| General Fiction posted October 5, 2018 |
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I remember..contest.
La La La La
by zeezeewriter
I remember...the afternoon my mother called me on the phone. It was a Tuesday. Mother never calls on Tuesday, always on Sunday. And, to make matters worse, the Cardinals were playing the Cubs on TV. Why wasn't she watching?
I got that icky feeling in the pit of my stomach like the time I loaned my suitcase to my aunt Carol and then remember that's where I hide my vibrator.
My first thought was to feign a reason to hangup. "My kitchens on fire, I'll call you later." "My dog just swallowed a razor blade. Gotta go."
Instead, I took a deep breath and said, "What's up?"
"I have something to tell you that I think you should know," she said.
Dang. I don't want to know. I'm not a curious person. No good comes from "Knowing".
"What?" I said.
"It's about your brother."
"Can I call you right back?" I asked. "Someone's knocking at my back door."
"I'll wait," she said.
Rats!
I laid the phone down and stepped out onto the back porch. I needed time to think. Pull myself together.
Tiger followed me out the door and ran into the yard. He lifted his leg on the kids new swing set. Maybe the razor blade bit wasn't so far fetched after all. My distraction soon faded.
A zillion things flashed through my mind. None of them good.
1. He's got cancer and dying.
2. He's getting a divorce.
3. He lost his job and needs a loan.
4. He's gay.
I smoke half a cig and returned to the inevitable.
"I'm back," I said into the phone.
"I had dinner with your brother and Sybil last night."
"Wow," I said. "A Monday night dinner..."
"Her birthday," Mom said.
Rats! I forgot her birthday!
"Your brother said some very strange things."
A BRAIN TUMOR. I KNEW IT!
Then, she lowered her voice to a whisper. I wanted to put my hands over my ears and do the "la la la" thingy. Instead, I held my breath...
"I think your brother is a Republican," she said.
And that was it. No brain tumor. No divorce. I felt like I'd just won the lottery. I wanted to jump up and down. Dance. Sing.
Instead, I laughed.
WRONG!
"It's not funny, Magee," she said. "No one in our family has ever been a Republican. How do I tell your father?"
"Tell Dad you think he's a Cubs fan. Then tell him you thinks he's a Republican. That should soften the blow."
I Remember writing prompt entry
I remember...the afternoon my mother called me on the phone. It was a Tuesday. Mother never calls on Tuesday, always on Sunday. And, to make matters worse, the Cardinals were playing the Cubs on TV. Why wasn't she watching?
I got that icky feeling in the pit of my stomach like the time I loaned my suitcase to my aunt Carol and then remember that's where I hide my vibrator.
My first thought was to feign a reason to hangup. "My kitchens on fire, I'll call you later." "My dog just swallowed a razor blade. Gotta go."
Instead, I took a deep breath and said, "What's up?"
"I have something to tell you that I think you should know," she said.
Dang. I don't want to know. I'm not a curious person. No good comes from "Knowing".
"What?" I said.
"It's about your brother."
"Can I call you right back?" I asked. "Someone's knocking at my back door."
"I'll wait," she said.
Rats!
I laid the phone down and stepped out onto the back porch. I needed time to think. Pull myself together.
Tiger followed me out the door and ran into the yard. He lifted his leg on the kids new swing set. Maybe the razor blade bit wasn't so far fetched after all. My distraction soon faded.
A zillion things flashed through my mind. None of them good.
1. He's got cancer and dying.
2. He's getting a divorce.
3. He lost his job and needs a loan.
4. He's gay.
I smoke half a cig and returned to the inevitable.
"I'm back," I said into the phone.
"I had dinner with your brother and Sybil last night."
"Wow," I said. "A Monday night dinner..."
"Her birthday," Mom said.
Rats! I forgot her birthday!
"Your brother said some very strange things."
A BRAIN TUMOR. I KNEW IT!
Then, she lowered her voice to a whisper. I wanted to put my hands over my ears and do the "la la la" thingy. Instead, I held my breath...
"I think your brother is a Republican," she said.
And that was it. No brain tumor. No divorce. I felt like I'd just won the lottery. I wanted to jump up and down. Dance. Sing.
Instead, I laughed.
WRONG!
"It's not funny, Magee," she said. "No one in our family has ever been a Republican. How do I tell your father?"
"Tell Dad you think he's a Cubs fan. Then tell him you thinks he's a Republican. That should soften the blow."
I got that icky feeling in the pit of my stomach like the time I loaned my suitcase to my aunt Carol and then remember that's where I hide my vibrator.
My first thought was to feign a reason to hangup. "My kitchens on fire, I'll call you later." "My dog just swallowed a razor blade. Gotta go."
Instead, I took a deep breath and said, "What's up?"
"I have something to tell you that I think you should know," she said.
Dang. I don't want to know. I'm not a curious person. No good comes from "Knowing".
"What?" I said.
"It's about your brother."
"Can I call you right back?" I asked. "Someone's knocking at my back door."
"I'll wait," she said.
Rats!
I laid the phone down and stepped out onto the back porch. I needed time to think. Pull myself together.
Tiger followed me out the door and ran into the yard. He lifted his leg on the kids new swing set. Maybe the razor blade bit wasn't so far fetched after all. My distraction soon faded.
A zillion things flashed through my mind. None of them good.
1. He's got cancer and dying.
2. He's getting a divorce.
3. He lost his job and needs a loan.
4. He's gay.
I smoke half a cig and returned to the inevitable.
"I'm back," I said into the phone.
"I had dinner with your brother and Sybil last night."
"Wow," I said. "A Monday night dinner..."
"Her birthday," Mom said.
Rats! I forgot her birthday!
"Your brother said some very strange things."
A BRAIN TUMOR. I KNEW IT!
Then, she lowered her voice to a whisper. I wanted to put my hands over my ears and do the "la la la" thingy. Instead, I held my breath...
"I think your brother is a Republican," she said.
And that was it. No brain tumor. No divorce. I felt like I'd just won the lottery. I wanted to jump up and down. Dance. Sing.
Instead, I laughed.
WRONG!
"It's not funny, Magee," she said. "No one in our family has ever been a Republican. How do I tell your father?"
"Tell Dad you think he's a Cubs fan. Then tell him you thinks he's a Republican. That should soften the blow."
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Writing Prompt Begin your non-fiction autobiographical story or poem with the words 'I remember...' Complete the sentence conveying a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100, but not more than 1,000 words. The count should be stated in your author notes. |
Thanks for the contest. It was fun. 415 words.
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