Thursday 11 July 2013

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - GOATS & GRAVES - MY 100 WORDS BY LINDA PALUND




Goats and Graves

            Goats and Graves surveyed the old graveyard through the chain-link fence.
            “Someone should really clean that place up,” remarked Goats.
            “Nah, it’s a waste of energy.”
            “But it’s disrespectful leaving it like that!”
            “Just some old white folks buried in there.  Let them clean it up.”
            They watched Bulldog climb through a hole in the fence and lead his small flock of goats inside to graze in the shade of the Magnolia trees.
            “Hey Bulldog!” shouted Graves, “What you think you’re doing?”
            “The only good grass ‘round here grows between these old gravestones. These white folks won’t mind.  They’s dead!”

For some reason, I don't know why, I couldn't really write a story, but I felt like writing these little pieces.  Forgive me, here is another:

Goats and Graves

            Daylight doesn’t show the old graveyard to its best advantage.  The chain-link fence couldn’t stop the vandals from knocking over as many tombstones as they could or smashing up the crypts and ripping holes in the fence to graze their livestock inside.
            It wasn’t so much an act of vandalism.  More like revenge.
            The old white folks graveyard sat smack in the middle of our neighbourhood, abandoned but not forgotten.
            It would have made a great park for our kids, with its trees and green lawn.  
            Someday, we’ll tear down the fence and bulldoze the place, obliterating its oppressive history forever.


This Dabble in FLASH FICTION is from FRIDAY FICTIONEERS courtesy of:

and you can comment on mine below:

15 comments:

  1. Hi Linda,
    I feel like you have the bones of a story and you just need something dramatic to tie it up nicely. Sometimes the muse doesn't show. Happens to me frequently. Ron

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    1. Thanks, Ron, maybe I'll try something tonight. I have been pretty moody lately, so maybe my mood will enlighten me later...

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  2. Hi Linda. I find I either get the inspiration quickly or not at all. I enjoyed this,and I agree, bones of a story here, all that simmering resentment. Nice one.

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    1. Thanks, Sandra. Maybe if I start reading everyone else's I will get inspired...

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  3. Of the two pieces I prefer the second. Much tighter writing. And real food for thought.

    (And I hadn't spotted the dog when I was writing.)

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  4. Thanks, you are probably right, but I just fell in love with the names Goats and Graves....but I don't see a dog! I just thought I'd name that guy sitting on the crypt Bulldog!

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  5. Dear Linda,

    Count me among those who prefer the second. Something about talking animals that makes me crazy.

    Although there's nothing wrong with writing other characters into a piece that aren't in the picture. Part of writing what you see and not what you're looking at.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Hi Rochelle, you see the photo came with the name of Goats and Graves and I just thought those names were perfect for two of the guys you can see sitting in front of their house. I gave the name Bulldog to the man sitting what I think is an old crypt. The animals are not talking. They're too smart for that...

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  6. Dear Linda,

    I am glad you wrote and psoted both pieces. Glad that the writing is coming out, finding a way. Glad yu are here.

    Aloha,

    Doug

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    1. Thanks, Doug, because I was just going to delete the first one, but I appreciate your comment and I am glad you are here, too. So, my observations of the observers will stay. Thanks again, Lindaura

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  7. The stories work well enough and he second one is quite good. Keep at it and there's nothing wrong with two for the price of one!

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  8. Thanks, Perry. I don't feel so bad about my lack of imagination this week. Perhaps it is because I just saw that movie "The Company You Keep" about the Weatherman Underground - with all those fine old actors playing their imagined moral selves in the 60s....

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  9. Terrific stuff, all thoroughly enjoyable!

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  10. it's good that you posted both stories :) i think i like the first one better, cos it made me chuckle thinking about why the grass is so much better 'round the grave stones ^^

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  11. Thanks, because I kind of liked it too, because I liked using those names!

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