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, and mixing and matching is encouraged.
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, which includes cheering on the other participants. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
- Pounded
- Pearl
- Secret
- Tense
- Challenge
- Human
- Middle
- Taken
- Button
- Rare
- Intelligence
- Praise
Humans like to categorise things (and people). Sometimes those categories are right on the button, and they don’t. A challenge to fit into OR to rebel against.
ReplyDeletePearl was a middle child. She had taken the words about her and people like her with a healthy grain of salt. She had moved out of home first, but not because she felt overshadowed or unwanted. She was fun loving (a youngest child’s characteristic) and her siblings and her parents cramped her style. Her eldest (and definitely responsible) brother pounded the books. He was a high achiever and the air around him was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Fine. All praise to him, but that was a game she didn’t want to play.
Her sort of intelligence led her down different paths. Rarer paths. For the moment her chosen career was her secret. Less appreciated perhaps, but paths that were right for her. They would all learn what she had chosen soon enough. She was an attention seeker (that youngest child thing again) and needed to be in the spotlight. Acting seemed to fit the bill.
Categories, shmategories, she was herself, and had her own destiny to work towards…
Go, Pearl.
DeleteThe world needs more Pearls.
DeleteWhen your style gets cramped, it's time to move on.
DeleteSometimes you just gotta fly.
DeleteCourage.
DeleteBrava Pearl, you show 'em kiddo!
DeleteXO
WWW
Good onya Pearl, live life your way.
DeleteHi EC - so good to see someone stretch out their lives and live the way they want to, rather than comply and conform ... excellent story for the words. Cheers Hilary
DeleteGood writing EC, And yes Children should be allowed to choose their own way, even if a different one!
DeleteLove it! An excellent use of the words, and a lesson in living as well. :-)
DeleteYep, sounds like me...a youngest. LOL Great story EC.
DeleteHer mother-in-law had given her a necklace of PEARLS. As all who knew her could attest, “Hoity-toity” was her mother-in-law’s MIDDLE name! Joanna disliked pearls and felt TENSE each time she wore them, feeling absolutely pretentious. She preferred nothing at all around her neck, or something bold that CHALLENGED everyone to look at it, and offer a few words of PRAISE and admiration. Her absolute favourite was an ornate spider, the size of a silver dollar. When she wore that she was not averse to leaving a couple of BUTTONs open so that it nestled in the cleft of her stunning, and ample, blue-veined alabaster bosom. It was no SECRET that she was a bit of a flirt, and it was RARE that she did not welcome the occasion to flaunt her charms. Men were TAKEN with her; even their wives respected her INTELLIGENCE, though resenting her magnetism. When they saw their menfolk edging nearer to get a better look – and not at the spider, they would willingly have POUNDED their husbands’ heads. They were only HUMAN, after all.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: Brilliant. As usual.
DeleteHeh. 'Pounded their husbands' heads.' I like it;)
DeleteI found some interesting sites that mentioned blue veined alabaster.
DeleteWell done!
DeleteBlue veined alabaster, there's an image! Well done.
DeleteXO
WWW
Spiders are interesting. Undoubtedly I'd run the risk to also get my head pounded. ;-)
DeleteFun David - a great post ... so true to life - love it ... cheers Hilary
DeleteAww a spider neclace. Me want! Well written.
DeleteThe men were not looking at the spider!!! LOL Good job David as always.
DeleteThe human pounded his fist on the desk. "Look what you've done to my slipper." He waved the torn house-shoe in the air, his body tense, his jowls quivering, irritation stamped on his florid features. Pearl the poodle, rose on her hind legs, her stubby tail waving madly and licked her human's cheek. Even dogs knew the secret to any successful relationship was love. Though, humans could be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteMollified, he patted her head. "Who needs a pair of old slippers anyway." He sank back into his comfortable chair, his hand resting on his dog, his dog's chin resting on his leg, at peace with the world.
