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.
This week's prompts are:
- daily,
- friendly,
- human,
- nodding,
- wife
- bags,
- gentlemen,
- infinity,
- steps,
- veil
Charlotte (MotherOwl) has given us Dahlia Yellow as the colour of the month. If you can also incorporate it into your stories she (and I) will be grateful.
Have fun.
His wife looked very yellow – dahlia yellow, he thought, having seen them flowering in the garden recently.
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth had happened to her … he was only human after all; his neighbours were always nodding at the way he dealt with her daily demands.
Now she lay on the cool crispy, auburn flowerbed … where dahlia yellow didn't match the mauve-hazy
Octoberfest of Michaelmas daisies.
He didn't think she could lie there til Halloween … but what was she doing there … she'd looked fine and dandy this morning …
The neighbours were laughing hysterically … what now? Oh right: he'd better take a closer look … oh no!! – they'd planted a blow-up doll looking just like his wife! But then – where was she …....
PS - EC ... it's good to be here again - thanks Sean for your first week's worth ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I love this. Where is she indeed, and is she a part of the neighbours' plot?
DeleteBlow-up dolls can be funny or creepy or both. That's an interesting little story you have, Hilary.
DeleteHilary, that's hilarious. ;-)
DeleteReminded me of the movie Rear Window. Uh Oh! Great job, so where is she?
DeleteAh, are they all in on a plot? A big surprise? A practical joke? You've started a fun story.
DeleteLove the blow up doll twist!
DeleteA mystery for sure. Where is she and why is she "playing dead"?
DeleteEven though I admire (nay, revel in) your quirkiness, I never would have expected you to come up with blow-up dolls, Hilary! My thoughts on that need to be censored!
DeleteOh! This is quite entertaining. Great job!!!
DeleteCannot wait to see where this leads ...
Delete‘I would like to have a word with you’.
ReplyDelete‘I know that you are infuriated at the daily nodding and smiling at gentlemen’s every word, as if it is a pronouncement from on high’.
I also know that you would like to leave that malarkey as you call it at the office and not have to face it at home as well. You think that you are human and not ‘just’ a wife. ‘
‘Small steps daughter mine’.
‘We have bags of time. This will not last forever’. ‘For the moment we will draw a veil over our aspirations for equality. This fight has been going on for a very long time but it will not, cannot last for infinity’.
‘And yes, you are right and he is wrong. Dahlia yellow IS your colour.’
Well done, EC, as always. "Malarkey" is such a good word.
DeleteInteresting we thought in the "same" direction, Sue. I am not surprised, though. Thank you!
DeleteYellow is my favorite color. Loved this. So often we have to take the backseat - until the world is ready for change. While always working in the background to achieve that change.
DeleteNicely done!
DeleteLove your writing, as always
DeleteWell done EC, I often find myself "in the background" waiting for change. I like 'malarkey' it's a great word.
DeleteOnce again, I am bowled over by your fluent, creative mastery of this exercise.
DeleteThis was fun! Your writing always entertains. Great job!
DeleteI love your shorts. There's always an unexpected twist at the end. Well done, my friend.
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Wow. Would love to be a fly on the wall for that entire conversation!
DeleteWe have bags of time.
DeleteIntriguing line! I like it.
Hi EC – brilliant … loved the conversational comment – 'small steps daughter mine' – fun … 'equality in life' – what's that?! As long as infinity possibly … I'll be dahlia yellow or pea green by then!
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
Ha ha ha. Good one, Hilary. Although it's so sad.
DeleteHillary, equality in life is a long time coming.
Deletewell done!
DeleteHis daily walk with his wife made him feel friendly and human while nodding to fellow walkers.
ReplyDeleteMike: This is lovely. I hope he was friendly and not just feeling that way.
DeleteI knew you would not disappoint me, Mike. ;-)
DeleteShort and sweet, Mike. Nicely done.
DeleteYou've painted a very lovely picture with your words.
DeleteMike; this is nice, walking and feeling friendly.
DeleteBeautifully brief!
