All posts for the month May, 2016

May 24, 2016 – Prompt – Neurotic Sports Mascot

Billy wanted to be a quarterback in high school.  He’d dreamed and obsessed about it since he could talk.  How the idea came to him, he couldn’t have said.  It was just there.

Unfortunately, his sisters reached 5’ 10” but Billy never got past the 5’5” mark.  He pestered each coach every season that passed but the lawyers for the school stated it would be too dangerous and the school would be liable for a suit if someone squashed Billy’s little body.

The very last spring of his senior year Billy finally gave up.  But he wasn’t going to sit on the bench any longer.  He and his mother made up a suit for him.  A huge rabbit suit with very long floppy ears and a bug bushy tail.  He looked ridiculous, which pleased him.  He showed up in the middle of Half Time in the last game of the season.  He danced across the field, doing cartwheels and silly dance movements.  A deathly silence fell over the entire stadium.

Then suddenly the laughter began and rolled out onto the field.  People stomped the bleachers and clapped.  The school team was named The Wild Wolves.  Billy figured if he couldn’t go big—he’d go small.

Pinkie Paranya

*****

I get into my damned dragon outfit for the sixth time this week. Yes, I’m the mascot for the Yankee Dragons baseball team.

As I drive to the ballpark in my Chevy some guy cuts me off and as I pass, I give him a one-finger wave.

You can’t imagine my horror when I realize it is the person dressed as a chicken—the mascot for the other team we’re playing. As soon  as we both get to the stadium the chicken gets our of the car and attacks me, right there in front of all the people waiting to enter the stadium.

A chicken and a dragon fighting draws the attention of the local and national press. Soon we are surrounded by cameras and video tapes. I finally manage to get the better of the chicken and the baseball game begins.

Later that evening I sit in the living room watching the ten o’clock news. When the dragon/chicken fight is shown, my wife and I laugh our heads off.

“Only bad thing about this,” says my wife, “I have to get the damn chicken outfit cleaned again.”

Ellynore Seybold-Smith

 

by chris4394 on May 29, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by chris4394 on May 29, 2016

https://writeontheedgeyuma.com/2016/05/29/may-24-2016-prompt-neurotic-sports-mascot/

May 17, 2016 – Shopping Binge

The bags were light, but Corie felt encumbered by them. She hadn’t wanted to go on this trip and the shopping binge she’d just finished weighed her down in her soul.  She usually had a lot of willpower, but she’d felt possessed by something she couldn’t shake off. It bothered her, why would she spend time and money on the stuffed animals and children’s clothes she’d bought? As she walked along to her car, she saw a storefront she hadn’t noticed before. Lives in the Balance was written on the big, red door. Curious, she stopped and peered through the front window. She saw a young woman sitting in a rocking chair holding a small child. An older woman was standing next to them. The women saw her looking through the window and smiled.

Karen Hydock

*****

Ema went on one of her shopping binges.

Scot faced her as she stumbled in the door with all her packages.

“What the HELL are you doing to our budget?” he said. “I saw on the computer that Bank America has a red flag on our account! and what is that red Corvette doing in our driveway?”

“Well,” said Ema, “I’m celebrating my check from Amazon! I sold a million copies of my book, THE DEAL OF THE ART.”

“Oh honey,” Scot replied, I’m so proud of you…. sorry I doubted your talent.  You can go ‘binge shopping’ whenever you like. I’m quitting my job!”

Carol Taylor

by chris4394 on May 19, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by chris4394 on May 19, 2016

https://writeontheedgeyuma.com/2016/05/19/may-17-2016-shopping-binge/

May 10, 2016 – Prompt – A Knife in the Chest

Another Longer prompt: She pulled the knife from her chest and smiled. “Was that suppose to hurt?”

She pulled the knife from her chest and smiled. “Was that suppose to hurt?” And fell over dead.

Ten minutes earlier Jesse had been yelling at Carol. “You must listen to what I want you to do. If you would just do as I say, we could get over this. But no __you have to keep on and on.

“But Jesse, I just want to go home.” Carol said.

Jesse grabbed Carol by the hair with her right hand and with her left reached for the knife on the counter. She was in such a rage she stabbed Carol in the chest. “This is all your fault. Next time just do as I say,” she screamed.

Jeanne Neale

 

by chris4394 on May 11, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by chris4394 on May 11, 2016

https://writeontheedgeyuma.com/2016/05/11/may-10-2016-prompt-a-knife-in-the-chest/

May 3, 2016 – Prompt- Eternal Plumber

This Week’s prompt was a long one so will put it all here: “After 300 years, North Korea is having trouble coming up with new titles for their dead leaders. Your father was the Eternal Plumber and you must tell your council what position yours will be.”

 

Wang Mu sits quietly in the Temple of the Excavator Mole meditating on his dilemma. What will his position be and by what name will he be called? His father was named the Eternal Plumber shouldn’t his name be the everlasting one.

Maybe he could be the Eternal Plumber the second or Eternal Plumber, Junior like Americans often call their sons named for them.

What he really should do is find a different profession. Perhaps he could become a carpenter, electrician or greatest of all a businessman. But, no that wouldn’t work all of those positions were filled and besides the only thing he knew and was trained for was plumbing.

He looked up at the Buddha on the ambo. Shut his eyes and intoned his prayer: “Oh thou of great Wisdom help me find my name and fill my position.  His chanting was interrupted by the cries of a female personage.

“Help, help,” she shrieked. “The stool is overflowing. I didn’t do anything but flush.”

Wung Mu’s face lit up he had it his name would be the Eternal Flushing. He would go to the council tomorrow and tell them, but now he headed down the corridor. He could help the woman. He was plumber and fixing and overflowing stool was no problem for the Eternal Flushing.

Christine Howard

*****

Over 300 years the Korean hierarchy has bestowed “titles” on their beloved servants. The one in question was for a name for the “son of the eternal plumber”.

The challenge for the best “title”was posted on a Korean website that went viral.

Many people from the U.S. saw the request as silly.  Then they saw the prize of $300,000!  The website crashed.  No one knew the real reason.  Suspicions ensued. The CIA, the FBA and the armed forced were on red alert with the foreign website.

Was this a hoax?

I have no clue what’s going on.

It’s time to go back to watching the American political race.
BORING!

Carol Taylor

 

 

by chris4394 on May 4, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by chris4394 on May 4, 2016

https://writeontheedgeyuma.com/2016/05/04/may-3-2016-prompt-eternal-plumber/