Sandra Cox: Love it. Though Jazz has destroyed more than one valued possession, he is loved. And, when it suits, loving.
DeleteCats ... ahem ... dogs as dog can.
DeleteThe peace of the night!
Yes, the dogs can always bring us around, no matter what they destroy.
DeleteLove this. We can one dog Toby who managed to get all our shoes. but we adored him.
DeleteXO
WWW
Love it Sandra - a fun happy read ... cheers Hilary
DeleteWell written, with a glint in your eye, love it.
DeleteThanks, all:)
DeleteA reenactment of so many times with my pups. Good job.
DeleteHe got it right, didn't he?
ReplyDeleteIndeed;)
ReplyDeleteThe middle child, with the cute button nose, had taken the rare opportunity to praise the intelligence of her older sister.
ReplyDeleteNice.
DeleteShe sounds like a born peacemaker.
DeleteHa! One word less than Mike! Congratulations.
DeleteMarie Smith: I am the youngest in my family, and my nose was various called either a button nose or a slippery dip nose. They couldn't make up their minds. I love your take - and thank you for joining us again.
DeleteExcellent Marie - good take on the cute button nose. Cheers Hilary
DeleteWow, nice!
DeleteGreat job, Marie.
DeleteIt was a tense challenge for the girl, Pearl, to keep her secret as the less than human guy, Pete, pounded her.
ReplyDeletePhew! Short and not sweet.
DeleteHow awful, a tale too often told.
DeleteMike: Dare I hope that someone (preferably another inmate in jail) pounded Pete. Showing him the mercy he showed Pearl?
DeleteI watch "Law and Order SVU" a lot.
DeleteHi Mike - sad, but often true ... well crafted - Hilary
DeleteShort, short story of mankind.
DeleteOuch! Well written:)
DeleteOkay, i'm off to consult the words and see who wants them. (Yes, my brain works in weird ways.)
ReplyDeleteAnd #2 Son came by, giving me just what i needed.
Deletemessymimi: I look forward to seeing where #2 son took you - and us.
DeleteIt can't be taken for granted, he thought, that in a tense situation this or that Mr President would not pound the very button, the more as certain highly praised secret services rarely have anything to do with middle-rate intelligence.
ReplyDeleteHis challenge was a different one (he grinned): not to cast pearls. There would no swine write the last chapter of human history, anyway.
Clever!
DeleteXO
WWW
Sean Jeating: Very clever - and yes I did worry about a certain President's access to that button.
DeleteUrgh - too realistic. But well written.
DeleteVery scary simply because it's so possible.
DeleteWell crafted and apocryphal.
DeleteHere's mine, all words used.
ReplyDelete-----------------------------------------------------
“You have a rare intelligence,” Sister Francine our French teacher, said, wagging her finger at me, “but your challenge is, it’s not being put to good use.”
I had written a critical essay of the nunnery life. I was sixteen. She always took me down even for minor infractions: I was missing a button from my uniform, I needed to be pounded for my defiance, it was no secret to the entire convent that my devotion to the Virgin Mary was sadly lacking and was not the pearl of faith that it should be, what kind of human was I anyway, why couldn’t I walk in the middle of the path like everyone else?
I was always tense listening to her, holding my tongue as she reamed off my indiscretions. You might think her questions rhetorical which was a mistake I made earlier on.
It only served to increase the tension between us.
“But I’m going to become one of you!” I exclaimed now in that bewildered astonishment I had perfected, “I’m going to become a bride of Christ and sing his praises all day with you!”
After the long pause in which she looked at me in puzzlement, I put the icing on the cake.
“I can hardly wait!” I said.
“Quelle horreur!” I heard her mutter, as she walked away.
----------------------------------------------------------
XO
WWW
Wisewebwoman: Love it - and I ma not surprised that Sister Francine is worried...
DeleteOh, I see why sr. Francine is worried, as she should be. But well writen, I did not see the words.
