Hopeless Case

July 1, 2021July 2, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Elders, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Make the most of it, Micro-fiction, Practical solutions, Sale, teaching, Vehicle 31 Comments

“Just how long has this been parked?”

The youth’s shrug managed both disinterest and disdain.

Edith pressed her lips. Inhaled. Her students had called it her “Schoolmarm Face.” They didn’t know it was just as effective at getting her own body to comply.

She pointed at the wheels.

“Grassy stuff,” the youth noted. “It grew.”

Edith knew a hopeless case when she saw it.

“Well then,” she thrust her purse at him.

For the first time, he looked marginally awake. “Um…, Ma’am?”

“Hold it.” She rolled her sleeves. “And help these old knees down. Someone’s got to check the undercarriage.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Russell Gayer

Partially Installed

June 9, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Big sister, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, imagination, Language, Micro-fiction, Possibility, Siblings, Vocabulary 63 Comments

“So it’s full of juice?”

Robin rolled her eyes. Her brother was too thick for his own good.

“No, Dufus. It is hollow. Or mostly.”

The boy’s eyes stared glassily.

“Don’t know what hollow means, do you?”

He shook his head and tugged on her hand pleadingly.

Robin sighed. Little brothers should come with language already fully installed.

“It means it has space inside. Like a balloon. Sort of. Only it won’t pop.”

Donnie glanced at the sphere and the concession stand at its bottom. “A juice balloon?”

Robin snorted. “Can you imagine?”

Donnie grinned.

Apparently, they both could.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo: © Dale Rogerson

Sitting Duck

May 27, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: Babysitting, CCC, Creative writing, Duckling, Family, Flash Fiction, Just for fun, Micro-fiction, New Beginnings, Photo prompt, Siblings, Spring 13 Comments

“It has no feathers.”

“Of course it doesn’t,” Molly noted. “It’s a duckling. It has fuzz.”

Duffy was not impressed. The small thing was squeaky and looked utterly too squeashy. She wasn’t even sure it was waterproofed.

She shook her head. She never was good with small squeaky, squeashy, clingy things.

“It’s only for a short while,” Molly’s voice was soft, but Duffy recognized the little waves of irritation that signaled turbulence just underneath the surface.

Best not mess with that.

Duffy sighed and peered closely at the fuzzball. “So what am I supposed to do with it?”

Molly flapped with such relief that Duffy wasn’t sure whether to be reassured or terrified.

“Just keep it out of trouble,” her sister called, already on the wing.

“What kind? How…?”

Silence.

Then a squeak.

The fuzzball waddled, pooped, and attempted to preen its zero feathers. Ridiculous.

Her nephew.

Also kinda’ cute.

For Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative Challenge

Off Balance

May 26, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Balance, Creative writing, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Just for fun, lesson, Lycorma delictula, Micro-fiction, Photo prompt, Spotted Lanternfly 49 Comments

“The key is balance,” Dotty bobbed delicately, defying wind and gravity.

The rest of us clung frantically with all six, desperate to return to lower elevations.

Why did I ever sign up for Advanced Balance?!

If we were meant to be acrobats, we’d have been born in the circus.

“When you’re ready,” Dotty intoned, “be one with the cable …” She lifted a leg on each side to a two-thirds perch.

Insanity.

A wind gust blew me off the bridge. I tumbled, helpless, to be one with the canopies.

Lofty Dotty probably lingered.

Pox on her, the lordly lanternfly!

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers.

Photo prompt: © Miles Rost

Top Terrace

May 16, 2021May 16, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: Achievement, CCC, competition, Flash Fiction, Micro-fiction, Photo prompt, Pigeons, Revenge, Siblings, Top Banana 10 Comments

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Finally, the upper nest!

Getting it was not only about ousting the head of their band. Battling persistent bumble foot, Bellow Baggins was not much of an opponent anymore. The issue was the other wannabes who jockeyed for position. Not the least of them being Peg-The-Leg, a nest brother and beak in Squeal’s side since hatching.

It took finesse, skill, and a good bit of cunning to throw the competition off the ledge. Figuratively these days, but no less satisfying. For Squeal never forgot the terror of Flight-School (or as fledglings called it, Fly-or-Die days). Peg-The-Leg had the benefit of an extra nesting day and a bigger mouth. It had taken little effort for him to shove Squeal out. Almost to his death.

