A Gentleman in Disguise

Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for this Friday’s photo prompt. I saw that spot on the table and … off my mind went in free flight. Here is my March 29 Friday Fictioneers Flash Fiction submission. (Say that 5 times fast.)

He plucked the napkin from the floor and spread it on his lap while she wasn’t looking. His idea of eating by firelight included a campfire, but she wanted a romantic evening out. He played the part of a perfect gentleman, even remembering to wipe his mouth after each bite.
Something tickled the side of his mouth and her face went white. She clutched a napkin to her mouth and ran for the girl’s room.
He flipped the insect to the floor and crushed it. A quick glance assured him other diners had not noticed, so he scarfed down his dinner before she returned.

New Avatar Supports Traditional Marriage

New Avatar

As a US citizen, I believe that I not only have the right, but the obligation to stand up and be counted rather than hide behind a politically correct façade. For this reason, I chose to change my avatar, at least for a while, to this symbol of marriage. This blog is not intended to invite criticism or arguments. It is merely my equal right to come out of the closet.

This is one of the new Avatars representing traditional marriage – between a man and a woman. That concept pre-dates Christ by thousands of years. Marriage has been identified for millennia as a union between a woman and a man. Displaying this avatar represents my belief that the definition of the word marriage should not be changed.

Personally, I feel that if gays want to get “married” they should create a name for a union between same sex couples. As a writer, I work with words. Every time an old established word is twisted into a new meaning, it can change the context of that scene – possibly even the entire story. Rather than changing the meaning of an old word, we should change the wording of the laws that discriminate.

We have a nasty history of using a word in the wrong context, inadvertently turning it into something it is not. One example is the word retarded. Anyone who works on cars knows that if you retard the timing, you slow it down. People ignorant to the meaning of retarded began using it to describe a person incapable of taking care of themselves. Of course, mentally retarded people can be extremely handicapped or mildly handicapped. Because the word was so misused and gained a negative connotation, a new term was coined. It is now politically correct to call it “developmentally challenged.” Since this change, using the “R” word is considered to be in poor taste and insulting. There are other words, such as Negro, which was changed to Black, or Afro-American. Changing the words doesn’t change the situation. It puts a temporary Band-Aid on the problem. It isn’t a solution. It is merely used to placate. I find that insulting.

But there is another reason for this avatar, and that is to assure like-minded people that they are not alone. Often people are attacked if their belief doesn’t conform to that of others. So to me, this icon is like the US flag. It represents freedom – freedom of speech and expression, among other things. There are two sides to every issue, and this happens to be mine. Feel free to use this avatar if it is yours as well.

Kudos to Dad – Memoir

Feb 28, 2013 Friday Fictioneer photo prompt by Beth Carter

Dad wasn’t frugal. He was creative. He often said “I’d rather make something than buy it.” He made an eight cylinder engine into four – and then back again when it wouldn’t lug the big Buick around. He made a tractor using parts from a motorcycle and water heater. It had to be parked facing downhill to clutch start, but otherwise it worked. A junkyard was a treasure chest for him. In the end, it came as no surprise that he was buried in the coffin he made. Charles Mecham’s legacy was three creative girls, an octolin he invented, and priceless memories.

Painful Decisions – a Metaphor

February 22 Friday Fictioneer photo prompt by Janet Webb

The well-maintained picket fence put up a cheery front, but it couldn’t hide the decaying barn. Like trying to hide a marriage that had gone bad, there was no point investing more time and effort planting flowers in front of it. The problem wasn’t the fence. The barn was empty now – useless – yet it was difficult to let go of the memories. The old barn had to be removed before the new one could be built. The new barn promised a brighter future for everyone involved – especially the children.

Favorable Results

Photo by David Stewart.

Kneel, rise, s-t-r-e-t-c-h … always a fraction of an inch beyond my reach. I’ve been working every day for hours – weeks. It’s taking so long, but I like the results. The approval in my husband’s eyes gives me the energy to continue. People are asking how I did it and I delight in giving them all the details. Sometimes even I stop to admire my work. The thing I like most about it is the simple maintenance – and the graceful beauty, of course. Once the last coat of polyurethane is applied, I’ll be finished with the floor.

Monster on the Beach – Mystery

Thanks to Renee Homan Heath for 1-26-13 Friday Fictioneer’s Photo Prompt!

Long skinny shadows across the boardwalk hastened his step. Soon the source of the groans would be concealed in darkness. Again the sound came from the beach, this time in sequential short bursts of apparent agony. The pathway curved and dropped to the white sandy beach. A long whine was followed by a deep moan. He paused, suddenly consumed with the irrational fear that a dinosaur roamed the beach. He crept around the line of dunes and gasped in horror at the huge form. Waves foamed around the gargantuan body of a beached humpback whale.

A New Beginning (Romance)

Friday Fictioneer’s 1-4-13 Photo Prompt “fireworks” by Lora Mitchell.

The screaming whistle ended in a loud boom. The ecstatic faces around her were illuminated with red and yellow from the explosion.
“Chin up, Andie. Put the past behind you. It’s a new year.”
Nate was the sole survivor of the car wreck that killed her fiancé one year ago. It was natural enough for Nate to become infatuated with his nurse, but now she was beginning to reciprocate.
Nate put an arm around her shoulders. “Do you want me to take you home?”
She relaxed against the long warmth of him. “I just want to be with you.”