DeleteSeveral gentlemen at the club tried to veil their droopy bags while watching their steps so as not to torture themselves to infinity.
ReplyDeleteMike: It is the bags under my eyes that are droopy and I cannot veil them.
DeleteNor would you let me down. ;-)
DeleteAgreeing with EC, the bags under my eyes betray me.
Deletesadly sagging myself here...
DeleteHi Mike - great takes on the prompts ... especially the gents' one ... droopy bags ... ah well! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteGreat prompts and unique wordings
ReplyDeleteSteve: We are grateful to Sean for his prompts. It is a fun game. Perhaps you will join us some week?
DeleteThanks, Sir. And now I am looking forward to your unique wordings.
Delete
ReplyDeleteWhat did a friendly looking elderly Turk say a couple of years ago when being asked about a most surprising campaign, in which the Turkish tabloid Hurriyet tried to elucidate that women are human beings, too, and that it's not nice to beat one's wife, at least not on a daily basis? "A man who does not beat his wife is not a man." And all the young heroes around him, grinning enthusiastically and nodding at each other with a smirk.
Nuff written. What one cometh to think of in the heat of the night! Time to fall into the feathers, put my head on my dahlia yellow pillow and have a dream: All machos with immediate effect do veil their faces up til infinity ... yes ... and walk four steps behind their wives ... yes ... whilst lugging the shopping bags. Yes.
The peace of the night.
Sean Jeating: How I wish that these 'gentlemen' were not a world wide phenomenon. And yes, four steps behind, carrying the shopping sounds good. When they get home they can cook and clean as well. Sleep well.
DeleteCooking and cleaning go without saying. In short: always being of service to the wife ... in ... every respect.
DeleteOh, if only! I love your dream!
DeleteThey do not understand how they denigrate manhood with their wrong definition of it.
DeleteI agree with messymimi, it is not at all manly to beat another and make her suffer, never lending a hand.
DeleteHi Sean - I agree with Yoland ... if only! I love your dream! Men are extraordinary ... 'somewhat' necessary!! Cheers Hilary
DeleteOh dear. That does not sound good at all.
DeleteMen are wonderful for heavy yard work and reaching things on the top shelf. If they had to squeeze out a couple of kids, attitudes might be a little different
DeleteHow many millennia will this take? If at all.
DeleteHi Mike - ... if at all ... I'd guess ... men - really! Cheers - but some 'I love' ... H ox
Deleteunfortunate facts... in the contribution and all comments
DeleteThanks, everyone. And sorry that I made 'heroes' from gentlemen.
Delete@ Anne: ;-)
@ Mike: Don't know. Sometimes a dream can become a lovely solace, though.
I will be back to read and leave a link.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: As always I look forward to reading your take and to your comments.
DeleteMy story will be over here.
DeleteThank you for linking your story. Loved it!
DeleteBravo! Bravo!
DeleteDahlia yellow was supposed to cover the altar. It's a color I'll never see again unless heaven grants a reprieve.
ReplyDeleteBecause right now, I'm in Hell with the devil as my groom. Beelzebub will never be a gentleman, yet he's thrown a formal wedding.
My wedding gift was bags of gold. Where does one spend gold in Hell?
The wedding march is playing, and I'm steps away from the dead flower-covered altar. Do I give the Beast credit for trying?
Tears cascade as Satan lifts my veil.
"Don't worry, dear Salome, life with me will be an infinity of tears.
*****
Hi Sue,
Such fun. Wasn't sure I could do it. Just finished my 31 day Halloween salute. But where there's a will, there's a way! Love you, dear lady! This exercise may have just saved my life! :)
Yolanda Renee: It is lovely to see you here again - with an intriguing snippet. How I would love to know more of this story...
DeleteI am blown away that you have finished your 31 day Halloween salute, and look forward to reading them (in day light). Hugs.
What a hellish surprise. ;-) Thanks, Yolanda.
DeleteScary and well done.
DeleteYolanda; a vastly different take and I loved it.
DeleteHi Yolanda - a fun take ... there's no choice 'the Beast' has to be given credit for trying ... and that gold - could reflect the heat?! Cheers Hilary
DeleteDarkly wonderful!
