In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.
The Photo.
My Friends by John W. Howell © 2018
“Can you hurry up?”
“One minute. I want to remember this moment with my friends.”
“You’ve taken about twenty photos already. It’s time to leave. We will miss our train if we don’t go now.”
“Do you see how the flower turns toward me when I start to take a picture?”
“No, I don’t see that at all.”
“I think these flowers would like to come with us.”
“You have got to be kidding me. They are planted here.”
“See that fence. Why would you have a fence if they weren’t trying to keep them here?”
“Uh. Maybe to keep nuts like you out of here. You see the no picking flowers sign?”
“Yeah, I saw it. That’s like putting a no touching the prisoner’s sign in a jail. They don’t want any escapes.”
“Listen to yourself. I think you need some help.”
“If we grab as many flowers as we can hold we might have a chance to free most.”
“Where do you get these ideas?”
“I hear voices.”
“Voices?”
“Yes, voices.”
“Okay, now I’m concerned. Where do these voices come from?”
“From the little leaves all around me. They say. “Take me home. Take me home.”
“You sure that’s not your phone.”
“I’m sure.”
“Well, I’m going to leave now. Coming with me?”
“Can I bring a friend?”
“No. It is against the law.”
“Even a little friend?”
“Like one of those leaves?”
“Yes.”
“Fine if you must.”
“Hear that guys? Who wants to go with me?”
“For heaven’s sake.”
“I can’t make up my mind. They all want to go.”
“Look. I’ll get you a package of baby spinach if we leave now.”
“That will do. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
Brilliant. Thanks, John.
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Thanks, Keith.
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Lol! This was great, John, especially since I had baby spinach with my breakfast this morning. 😋
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Ha ha ha. Thanks, Jill. Uh was it in an omelet?
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No with hard boiled eggs 🍳
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Ah. Sounds good.
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It was!
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I like bacon on there too. Oh, and a little blue cheese, mushrooms, and some red onion. Just a couple of croutons. Garlic and butter croutons. Crusty bread with that too and a glass of Cab. (See what you’ve started.)
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I’m striking out again, John. I kept trying to come up with something relating to CSI class not being what he expected….
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I like that one. “Hey boss we have nectar on the ground over here.”
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I’m still hung up on ‘do not touch the prisoners’. I guess if jails get really desperate for money, they could turn into human zoos. This really isn’t as unbelievable as I’d like it to be.
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Ha ha ha. i like the zoo concept. maybe prisons could be self funding.
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Create natural habitats for them. Maybe a student visitation program for learning purposes. Actually, I do remember going to a jail when I was in school to learn about the justice system.
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me too. They also put us in solitary to see what it was like.
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They never did that. Always wondered what that was like because you see it mentioned so often on crime shows.
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Very dark
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I think he’s been freeing some magic mushrooms or something.
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I had hoped you would come to that conclusion. Clearly something is wrong.
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Ah, it’s always the city folk (bagged spinach) that gets to go places.
Nice job, John.
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So true. Those darned city folk.
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Nothing like using baby spinach as a bribe, although I was hoping he’d hold out for arugula 😉
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I would hold out for Arugula myself.
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Me too 😀
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😀
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Absolutely hilarious, John! Thanks, I needed that tonic this morning. Enjoy your day!
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Good to make you laugh, John
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Too funny! But he’s got a big heart, right?
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Poor lost soul. Yes he has a good heart.
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This was as fun dialogue and baby spinach was perfect. 😀 Have a great day, John.
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Ha ha ha. Glad you enjoyed it. 😀
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Baby Spinach…too funny, John!
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Thanks, Jan. 😀
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The leaves are talking? I think I’m going to be laughing all day about that one. I wonder what the baby spinach will have to say…
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Not sure it can talk yet. 😀
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You’re the ‘prompt master’, John! Great fertile mind you have – can it be rented???
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Ha haha. Thanks, Bully Ray. I have no spare room to rent. The mind is totally filled up.
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🙂
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😀
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This is excellent, John! That ending was great and made me laugh. The beginning reminded me of myself though because I’m always taking photos, and now my son (22) is telling me to enjoy the moment. I tell him that I’m making memories with the photos! 🙂
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When I was young I saw the world through a viewfinder. I now keep more in my memory place.
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LOL! The ending was funny!
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Thank you, Deborah,
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Baby spinach will never do. Get the bush and get going. I like to think flowers pose for me. 🙂
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Your pictures a so beautiful I think you are right.
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Thank you, John, for saying..
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😀
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[…] My Friends by John W. Howell © 2017 […]
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