Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Write at the Merge: Double Trouble

On the far left, American suffragist Lucy Burns (1879 - 1966) of the Congressional Union For Women Suffrage (CUWS) stands next to Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst (center) probably in Washington, DC, 1913. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

Best Friend. 

I’d never had the privilege of being one, nor the pleasure of having one.

As a child, I was pawned off, and passed along, one family after another, like a dreaded Christmas fruitcake.  Consequently, I made very few friends.  In any case, the position of best friend was always already filled.  Years later, it ceased to matter to me, and I resigned myself socially to existing solely on casual acquaintances. I’d started life as a foundling, so it stood to reason that I should finish as a foundling, of sorts, as well.

Until Matilda.  Fellow aspiring scribbler, and drinker of black coffee. Matilda, in her fashionable hobble skirt, who’d minced her way over to my table and asked to borrow a pencil.  By chance we’d both decided to visit the same café, to work on our novels while sustaining ourselves with cup after cup of a rich Jamaican brew. She saw me, hand poised above a stack of paper, and assumed me to be what I hoped to be seen as.  A writer.  Matilda, with her stunning gray Grecian hair, and an ever so gently lined face that belied her 62 years.  Matilda, who wore the heady Quelques Fleurs and winked at distinguished old men. She was a beacon of light at the end of the tunnel.  The partner in crime I’d been longing for my whole life.

The bell on my Stromberg-Carlson jangles me back to the present moment. That must be Matilda!  I struggle laboriously to my feet as quickly as my ancient skeleton will allow, feeling the familiar pinch of age run through my hip, slowing my steps.   I really ought to get rid of my soft chair and replace it with a hard one. Better for the bones.  But there is no need, though, to hurry to pick up the receiver.  Matilda is patient.  She accepts me in all of my faltering glory, like best friends do. Hello? Matilda!  Fifteen minutes? That’s fine!  I’ll pack some cookies to have with our coffee.

Matilda’s tomato red, 1910 Atlas Model H pulls into view, thirty-two minutes later. I had a bear of a time getting this beast started!  Matilda’s voice is breathy with excitement.  Forgetting the twinge in my hip, I pull my sheared beaver stole closer to my face, and climb into the passenger seat.  In a matter of minutes, when we are nearly at the café, we encounter a swarm of people.  Naturally, our curiosity is piqued, and Matilda articulates what I was just about to ask.  Mind if we take a quick detour and see what all the fuss is about?  We mutually agree that our novels can wait, for we seem to have stumbled upon an émeute. The assembled protesters, mostly female, are in high spirits, charging the atmosphere with an electric energy.  The unease among the males who have dared to venture close enough to observe, is palpable.  Women should not be allowed to behave like this.

Move along, granny!  A red cheeked constable in blue and brass takes Matilda firmly by the elbow, steering her away from the crowd.  I hear a huff of indignation, and I can hardly believe what Matilda does next.  She plucks the young man’s truncheon from his belt, and roundly swats the top of his helmet!

I am left with little choice.   I am, after all, her best friend.

I take the truncheon away from Matilda.

 

And swat him again.

 

 

writing prompt

 This piece of fiction was inspired by this picture prompt:

Groucho Marx Quotes

34 comments:

  1. oh Valerie! Bit confused. Is this you or your novel? Guess what? Our furnace has gone out and the water line has broken across the street. Ya, don't we just love long frozen snaps? It is 7° outside and 62° inside and getting COLDER. I need my gloves on soon.

    Your story is told beautifully.

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  2. Renae-I think it sounds like you need your gloves now, my dear! Brrrrr! When it rains it pours, doesn't it! Let's keep hoping for spring to come soon!

    This bit of writing is fiction-though some days my own skeleton really does pain me;)

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  3. Again, you do it...I loved this story. You are great at doing the past and making the characters come alive. I could see these women.

    One of my favorite lines was this one: "As a child, I was pawned off, and passed along, one family after another, like a dreaded Christmas fruitcake." LOL.

    This was so much fun to read. You really captured the prompt:~)

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    1. Thanks Sara! I always value your opinion and appreciate your wonderful comments!

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  4. If one is going to wait for a Best Friend better to have one later in life when one really needs them. I loved these two, their fire, their inability to give up on life. And that young man needed a little smack, that's what one gets for making assumptions.

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    1. Jennifer-I agree! If these two women weren't fiction, I'd be so jealous of their friendship:) Thanks so much for your comment too!

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  5. Valerie, you have me rolling on the floor again. That was marvelous.

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    1. Dawn-Your wit has had me rolling on the floor a few times as well! I'm so glad I could return the favor!

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  6. This is so awesome! The ending is absolutely perfect. I always love the detail you put into your writing and feel like I am transported into your story! Really enjoyed reading this one :)

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  7. Brilliant! I loved the whole concept. I could very easily see these two locked up along with the suffragettes only to get released because the captain of the watch decided they were too much of a hassle to deal with. Dreaded Christmas fruitcakes.

    This is the sort of tale I wished I had contrived. Well done!

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    1. Thank you so much for saying that! Coming from you and your gift for writing, I am so flattered!!

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  8. That was terrific! At first I was trying to make it autobiographical, but then a new picture began to form in my head - complete with spunky grey-haired ladies with a zest for life! Loved it ... especially the final lines. True friendship!

    Visiting from WOE.

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    1. Thanks Morgan! I hope to be like these two when I am older! I know some real life ladies who come pretty close, too:) Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a wonderful comment!

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  9. I hope to be so saucy one day! There's nothing better than an underestimated older women, and I think you captured that really well. With her background, we could feel sorry for her a bit, but she's definitely found a kindred spirit here.
    ~Angela

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    1. Thanks so much Angela! I am thoroughly enjoying these prompts and linking up! I truly appreciate your comment!

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  10. What delightful old gals! I want to meet them :) Love that last bit - I take the truncheon away from Matilda... and swat him again!

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    1. I agree-I wish they were real, because I would want to meet them too! I have a feeling they would be fun to have as friends!

      Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your lovely comment!

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  11. Haha! Great characters, Valerie. What a good piece of writing this is. :)

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  12. Great photo and quote! I love your ability to breathe such life into your characters! Bravo! Matilda reminds me of Sophia Petrillo from "The Golden Girls" or, as I like to believe, the person I will be when I get to that age ;-)

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    1. Thanks Jess! I always loved watching Golden Girls-they made getting older seem pretty cool. I agree-it's a good aspiration to want to be like that some day:)

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  13. That ending was awesome; made me laugh out loud.

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    1. Thanks Annabelle! I laughed too when the idea popped into my head, because I could picture it happening and it seemed pretty funny! Something one might see in a Marx brothers film:)

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  14. Brilliant!
    I love your short fiction, Valerie. So lovingly rendered. These two are classic.

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    1. Cam, thank you for that! It's high praise that I take to heart and cherish:)

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  15. Hee hee! Nice. I love the picture, too, with the one woman rolling her eyes.

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    1. Isn't she a kick, Kathleen! Thanks for reading this too!

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  16. Oh this was fantastic! You set it up brilliantly - the importance of her friendship with Matilda, how long it's lasted, the bond they share. And of course she had no choice.

    Love.

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    1. Thanks so much! I appreciate the comment! I'd love to have a bff who'd swat a constable for me, too;)

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  17. Well done. I know you intended it as fiction, but you also have a really good memoir voice.

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    1. I originally wrote it in the third person, but liked the sound of first person better-it seemed to make the piece stronger some how. Thank you so much for your comment!

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