| General Fiction posted October 7, 2010 |
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Grumbling Martin befriends the Kid
Now Serving
by jmdg1954
Martin stood amongst the sea of people waiting their turn at Spumaldi's Market deli counter. He pulled ticket number thirty-eight from the dispenser. Looking up, he saw they were serving number twenty-nine.
"I'll be here forever," he grumbled. "What a waste of time for liverwurst."
He felt a slight tug on his right hand's pinky finger. Thinking nothing of it, he just shook his hand. He felt another tug. This time it was harder. He stood motionless and only moving his eyes, he looked downward seeing what he was afraid of, a little kid.
"Get away kid. Go to your mother!"
"I can't find her."
"Call her with your cell phone."
"I don't got one. I'm six."
Why me? There are two-dozen people here waiting for their bologna and cheese, and he picks me out of the crowd!
"Grandpa?"
Puzzled, Martin looks at him. "I'm not your Grandpa, I don't have any children. Beat it! Vamoose! Scram!"
He felt the kid latch onto his pinky.
"Grrr..." he mumbled under his breath. "Okay, let's go find your Mom," Martin said scooping him up just as he heard,
"Now serving thirty-eight, please step up to the counter."
"Great, now I've lost my turn."
Martin grabbed a coconut covered candy apple and gave it to the kid. "Here, eat this."
"Yea, I'm thirsty too."
Martin glanced around and grabbed a Manhattan Special, a twist-top coffee soda.
"Here ya go, drink up."
The kid took a big swallow, "Burrup!"
"Nice one, kid."
They skipped through aisle six and stood in front of the Fresh Fish Department.
"Ewwwwww, stinky!" the kid squeaked as he held his nose shut.
Martin looked around and saw a vacant shopping cart. He dropped the kid in it and pushed the cart up the next aisle. He stopped to grab a box of Twinkies for the kid and Yodels for himself.
"Phew, just what my diabetes needs!"
Then, suddenly he heard ...
"How dare you cavort through this store feeding my son junk food!"
Martin stopped, turned around and glared. "How dare you lose sight of something as precious as your six-year-old, Missy!"
"Don't call me Missy!"
"Don't lose your kid!"
"Mommy, don't yell at Grandpa."
"He's not your grandfather."
"Can he be my grandpa?" The kid asked with a face full of Twinkie cream and cake.
Suddenly, grumpy Martin had visions of being Grandpa Martin.
"I'm sorry," the woman chimed in. "Thank you for finding and safely taking care of my Timmy."
"It's okay. Be more careful next time, there are a lot of loonies out there. Here's my name and number if you need anything."
"Thank you, Martin," she said looking down at the crumpled paper.
They left the store and Martin went back in line at the deli and pulled number ninety-six from the dispenser.
"Now serving seventy-eight, please step down."
Grrr ... now I have to wait even longer.
All of a sudden, he felt a sharp kick to his shin!
Grr...That Little Brat.... writing prompt entry
Martin stood amongst the sea of people waiting their turn at Spumaldi's Market deli counter. He pulled ticket number thirty-eight from the dispenser. Looking up, he saw they were serving number twenty-nine.
"I'll be here forever," he grumbled. "What a waste of time for liverwurst."
He felt a slight tug on his right hand's pinky finger. Thinking nothing of it, he just shook his hand. He felt another tug. This time it was harder. He stood motionless and only moving his eyes, he looked downward seeing what he was afraid of, a little kid.
"Get away kid. Go to your mother!"
"I can't find her."
"Call her with your cell phone."
"I don't got one. I'm six."
Why me? There are two-dozen people here waiting for their bologna and cheese, and he picks me out of the crowd!
"Grandpa?"
Puzzled, Martin looks at him. "I'm not your Grandpa, I don't have any children. Beat it! Vamoose! Scram!"
He felt the kid latch onto his pinky.
"Grrr..." he mumbled under his breath. "Okay, let's go find your Mom," Martin said scooping him up just as he heard,
"Now serving thirty-eight, please step up to the counter."
"Great, now I've lost my turn."
Martin grabbed a coconut covered candy apple and gave it to the kid. "Here, eat this."
"Yea, I'm thirsty too."
Martin glanced around and grabbed a Manhattan Special, a twist-top coffee soda.
"Here ya go, drink up."
The kid took a big swallow, "Burrup!"
"Nice one, kid."
They skipped through aisle six and stood in front of the Fresh Fish Department.
"Ewwwwww, stinky!" the kid squeaked as he held his nose shut.
Martin looked around and saw a vacant shopping cart. He dropped the kid in it and pushed the cart up the next aisle. He stopped to grab a box of Twinkies for the kid and Yodels for himself.
"Phew, just what my diabetes needs!"
Then, suddenly he heard ...
"How dare you cavort through this store feeding my son junk food!"
Martin stopped, turned around and glared. "How dare you lose sight of something as precious as your six-year-old, Missy!"
"Don't call me Missy!"
"Don't lose your kid!"
"Mommy, don't yell at Grandpa."
"He's not your grandfather."
"Can he be my grandpa?" The kid asked with a face full of Twinkie cream and cake.
Suddenly, grumpy Martin had visions of being Grandpa Martin.
"I'm sorry," the woman chimed in. "Thank you for finding and safely taking care of my Timmy."
"It's okay. Be more careful next time, there are a lot of loonies out there. Here's my name and number if you need anything."
"Thank you, Martin," she said looking down at the crumpled paper.
They left the store and Martin went back in line at the deli and pulled number ninety-six from the dispenser.
"Now serving seventy-eight, please step down."
Grrr ... now I have to wait even longer.
All of a sudden, he felt a sharp kick to his shin!
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Writing Prompt Write a short story about a man who doesn't like children. Maximum word count is 500 words. |
 Recognized |
A fun contest.... coconut covered candy apples or caramel apples (with peanuts) are on a popsicle stick and are typically a "fall" item sold in a variety of places. Many stores do more exotic coating of apples, far to many to mention. Check them out, you'll love them...
Word count : 496
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Word count : 496
Artwork by MoonWillow at FanArtReview.com
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