Well today I’m going to participate in another challenge. This one comes from Views from Raven’s Nest.
Using the words given by Raven you do a Ten Word, Mini and Mega (combining the Ten and Mini – at least I hope that’s what you do) Challenge.
Ten Word Challenge: sugar bowl, cotton, wizard, fund-raising, Ben Hur, salmonella, luke warm, telescope, bank, walk-a-thon
Mini Challenge: challenge, sparkling cider, melancholy, snail mail, master carpenter
Ten Word Challenge
There was a fund-raising event that Don wanted to attend. Being at Ben Hur Stadium he pondered how long it would take him to get there. It would be a mighty walk-a-thon to say the least. But he was ready for the trek. Usually Don secretly watched all the others going to the stadium from his bank window, where he stashed a secret telescope and watched them stroll along the luke warm stream on their way. Today he was going to join them. The clock struck noon and Don washed his coffee cup and put the sugar bowl away. Tidy, always tidy he was. Putting on his cotton gloves and jacket he started on his way. Being bitter cold outside Don wished that he could conjure up his wizard and have him turn this into a warmer day. But alas, no such luck. The cold air made him feel sick, like he had salmonella and he was forced to return to his starting point. “What was I thinking?” he stammered. “It is too cold and too far a distance.” “Your a fool he thought.” The alarm started to blare and Don woke from a deep sleep. “Damn, what a foolish dream I was having” he thought to himself.
Mini Challenge
Her sparkling cider sat next to her as she took the challenge, that made her feel slightly melancholy, to use snail mail, to send in the application to become a master carpenter instead of applying on-line.
Mega Challenge
A young couple strolled down the beach in Waikiki.
They came upon a coin operated telescope. “Ginger let’s take a look” Jeffery said.
“Sure. But remember, we have to go to the ABC store after this so we can get the postcards to send home, via snail mail,” she snickered. She had promised her family back home in chilly Ben Hur, Alaska that she would send them.
“Righto.” Filling the machine with tokens, which Jeffery thought was like going to a fund-raising event and donating for a worthy cause, he watched Ginger, dressed in a pink dress, begin to view the beach. She was a vision of beauty and always looked like a million bucks, that he wished he had in his bank. Her clothing matched everything down to her jewelry.
“Jeffery,” she said in a luke warm voice. “Take a look and tell me what you see.” She pulled away and Jeffery took the challenge to see what she had discovered. Eyeing the melancholy sight through the scope, he was aghast. He could see the master carpenter at work destroying their favorite park bench to make room for a new walkway.
“Oh Ginger, that’s so sad.” he said softly.
“It is and it makes me just want to cry,” she said, a tear running down her cheek.
“We will just have to find another spot that will be our special place,” he responded. ” We are like a wizard so I know we will find one,” he smiled. “Come on Ginger, it’s no walk-a-thon to the ABC Store, but I’m getting thirsty and some sparkling cider would be great and we can get the post cards.”
He took her soft hand and began their journey on the sandy beach. With each step they took they could hear the sand grinding, like that of the contents of a sugar bowl. They both were thinking about the park bench, but the feel of that sand and just holding hands made them feel better. When they reached the ABC Store, Ginger looked down and saw a newspaper and the headline grabbed her attention. “Salmonella Linked To Peanuts”. “Well let’s hope they get this contained and quickly.”
With that, the lovely couple went in purchased their items then made their way back to the beach. She taking out a pen to write and he opening up his drink, sat together on their cotton blanket, thinking of a new special spot.
You did great on your first try. You captured the mood perfectly in the last one.
Thanks so much. I appreciate it.
Loved all three. To do the mini challenge in one sentence is a real talent.
The last one seemed a little sad as progress has its price.
I forgot to remind you to check in to Raven’s linksy.
Thank you very much Dr. John. I couldn’t find the link for her linksy so I didn’t know what to do.
Well done! I think the mini was my favorite. It really has become that way hasn’t it – snail mail is a challenge for those who are growing up now (and even me). Everything is done by computer these days. Welcome to Wordzzles! Fun, isn’t it?
Thank you Raven. Yes I enjoy it greatly. A lot different than Quilly’s. I’m not much of a writer but enjoy putting something out and reading the comments and all. I do hope that when I do something bad or wrong people will let me know, give me pointers and such to learn
Also I don’t know how to use Mr. Linksy for this. I use it for Manic Monday and it has their link in there when I chose it. I couldn’t find Wordzzle in there to choose from. Any pointers?
Enjoyed the story today.
Just one point of contention from my peculiar perspective.
As the son of a master carpenter, I believe one would have carefully dismantled the bench, found a different spot and then artfully rebuilt the bench. I admit I’m prejudice and not objective in this belief.
Damn Rich…I so wish I would have thought of it. Much better ending I do believe. Mahalo!!
you did a wonderful job with these three stories.
great stuff!
Thank you Juliana. You are real kind.
Liked all your stories. In the last loved continued.
Thank you Bettygram…I do wish I would have ended it as Rich suggested…But yes love did continue and hopefully always will
Welcome to Wordzzle
All your stories were interesting and flowed so nicely. The mini is my favorite, it told so much in so few words – made me smile, poor old snail mail.
Mahalo Dianne…yeah poor old snail mail
Especially with the price of a first class stamp going up yet again
These are great stories Thom, I enjoyed reading them all. I could never sit and do this, I was never much of a Story Teller, don’t have the imagination. Also just don’t have the time, I am totally brain dead by the time I get home.
Hope you are doing OK,
Thanks Bill. I’m not much of a story teller either. I just put what first comes to mind. And I do this usually in the morning before work when my mind is fresh. That’s why I like my work hours from noon to 9:30. I don’t have to spend so much time at the company with them on my mind
All is well. Cold here but everyone is fine. Thanks for asking.
You are a romantic! Who’d have thunk it.
You did great, Thom. I’m sorry I came late to your party!
That’s debatable Quilly. I hope you got rested up. I think it does you good, well for that matter everyone good, to take a break for a bit. The point is you came to the party and made the grand entrance
Hi Thom,
I’m sooooo late getting here – weekends are so full. But, it was worth the wait for me. I loved all of them. The mini – one consise little sentence – BRAVO!
Mahalo big time Carletta.