No matter. Time had been kinder to the peewee. Now Peg-The-Leg was taken down a peg to nesting in the eaves, while Squeal paraded a top terrace.

For Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative Challenge

New Neighbor

April 17, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Writing Tags: being yourself, CCC, Eccentric, Flash Fiction, Just for fun, Micro-fiction, neighbors, Photo prompt, Siblings, Uniform, Writing prompt 14 Comments

“What on earth?! Have you seen her?”

Molly looked up from her coffee. The swirl of mocha infiltration on the milk froth in her cup was fascinating. She licked her upper lip, tasting calm and morning.”Seen who?”

“Her!” Abby flicked her head urgently in the direction of the kitchen window.

“Do I have to?” Molly pouted. Her sister was altogether too excitable. Surely there was naught wrong with sitting idly with one’s breakfast. However, she could not recall the last time Abby did anything but gobble down her toast, gulp her tea, and pop right up in search of dishes to wash, counters to wipe, cabinets to put to order, or lists to make.

Abby’s chest rose in what was certain to turn lecture.

Molly sighed, stood, and craned her neck to see. White uniform. Red crosses. Pink rubber gloves. “Oh, her? Sheri. Our new neighbor. A nurse or such.”

For Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative Challenge

Mary Quite Contrary

April 3, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Poetry, Reflections, Writing Tags: Absurd, Argumentative, Contrary, Current events, Just because, Poetry, Refusal, Rhyme, Stubborn, Weekend Writing Prompt 21 Comments

(Photo: Andre Hunter on Unsplash)

She was Mary

Quite contrary.

She refused to read what others wrote

And claimed all facts are anecdotes,

And when food was on her plate

She’d allow it to stagnate,

And then predictably complain

That she was made to abstain.

Any piece of news she heard

She declared to be absurd,

And if science dared be presented

She turned extra discontented.

For Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Absurd in 61 words

Dress Up

April 1, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Writing, Yummy Tags: 100WordChallenge, Cookies, Decorations, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Gingerbread, individuality, Just for fun, Micro-fiction, Personification 57 Comments

It had been extremely close quarters, but after the inferno they’d been through together, there was nothing they could not achieve.

Certainly after they’d had a bit of time to chill.

They were born for this.

Now it was their time to sparkle.

To show off their individuality.

In form.

In shape.

In size.

In decoration.

There they were:

Blue-eyed Ginger.

Two-tone-shoes Jerry.

Red-apron Ginny.

Necklaced Joey.

Snow-mustached Joe.

Green-turbaned Jinge.

Even Ginger-woof put on his finery.

(And, albeit grudgingly, Gin-Cat did so, too).

It was, after all, the grand finale.

The full bling dress-up for the big chomp.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Speed Dating

March 13, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: CCC, Creative writing, Dating, Ducks, Flash Fiction, Just for fun, Micro-fiction, New Beginnings, Personification, Relationships, Taking charge 17 Comments

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He was the shy one of the waddling. Afraid to take the lead or be left behind, he maintained his place in the middle of their paddling, webbed feet rowing furiously as to not lose his place.

“Too tightly wound, that one,” his mama tilted her head in puzzlement, for there was naught wrong with him. Middle hatched, middle weight, decent feathering.

“Good thing he’d never have to lay eggs,” his aunt quacked laughter. “Or sit on them, rain or hail or thunder!”

He pretended to not hear. Bobbed amidst the plump. Scanned the water. Dove. Rose. Dove.

“They’re just a bunch of hens,” a soft squeak sounded.

He pulled his head up too fast and almost dove back just to cover up his clumsiness.

She rested effortlessly on the water, a perfect Duckess from the skein that had dropped by their pond.

“You could leave,” she added. “Come with.”

For Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative Challenge

Tchotchkes

February 27, 2021Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: children, Fair, Flash Fiction, Kitsch, Micro-fiction, parenting, Purim, Shopping, Strategy, Style, Weekend Writing Prompt 19 Comments

(Photo: Smadar Epshtein)

“Oh Mama, look!”

The woman raised eyes from the screen to follow her daughter’s arm. “Kitsch to the max,” she wrinkled a lip at the stall.

“But Mama!” The child checked her tone before it thinned into a whine. She loved the shoes! She would need finesse. “I mean,” she shaped a grin, “for Purim?”

Her mother shook her head. “What are going to dress as, Queen of Tchotchkes?”

For Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Kitsch in 69 words