Thanks to Rochelle’s leadership and Luther Siler’s bizarre photograph, here we are again pretending it’s Friday on a Wednesday. I’m part of the concrit subgroup and your feedback is always welcome whether you are or not.
Release
Elsa pulled at strings and tassels, marvelling at how so little could take so long to remove. Then she showered until the water ran cold.
Her eye fell on the Mail as she dried her hair: “Sex Sells – former prostitutes’ stories”.
She considered reading it, but instead flicked to the entertainment section. There she was: the cartoon princess who’d stolen Elsa’s name and the last shreds of her self-respect.
“Sing for us, Auntie Elsa,” the girls had said after that stupid movie came out.
Elsa threw the paper into the fireplace and did her best to let it go.
elmowrites 
A sad story when a woman has to lower herself like that… I hope the singing helped.
Sadly I don’t think it did, but thank you for being on her side
Liked the first paragraph. Set a good tone. I suppose my only crit would be that if you don’t know what movie you’re referring to it won’t resonate as much. I didn’t know.
Fair point. As a mother of smalls, I forget there are people who wouldn’t see Elsa and think Frozen!
I don’t know the lion show; however there is so much story in the first two paragraphs, I don’t have to have more.
Glad it still works even without the background but I have to ask, what lion show???
He may be referring to Elsa the lion in Born Free.
Sad and moving x
Thanks!
Dear Jen,
I’ve never seen Frozen but I know enough about it to get the connection. For those of us in the know, killer last line.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks a lot, Jen! Now I have that bloody song in my head!
I have seen Frozen (despite only having boy teenagers 😉 ) and agree, killer last line!
Oh dear, sorry about the song
😅
I liked the first sentence, Jenn, and how ‘so little said so much’.
p.s. and, of course, the rest of the story.
Thanks! The first sentence at least seems to have worked all round, so I’m glad you added the ps too
C – Great mood, first line impeccable, then I got lost over how a cartoon steals the last of one’s self-respect… more than a shared name? (I do know the movie.) I’m probably over-thinking it.
My thinking was she didn’t have much left because of her job, but at least she was someone in the eyes of her nieces. Once they just saw her as a cartoon character, she felt she ceased to exist as a real person at all. Does that make more sense now?
Thanks, yes.
That’s a great story. I got all of it but that part about her nieces now making her a fictional character. It amazes me how people can move so far past the picture and write a great story. I also just assumed everyone understood what Frozen was. I guess that’s #mommylife for ya.
Mommylife is about right! I guess there’s a world out there still!
Must agree with Paul. Without knowing the movie, I was lost.
Aww,sorry. I hadn’t meant to be obtuse.
I agree with kimberlylynne. I’m at a loss to see how a cartoon character having your name reduces one to prostitution. Maybe there’s a tongue-in-cheek aspect here? Please to explain.
It didn’t reduce her to prostitution! It took the last part of the’real’ her and made it into a sideshow.
It’s lovely writing, but I’m completely lost. I’ve heard of Frozen, but don’t know anything about it.
ah….okay. Not into the latest childrens’ movies. It took me reading the replies to see the connection to Frozen (sort of like the Boston connection in my take this week). But once I got that, I read it again and totally got the story and as Rochelle said, the “killer” last line. Excellent!
I think it not a bad thing when someone writes with a reference (IE to a movie or a book)….understanding that the piece may not reach every reader. Heck — best sellers don’t “reach” every reader! Once I knew the context, I enjoyed it even more! Well done. Complete story with a good peek into this character!
Well thank you for taking the time to research and understand it, although as I said above, I don’t think you need to know the movie to follow the story. And I agree about including references even if they lose you a bit of universal appeal
I’m not sure how much you need to know the movie to follow the story. I’m beginning to think there’s a bigger problem afoot
Okay – I have some C for you – I hope you don’t mind as I don’t like being given Criticism!!
I think the use of the word “tassels” is what is throwing everyone off. I know I was picturing a stripper when you said that, even though I knew what _Frozen_ was. I think you picked a word with heavy connotations and us all being adults we went down the darker road. I figured she was an “adult” Elsa and was tired of living that life. I hope that helps!!
I love critique, so thank you for giving it. The tassels were indeed a clue to what Elsa threw off. She’s an ‘adult’ entertainer whose name just happens to have suddenly been usurped. Now the nieces, who used to be the two people she could count on to see her as a person, have become more interested in her name than herself. Make sense?
I appreciate how some would see Elsa’s behaviour as something of an overreaction, but those people clearly have not spent any significant amount of time with children lately. That movie isn’t even exactly recent anymore, and I know kids who are *still* obsessed.
A bitter yet amusing story.
C: I’m not exactly clear on how this ties into the photo prompt, but wherever the wind blows you after looking at it is okay, in my book.
Just for fun, I’ll tell you. The picture struck me as a costume discarded on the floor, which took me to other discarded outifits; and the first half of the story. Then the character insisted on being called Elsa, and that led me to the ending (which might or might not have caused the problems everyone’s had!)
Sorry, but this went straight over my head.
Don’t apologise, it seems you’re far from the only one
Your story was quite enjoyable. I find it hard to believe there are folks that don’t get the Frozen and Elsa clue, but then again. I’m glad too. Talk about over-hyped. Sad that she’s fallen so low, but I believe their are many other choices out there. Maybe a quick introduction for those unfamiliar?
You first three lines had me so
Friday on a Wednesday and off we go
The story was fine, Frozen I didn’t see
So I missed some clues but still I thank the
Just goes to show, lots of things steal our dignity.
So clever. We all wanted to let go of that song eventually. Love it.
I had to read it twice to get the allusion. I’ve not seen the film, only the merchandise frenzy. I liked the first paragraph though – all that cosmetic glue must be a pain to remove!
Sad — I believe she will rise again. Beautiful writing!
I love the twist on Elsa’s life.
So, there’s an entertainment section in the mail? I’m going to complain to the post office. Mine’s mostly credit card and satellite TV ads.
Personally, I believe she should pick a different sobriquet. How about Snow Grey, to indicate she’s slightly tainted.
I’ve not seen the movie but have seen enough of my great nieces singing that song! And they are right. She should “let it go”. lol
I had to read it the second time once I got the Frozen connection. Made a lot more sense then. Sadly with one child in Uni and the other soon to be mid-teens I might lose my opportunity to watch these movies now 😦
Haha! That was a funny story, and I really enjoyed the last sentence!