And not just the weather; my husband woke Monday morning with Covid, so we had to cancel hotel and restaurant bookings made for a couple of days away to celebrate the 59th anniversary of when we first got together. Time does fly! (glad to say he's recovering well.)
Three different prizes this week – one to David
for making me laugh over his 'The Suet
Crisis; one to Antonia for, as Jim said, her 'casually efficient use of the
prompt words', and one to Jim for the olfactory wealth of 'The Worm VII'
Words for the coming week: grill harmony model
Congrats to David, Antonia and Jim!
ReplyDelete@Sandra Glad to hear your husband is recovering well.
Well done David, Antonia and Jim what a great trio of entries for last week.
DeleteChange of focus [467]
ReplyDeleteDisliking Ben Brickwood's unearned aggression; the implication she'd deliberately bring disharmony into Pettinger's life, Philly treated the man to a simpering smile, parodying the very model of an obedient wife. Aleks' unexpected and well-intentioned defence missed the mark, somewhat. 'Least Yanno won't grill her feet when she's bad. not like Balincek did my mother's'
'You … you witnessed that?'
'Heard it. Valdeta screamed Lots.'
Slow to catch on, the desk sergeant asked, '"Yanno?"'
In stereo, from Ben and Philly, 'Yanno Petzincek'. Also known as John Pettinger
It was good to hear about Valdeta again, but not about her being tortured. I enjoyed Stepcart giving the sergeant a simpering smile.
DeleteOh, the simmering rage at being able to do naught but smile! Fun to see the interplay of quick response and confused witness.
DeleteVery interesting and amusing interplay among the characters, Sandra.
DeleteClever interplay between the characters keeps us in the moment but also reminds us of the past. Lots to like in this installment Sandra.
DeleteI ti k ;simpering; is such a good word, hardly seen these days and yet it says so much. Nice 'moving on' instalment, Sandra.
DeleteSome like it in the raw
ReplyDeleteThe Singapore Grill & Gin Joint is the newest upscale eatery and night spot in uptown Podunk. A welcome model of glitz and hobnobbery. The greatest thing to hit Podunk since the end of prohibition.
But harmony isn’t always as it seems. Business is booming but bodies are turning up on the property and getting harder to dispose of. Soon, word will get out, the owners fear. Mystique will only go so far when the police start poking around.
Perhaps it’s time to remove Tasmanian pufferfish sushi from the menu.
A killer last line, John. The last thing I was expecting. Very nice!
DeleteI'm a bit concerned how slow they are responding to a dangerous item on their menu! :) Perfect title for this fun piece.
DeleteAnd there was me expecting, from the title, naked waitresses. But I truly loved "model of glitz and hobnobbery" and wonder if they were targeting a certain clientele
DeleteAs you often do John, you have created a brilliant snapshot piece containing wonderful inmagery and peppered with your darkly sparkling sense of humour. The prompt words simply faded into the enjoyment of the read.
DeleteA complete history and story of a strange place, capped by the inroduction of the strange fish... great story, John!
DeleteTHE WORM VII: THE WAIT IS OVER
ReplyDeleteA sound broke the through the harmonious tranquility of the night… rising from the hole and rumbling upward to grill Gork’s mind like a searing flame.
Then he saw it.
A tiny tunnel of sanity burrowed through disbelief, and he realized what he looked upon - a huge tube-like mass of quivering matter that looked like an enormous worm… a monstrous obscenity unearthing itself in a series of spasmodic jolts… a hideous thing that even Hell would have cast out.
Gork, the model of bullying brutality, shivered uncontrollably as it called out to him. “I’ve been waiting for you, Gork.”
Quite the badass worm. I think Gork is in for some serious setbacks.
DeleteMy son is convinced that there are giant Dune-like worms on earth right now, so he'd probably be less horrified than I would at witnessing such a thing. :) Loved your use of 'grill'.
Delete"unearthing" so clever in this context.
DeleteVery clever writng Jim, made me shiver. Brilliant imagery keeping me hooked with a sense of 'revolted interest' for the next installment.
DeleteImagery is everything when writing, and so present here, leaving me wondering how much further this can go before the gore runs out...I especially like the tiny tunnel of sanity... life feels like that sometimes!!
DeleteThe Model T
ReplyDelete“This year’s model has a fairy friendly grill,” said the salesman.
“Golly gee,” said Smith. “Such innovation.”
“Mr Ford is determined that the 1930’s will be an era of harmony with our tiny cousins,” said the salesman
“And she’ll take me to the end of the rainbow on a full tank?” asked Smith.
“There and back,” said the salesman. “There’s even a compartment in the trunk for the pot of gold.”
“Shucks,” said Smith. “Fill up that fountain pen with my blood. I’ll have my soul signed away in a jiffy.”
Quite the enjoyable entry, David, and a great last line.
DeleteSmith, the salesman's dream. Nice one.
DeleteNow I can't stop wondering what a fairy friendly grill would look like on a car. :) Sounds like Smith is about to get his dream car!
DeleteAnd, golly gee, such entertainment, David. Yet again.
DeleteSuch a light touch with the humour but even as you read you can feel that undercurrent of darkness which is so brilliantly revealed in that last declaration by Smith as he agrees to sign away his soul.
