FF – Big Dreams

Photo credit Dale Rogerson

Big Dreams

JoJo twirled across the ice-covered puddles like the sparkly ladies on TV.

“JoJo Pinner with a double pike twist cross and wait, yes, she’d going for the triple! Ladies and gentlemen, you’re almost certainly looking at the next Lympic champion!”

When she took a bow, a man at the bus shelter clapped. “If you’re going to be a figure skating champion, you’ll need some skates,” he said, handing her a single bill.

Back at home, Mom snatched the money and smacked JoJo hard across the face.

“$100! Just exactly what did you do for him? I ain’t raising no harlot!”

Extroduction

Sorry, JoJo, I wanted you to have a happier ending, but Dale’s photo gave me two things – the dream and beauty of the “Dance” was one, and an ugly barrier labelled “Mom” was the other. I hope she got out and fulfilled those dreams in the end.

Paul Brandt’s certainly fulfilling a dream or two.

Ff – The Target

Away from my counter today, so please forgive the lack of formatting etc.

Photo credit Roger Bultot

The Target

Max slipped into the apartment and found  bottled water, kettle, noodle packets; chair; gun.

Black circle on the lace curtains indicated the target window opposite: The Estonian.

Days later, the kettle boiled the last of the water. Time was up. The target hadn’t shown.

Max opened the curtain. The black target remained – fancy brickwork laid long before the Estonian or Max arrived. In the steam, he spotted a different mark – a message from his superiors: top left window. Where a woman had fed pigeons twice a day since he arrived.

Hungry birds flocked around the closed window now. She was gone.

Spare Wheel

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields provided her own photo this week.

Spare Wheel

“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!” Danny shouted, bumping onto the sand.

Lucy squealed and put her hand on his.

“Y’know,” said Raymond, “Ronald Reagan quoted that from Back to the Future after they referenced him in the…”

“Yeah, Ray, we know.” Danny caught her eye and winked. Lucy giggled.

“Remind me why we brought your brother?” she whispered. Apparently not quiet enough.

“Mom says ‘Teen pregnancy is through the roof and Raymond’s better than anything at the drug store.’ And I like watching the waves.”

Danny put the Jeep in park and leaned across. “Watch the waves, Ray.”

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So much going on in Rochelle’s photo but as a jeeper myself, it was the Wrangler in the background that caught my eye. The original characters here were Lucy and Danny, but I think Raymond’s the one who makes it a story. Wranglers carry their spare wheel on the outside, which I suspect is where Danny’s hoping he can persuade Raymond to be.

And since we’ve found another set of brothers, here’s an old favourite.

Being Big Brother

Photo credit Rowena Curtin

Being Big Brother

Joe had four chores every morning before school. Danny only had one – fill up the dog’s water bowl. Mam said it was because he was only little. Being big sucked.

Their sister, Milly, had a bunch of chores. But she got the bus. Joe had to walk. And now he was big, he had to drop his brother at Kindergarten on the way.

Sometimes he thought about ditching Danny in the park, or selling him to strangers in white vans, but the strangers never seemed to stop.

He kicked over the dog’s bowl on the way past. That’d show them.

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Poor Joe, he’s certainly feeling his age. I’ve written a pair of brothers, Matty and Luke, quite frequently, but this story didn’t feel like them, so Joe and Danny were born. I don’t think his daydreams are actually anything to worry about, but I doubt I’d be impressed if I were his mother!

Apparently we’re on a Canadian country jag at the moment. Here’s more Dean Brody for you – and a “try not to cry” challenge I fail every time I watch this one.