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25.2.15

DEAF JED - a story in 100 words

DEAF JED

For twelve years Deaf Jed cleared his ten-mile stretch of track. He cut back invading undergrowth in spring and summer, carted away sacks of leaves in autumn, swept snow in winter.

Tired of the daily trek from town, he built himself a shack with timber that fell from the wagons, and lived there happily with his dog.

Scruff could hear the trains that Jed couldn’t and kept him safe - until that day in forty-three when he smelled a bitch in heat.

Trains no longer run on that track, but people say Scruff still patrols his stretch, whining for Jed.

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Thanks, as always, to
 https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/
for the photograph that prompted this week's story. 
Follow the blue frog trail on her blog to read other writers' takes on the prompt.

36 comments:

  1. Nice take on a ghost story. Love the name Deaf Jed, too. It'a always the bitch's fault, isn't it? ;)

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    1. Ouch! Scruff didn't have to follow her scent, did he? and thanks for dropping in.

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  2. Great story! I agree with Kimberly. The downfall is always a woman. :)

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    1. GWT - they always blame the woman whether it's her fault or not.

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  3. Very well done Lizy - great take on the prompt.

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    1. Thanks Sandra - and for being a regular visitor :)

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  4. Poor Jed, poor Scruff... these bitches in heat know how to pull a guy. Great story. :)

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  5. Another great 100 worder, if a little sad.

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    1. Thanks Ros - sad but not gruesome, so count yourself lucky I didn't go with version one!

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  6. triumph and tragedy like two sides of a coin

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  7. Oh Scruff.So like a dog! Great piece of folk lore.

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  8. Oh Scruff.So like a dog! Great piece of folk lore.

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  9. Interesting that people talk about the ghost of Scruff, but not the ghost of Deaf Jed. Perhaps they'll find each other one day on the other side (of the tracks.) :-) Good one, Lizy.

    janet

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    1. Perhaps they will - if the ghost of a dead bitch doesn't get there first!

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  10. Good ghost story - poor Scruff. Weird that we both named our dogs Scruff! And my story and Jan Brown's are very similar. I'm in a writing practice group in which this often happens.... Great minds? Alicia

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    1. I'm afraid Scruff was too common a name - sheerlaziness, to be honest because it's been a stressful week! I am looking forward to joining a decent writing group when we get back to England.

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  11. The bitch is back! All men are the same, I guess,including Scruff. Poignant tale, well told

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    1. If human females could exude the same scented allure at a bitch dog, the men would be too confused to fight wars.

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  12. Poor Jed - abandoned by his dog!

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    1. Poor Jed indeed - and poor Scruff, who never knew what he'd done :(

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  13. Do deaf ghosts make any sound? You could make a scary story out of this to tell children when on a camping trip. Maybe have his missing arms and legs trying to get back together.

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    1. Thanks for that thought, Russell, but I'll leave the scary stuff to you!

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  14. Poor dog and poor Jeff.. and the dog condemned for following his instinct that one time...

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    1. Perhaps one day Jed will come back and fetch Scruff so they can wander the heavenly tracks together.

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    1. Sad stories abounded on FF this week - there's something about that dog :(

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  16. Dear Liz,

    Too bad instinct won out over love. Very well done story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  17. Deaf Jed and Scruff really come to life in this story. Nicely done.

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    1. Thanks subroto - though they're in the afterlife now!

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  18. This is just too sad but you created real characters in a few words.

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    1. I believe it helps to see the characters beofre I write about them. Thanks MM

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