Deletedefinitely a lovely light touch, about as soft as an angel wing passing over the car, leaving a lot of thoughts behind it...nice one,David, so wildly different - again!
Deletethank you SO much, Sandra! Made me feel good - and then I read the others... We really do have a class bunch of writers in this small corner of the writing universe, which encourages and even pushes at times to keep us writing...
ReplyDeleteYes! It is always fun to return each week for challenge and inspiration. :)
DeleteThe Risk of Letting Things Go [12]
ReplyDeleteTwenty minutes later, I’m watching Aries grill steak on an outcropping of stone that juts out over the valley. Everyone has found the sated harmony that comes with dessert and coffee, and even I feel more gracious to our unexpected hosts.
“Tell me,” Aries says, “what makes the goblins so important?” He poses in the dying sunlight, looking like a model for some gentlemen’s journal.
I clear my throat. “They stole from us.”
“Something priceless?”
“Maybe. Honestly, it’s more that they double-crossed us.”
“Ah. Treachery and broken trust.”
“We must retaliate; otherwise, we risk this happening again with someone else.”
And now I'm curious as to what Aries' response might be.
DeleteYour very adept inclusion of the prompt words seemed so natural and smooth.
DeleteI agree with Jim the prompt words simply soak right into the writing so you have to hunt for them after you have read the piece . I also very much like the ease with which you blend fantasy with our knowledge of the everyday, like drinking coffee and hunting goblins.
Deletethe goblins are going to cause trouble, you just know it... another easy read but carrying some wonderful imagery with them.
DeleteRhyme-Time Gazette
ReplyDeleteIssue 2
Model citizens and concerned sheep-minders, Boy-Blue and Miss Peep’s, boycott of the sale of lambs-tail puddings, pies and grills today was unsuccessful due to the online purchase of all produce by an anonymous buyer.
Despite interviewing several witnesses, your roving reporter, Peter Piper, still has no clue who the mysterious buyer may be.
Update - Tip-offs reveal Mouse-Mafia connections. Police trap nets a squealer.
Breaking news – After extensive questioning, kiss, tell and runaway snitch, Georgie-Porgie, is inharmoniously detained for questioning by local PC, Mr. Plod, in connection with the black-market movement of pies and puddings laced with narcotics.
Quite the goings on in their world! Love the energy for the reporter and the phrase 'After extensive questioning, kiss, tell and runaway snitch.'
DeleteI never did trust Georgie Porgie!
Deletethis is clever, everyone being 'themselves' and yet there is a darkness underneath...
DeleteMany a good laugh here, Terrie! I like this lighter side of you.
ReplyDelete[Threshold 391]
ReplyDeleteSuch was the skin-tingling harmony induced by Raven's calloused fingertips slowly quartering my body in ever-decreasing squares, as he searched for the tell-tale bump that would indicate the presence of a signal-emitting device (an effect akin to leaning against a gently-fizzing grill) that I failed to notice he'd simultaneously steered us to our earlier positions, near prone against the quad-bikes. What had more obviously changed was the waning of his interest in food and its replacement (judging by his priapic readiness to model for Greek statuary) by a desire for something other than assurance of security.
I was nothing loth
Who wouldn't love some 'skin-tingling harmony?' Laughed aloud at the line 'judging by his priapic readiness to model for Greek statuary.' :)
DeleteAs always that 'fizzing' undercurrent of their relationship is ever present. cleverly written Sandra,
Deletethere is some very clever wordery going on in this instalment, as Holly noted!-
DeleteBeen keeping an eye on the submissions by this great little group. Keep the plume waving guys. Magnificent work.
ReplyDeletePatricia - you are much missed. Have you tried re-joining Blogger and posting under a new name, new identity?
DeleteYep, tried everything. Has something to do with Blogger suddenly misinterpreting some type of codes incorporated into the word processor I use and tossing the entries into the void. It was lovely while it lasted though.
DeleteYes, you are definitely missed,Patricia as are your wonderful stories.
DeleteMissed, for sure! I was thinking about Cripplegate the other night, wondering if you could find a way to make it stick, that you would remember the storyline and entertain us again. There has to be a way!!
Deletetruly discombobulated
ReplyDeleteI’ve been trying hard to adopt the role of perfect model for those around me, not always easy when harmony disappears and we are left solely with the condition known as discombobulate – disconcerted and generally out of sorts, but no one will tell you that bit… gently grilling a purely vegan meal would do wonders for the quietness of mind (except I inevitably don’t like the vegan meals… but no one has stopped me eating mushroom sandwiches, now there’s a treat… no grill, just soft cheese in a tube, tasteless spread for butter, slices of proper strong cheese and…
The Mad Italian - Leonardo Da Vinci
ReplyDeleteSo your Prime Minister, in an effort to create harmony amongst the cabinet members, holds a small party and hopes no one will know. He forgot the ‘only one person can keep a secret’ mantra and allowed the others in… which gave the police a dilemma, a grilling to get to the truth and your opposition leader trying to be the model politician and only comes over as someone who the world would not tolerate for a moment…
At least your newspapers get to have a different viewpoint for a while, although we must return to the war.
Wise words from the Master Philosopher as always, hit the spot with his point of view. Always food for thought.
Delete