my grannie was showing the signs of SENILITY, he would pack a picnic and head for one of their favorite forests were they would take in one of the walks. Then lovingly he would spread grannies old PATCHED rug on the ground. It had really seen better days but one that his beloved was familiar and happy to have along.
With great CAUTION he would hand her her hot tea and always worried that she would spill it and burn herself. After their picnic, they would LIE on the old rug holding hands looking up into the tree above and watching the cloud formations.
Over the years I had watched how much my grand father loved and cared for grannie and would have gone to the moon and back if she had asked. Unfortunately, he would not let anyone else do anything for her, he insisted that he and he alone would look after her.
In the end, he paid the PENALTY for this as one day, he died suddenly of a massive heart attack and the result was that grannie had to be looked after in a nursing home for the rest of her days.
Margaret Adamson: Thank you. I really liked both of your stories (and would dispute you saying it doesn't come to you naturally). And thank you and Sue for the prompts. You have taken us to some different, dark and spectacular places this week.
DeleteLoved the two stories and loved the prompts you gave us this week.
DeleteWow! The prompts sure led to a bunch of dark well-written stories. Well done, everybody.
ReplyDeleteSusan: Didn't they just? It has been wonderful to read them as they appear.
DeleteIn one abrupt gesture, I dropped my pencil in favor of a typewriter (no regard for the fact that I hadn't actually seen one of those in decades) and typed the most sensible mix of bologna that sprung forth. It was the best Dear John letter I'd written in the 1800s - if only the Pony Express hadn't waited til his burial for its delivery.
ReplyDeleteRawknrobyn: Big smiles. I wonder how Dear John letters are written now. By text I suspect.
DeleteThe old Royal typewriter in the attic and the pencils in my kitchen junk drawer seemed to write more creative and fabricated stories than the ones I feverish work on each Sunday as I try to mix the pattern of my life into some sensible arc of discovery.
ReplyDeleteDee: Love it. If only the pencils, the typewriters, the walls could talk... And if only we listened.
DeleteI love the word choices! My one-liner: Feverish
ReplyDeleteI picked up the pencil and fabricated a story that would never make it to my typewriter, a mix of sorrow and sensible digression.
Crystal Collier: You really do pack everything into your one liners. All the words, the emotions, and some sad truths.
DeleteSuccinct!
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: It is. We miss you.
Deletehttp://lettingthewordsescape.blogspot.com/2017/06/wednesdays-words.html
ReplyDeleteI love taking part in this again. It is an awesome distraction from the stress.
Cindi Summerlin: I have been, I have read. My eyes are leaking and my heart hurts.
DeleteCindy, I am so glad that I went to your blog and read your story. I hope everyone will.
DeleteLoved this piece. I am so happy I copied and pasted your link.
Deletefinally, after much red pen editing, chapter 13 is scheduled for Friday. I need a nap. zzzzzz
ReplyDeleteRiver: I, and no doubt lots of others, am really looking forward to it. Nap well - you deserve it.
DeleteThis is a really cool idea! Ironically, my mom's name was Delores. Thanks for this! Hugs...
ReplyDeleteRO: Welcome and thank you. I hope you will join us some week.
DeleteThe sensible writer will use first a pencil and then a typewriter or similar to put their thoughts on paper. The forward-looking writer will want to mix new and old technology. Both are dominated, though, by a feverish desire leave a legacy, no matter how real or fabricated it is.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
A Cuban in London: Succintly expressed truth.
DeleteThe penalty for caution is senility, lies patched together by trees.
ReplyDeletemshatch: Now there is a side of caution that my cowardly self has never considered...
Delete
ReplyDeleteFeverish
Pencil
Fabricated
Typewriter
Mix
Sensible
With a feverish finish, I flourish the pencil and draw myself away from the fabricated reality I'd put to paper. Many had encouraged me to utilize something less labor intensive, but I've always like the feel in my hand. At least I wasn't as pretentious as some...using a typewriter in the age of computers. Still, a pencil always seemed to be a mix of old-fashioned and artistic and it just felt 'write'.
Robert Bennett: I really like this. Perhaps because this dinosaur still uses a pen/pencil to think with from time to time. Great pun too.
DeleteYou are such a wordsmith, Robert:)
DeleteLove it.
Hi Sue - Desperately late - couldn't get my head into gear ... using the words Robert sets out above:
ReplyDeleteShe was sensible, but I saw her feverishly grab a pencil, ignoring the typewriter - she moved towards the kitchen plunging the pencil into the cake mix and stirred ... her marbles had come off ... now we need to do something.
Thanks - cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Never, ever too late. My marbles are being batted around by the cats under the table - which is probably preferable (just) to being in the cake mix. Love your snippet though.
DeleteThanks Sue ... enjoy the weekend with the cats and life beyond ... cheers H
DeleteI enjoyed reading the stories. They were good some of them quite sad.
ReplyDeleteTreey Stynes: A lot of the stories this week were sad. I am endlessly fascinated by the different directions the same prompts take people.
DeleteLots of fun stories:)
ReplyDeleteHave a great one, EC:)
Sandra Cox: Thank you - and to you.
DeleteIt is always such fun to see what others come up with. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~Jess: Lots of the stories were dark last week, it will be interesting to see if the trend continues...
Delete