DeleteVery much enjoyed!
DeleteSome easy ones - you should see a lot of stories.
ReplyDeleteAnd where is yours?!
DeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: I know that you rarely play but I would love it if you did so more often.
DeleteD walked into homeroom. It was the first day of her senior year, and her folks had just moved to a new town. New, school, new grade, same old drill." Baby steps" she thought to herself. "Step one, look for a friendly looking human, sit at the desk next to them, put your bags under the desk, and wait what for the upcoming embarrassment. She knew it was always the same ,no matter what school she attended.
ReplyDeleteDread: a light veil of sweat popped out on her upper brow when the teacher walked to the front of the room.
And then it began. "Morgan Asher" "here", Phillip Brady" "here",
"Letticia Burton", "here" . . . "Cayzen Scott" "present".
She knew if she was not next it would be soon. "Margarette
Squires" "here" "Dahlia-Yellow Stanley?"
Nodding she answered in a barely audible voice, "here". She could feel people around her gawking, and knew at least some of them were thinking she had a pole dancer name .
"but I go by D"
She was not sure what was worse, having former commune parents and the fact that they let the ex-hippie wife of the commune leader name her.
Or knowing that the gentleman at the front of the class would use her given name when he called roll daily, for about a week.
Because the drill would be the same throughout infinity, or at least until she was old enough to legally change her name.
Anne in the kitchen: Ouch. I feel for her - just as I do some celebrities children. Some names constitute a form of child abuse I believe. Well crafted, and painful.
DeleteAnne in the kitchen; I do believe some parents should be made to think it over for two or three months when writing odd names on a birth certificate.
DeleteI'm sure "D" (Dee?) will make new friends in spite of her name and life will get easier.
So embarrassing, but the last half-sentence gives hope. Well written, Anne!
DeleteHaving been new kid many many many times growing up I felt this to my core.
DeleteThat's why I gave my children wear-well-in-the-wash-and-don't-fade names. Kids have enough to contend with.
DeleteAgain the brain is working!
ReplyDeleteHis WIFE Maryanne, is a fine lady and indeed a good HUMAN, a FRIENDLY person who always puts other people’s needs before her own on a DAILY basis. John is her husband he is also a wonderful kind man but I do often find him NODDING off especially in the evenings, he seems to get so tired chasing after his good wife's deeds.
Margaret D: Your brain is indeed working. And very well. I find myself nodding off early too.
DeleteGreat job!
DeleteVery nice
DeleteHa, good one. Like it.
DeleteThank you everyone - you encourage me :)
DeleteWell done Margaret ... well done for joining us - cheers Hilary
DeleteExcellent!
DeleteI like this!
Delete"...chasing after his good wife's deeds."
DeleteI like that! It is an interesting turn of phrase.
Hi Anne - what a wonderful take on the prompts - especially the special inclusion of Dahlia-Yellow - I'd hate that name too ... but great story - thank you ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI liked reading everyone's comments and stories.
ReplyDeleteNew Release Books: There are some beauties aren't there? As there are each and every week.
DeleteHe knew his WIFE was a FRIENDLY sort, but he never knew just how friendly. HUMAN companionship is one thing, but he was getting suspicious about those DAILY visits. I mean, it’s one thing to enjoy the company of GENTLEMEN (or was that perhaps gentle men?), quite another to have more than a NODDING acquaintance with so many. Recently his wife had shown a great interest in VEILS, but not the kind used to cover the BAGS under your eyes, diaphanous creations they were, with more than a hint of seductiveness about them. And she wasn’t wearing them for him. He wanted to take STEPS to initiate a full investigation, maybe hire a private detective, something like that. There was an INFINITY of possibilities, but truth be told he was flat broke. On careful reflection, perhaps better to leave well enough alone. There’s more than one way out of a financial dilemma, and after all, if you can’t look for help from your wife what’s the world coming to?
ReplyDeleteWondering if financial remuneration is part of the wife's thinly veiled plan?
