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18.5.17

EAVESDROPPING - a short story in 100 words

EAVESDROPPING

Joe’s passion was people-watching. Each night he’d regale Monica with stories of businessmen meeting hookers en route to a motel, writers seeking material, runaways looking for lifts. After a decade he considered himself an expert.

These three women, he guessed, were young mums on a break from housework, though their conversation looked rather intense for that. Joe took the coffee to refill their cups and heard one say, ‘I’ll drive – my car’s bigger.”

How nice, Joe thought, an outing, and left them to their plans. 
He was almost out of range when the blonde said, ‘Remember to bring your guns.”
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This story was written for Friday Fictioneers, ably run by Rochelle, where writers from across the world use a mere 100 words to tell a story inspired by a photograph. This week's picture was taken by Roger Bultot and posted on  https://rochellewisoff.com/

27 comments:

  1. The bigger car better to dispose of a body in perhaps? Jo needs to work on his people watching skills!

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    1. Dispose of a body, carry a lot of loot?

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  2. Oh, I knew there had to be a twist!!!! Well done.

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  3. It's nice to know that even after all this time people can still surprise "expert people-watcher" Joe :-)

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    1. Perhaps he won't be quite so self-assured in future :)

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  4. Ahh that was unexpected!

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  5. Good! Thanks for commenting, Dahlia.

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  6. I think Joe's going to have to reevaluate his expert status. Nice job. I like the surprise of it. :)

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    1. Thanks Sascha. Perhaps he won't be so pompous now?

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  7. Not what they seem! Nice story.

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  8. I used to commute when I was younger and loved making up stories about my fellow travellers. I'll never know how accurate I was! Nice take on the prompt.

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    1. I think it's probably the curse of writers - that and a broad bottom from sitting at the computer!

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  9. Dear Liz,

    A perfect example of you can't always judge a book by its cover. Well written as always.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Joe did read their body language as not quite right for his initial assumption, but he still got it badly wrong.

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  10. I guess there is always a first time to be surprised... I guess it's a robbery being executed soon.

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    1. Ah - but was it Joe's first misreading of the clues? And will he ever trust his instincts again?

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  11. Enjoyed that. Poor innocent Joe...

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  12. He he - very good - loved the twist ending, Liz.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  13. One must never assume... even "bring the guns" could mean something else...
    Fun one, Liz!

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    1. It could mean they were 'only' going to shoot some defenceless animals, I suppose :)

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  14. Uh, oh. He was "almost" out of range" which means he heard their plans. I wonder if he'll notify the police. Good writing, Liz. :) ---Suzanne

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    1. But he only heard one sentence - will he jump to the same conclusion as I have?

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