DeleteYou'd be surprised how many actually do make that turn.
DeleteAn excellent story!
Ha! This was great!
DeleteQuelle histoire!
ReplyDeleteVery good EC.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: Thank you.
DeleteI'm having one of those "ache all over" days so my brain is fuzz right now. Tomorrow I will work on the words.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I hope you are feeling MUCH better today.
DeleteDefinitely better, walking without flinching, I need to be more careful when pushing chests of drawers back into place.
DeleteMy story is done and scheduled for tomorrow, that's Friday 10th.
River: I am glad to hear you are better - and look forward to reading your story.
DeleteHi EC - I'll be back to read and I do hope the appointment went as you expected ... this is from the first lot:
ReplyDeleteHer human heart pounded, a little box appeared – he intimated for her to look inside the secret – he looked tense, an interesting challenge, his heart pounded too … would she be content with his choice of a pearl choker … he wanted them to be happy as their first child was due soon. Hope was on their side …
Cheers Hilary
Sweet tale, and I hope with them.
DeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: I love it - and hope that she loves the choker as much as she does him.
DeleteMy appointment was for an MRI. I hate, loathe and despise them but it is done.
Loved this cheery story.
DeleteBeautiful. If she's the woman i hope she is, she'll love it because it was given with love, even if a choker is not her first choice of style.
DeleteAw. Heartwarming.
DeleteNow this verges on uplifting, Hilary.
DeleteContinuing my tale here: WfW
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): I have read it this morning and as usual I long to read more.
DeleteDear EC, this is a prompt-story, simply a confession: along with not blogging for several months, I've done a lousy job of following the blogs of those bloggers--like you--who have crept into my mind and heart and entwined themselves there.
ReplyDeleteIn looking back, I see I've missed so much of what has been your life since I tuned out in July. I hope your health is good and that you are finding life good also. Challenging, yes, but promising also. I just finished reading Fannie Flagg's book "Standing in the Rainbow," and she so lifted my spirits while helping me embrace what being human truly means for all of us. Peace.
Dee: Never, ever apologise when life gets in your way. We ALL understand and wish you nothing but well. I am glad that your spirits were lifted - and hope that they stay that way. Hugs.
DeleteHope your appointment goes well. I enjoyed your story.
ReplyDeleteHere's mine :)
Her head pounded! As she twisted her pearls the secret she held made her even more tense. It was a challenge to keep her head and things were getting to her. After all she was only human. In the middle of all of this, she was tempted to press the 'button'. It was very rare for her to make a stand, but in the end her intelligence dictated her conscience. Her colleagues gave her a lot of praise for doing the right thing.
DeniseinVA: Thank you. On both counts. I really enjoyed your story and suspect that there is a backstory (and a continuing tale) to be told as well.
DeleteGood job DeniseinVA. After all she was only human. Loved it.
DeleteWell told!
DeleteMy story is posted on my page. I have seen your nice comment EC. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGranny Annie: I so enjoyed your tale.
DeleteSue, I wish you well with those medical appointments. Have the best holiday season in Canberra. Thank you for your support in 2021. Hope you can participate in some of our music prompts next year!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Happy New Year!
Denise Covey: Thank you so much. I hope to participate in some of the WEP challenges next year - but music is not central to my life so my offerings may be tone deaf.
DeleteAll the very best for the season - and here's to a much better year to come. For the world.
How are you doing EC hope you are well and getting better, have been busy and out from blog post a while. In addition to your wonderful meme and prompts i will like to share words of encouragement and advice i learnt from one of webinars i attended - Do not be afraid of doing what you have never done, be confident not arrogant. Wishing you and all your followers a great day!
ReplyDeleteSteve: Thank you. Confidence is often a step too far for me - a work in progress. I hope that you too have a great day, and enjoy the festive season.
DeleteHow did you know that pounded pearl is my secret?!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: One of many of your secrets...
Delete