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: I suspect he needs to talk to his wife. His plans may not be hers. Great job, and I will be considering the possibilities all day.
DeleteHi David - well done ... better left alone, quite often the best way. I hope those veils can raise some extra-mural financial security - a story there ... cheers and thanks for your comment! Hilary
DeleteI sense some skullduggery at hand...
DeleteWhy am I suddenly not trusting his motives, either?
DeleteThe DAILY paper arrive, not the doorstep, but on the roof. The FRIENDLY HUMAN next door was so helpful. He arrived with his WIFE and a ladder. Soon the paper was in my hands. I thanked them and offered payment, but he refused, then NODDING toward his wife, he trotted off through the space in the hedge. His wife followed with the ladder. She'd not only retrieved the paper without comment, she hefted the ladder as if it weighed nothing. I was impressed.
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie: You should be impressed. As should he. I suspect only one of you was... A lovely twist.
Delete;-)
DeleteTypical Lee ... the little woman just does so much - don't we?!! Cheers Hilary
Deletean ending I was not expecting!
DeleteNicely done!
Delete"He arrived with his WIFE and a ladder. Soon the paper was in my hands."
DeleteNice wording!
Funny, the wife carried the ladder and got the paper. Ha ha!
Can't comment as anything but Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThe old man determinedly took a few more STEPS towards his goal. He needed to get to the INFINITY. He craved his DAILY infusion of alcohol. The VEIL of rain obscured his vision. The heavy BAGS bumped at his legs. The FRIENDLY neighbors waved, NODDING at him, as he tottered by. The HUMAN manikin in front of the fishing store creaked and threatened to fall on him. The GENTLEMEN at the chess boards guffawed at him. But all those obstacles were minuscule. As long as he could get inside the pub before his WIFE noticed him gone, he would be fine.
Olga Godim from https://olgagodim.wordpress.com/
Good one, anonymous Olga. ;-)
DeleteAnd so sad.
Olga Godim: Thank you for joining us. I suspect that over the years quite a few men have had similar goals.
DeleteWell done Olga - I hope he managed to get into the pub before his wife found he'd wandered off (intentionally) again ... cheers Hilary
DeleteOh loved this!
DeleteThat craving takes over and then destroys. Well done.
DeleteI love the addition of color of the month. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Every month now has a colour - which is a great addition.
DeleteIt's late and I'm tired, so this is short and sweet.
ReplyDeleteI'm a friendly human wife, nodding daily at all I meet until my head falls off. Oops.
The peace of the night.
DeleteCarol Kilgore: Thanks for the smiles. I hope your head miraculously reattaches.
DeleteHi Carol - yes ... the end of the day we all feel knackered ... cheers Hilary
DeleteI feel that way all too often ... minus the being a wife part that is.
DeleteSometimes I feel that way, like one of those bobble-head toys.
DeleteAndo con escaso tiempo y me limito a leer las buenas historias que han escrito los participantes.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
VENTANA DE FOTO: Thank you for taking time from your busy day to read the stories. I hope you can join us again in the coming weeks.
DeleteMine has finally been published here
ReplyDeleteCindi: I am heading over to read it now.
DeleteI haven’t joined in for a while but I always enjoy what I read here. Always fun to visit.
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: I am glad that you enjoy what you read. Thank you for your regular visits.
DeleteLove reading how creative people are. My brain just looks at the words; but noting happens. When the talent was handed out, I must have been in the wrong line, lol. Hope you're doing well. Just out making my blog rounds.
ReplyDeleteSandy: Your creativity is expressed differently - in ways that fill me with awe. Thanks for your visit.
DeleteGentlemen stop your daily nodding off and help carry her bags as your friendly wife (the sweetest human being) wears her lovely veil and always steps into infinity and beyond just for you.
ReplyDelete21 Wits: I love this - thank you for joining us again.
DeleteOnce again very late to the party. For once I have not commented on all the stories here - but they are all very good.
ReplyDeleteHere's my link: Susan once again.
Charlotte (MotherOwl): Thank you. I have read and enjoyed your contribution.
Delete