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17.7.14

A DECENT JOB - Fiction in 100 words

A DECENT JOB

“He’ll go to school and get a decent job.”
Mama said those words as often as she said her prayers, and eventually Papa gave in, but he was never the same. I’d only been working in that office a year when he died.

Mama wanted to sell the farm and move to town, saying I would never get a wife to live out in the wilds, but the day I brought a sick animal to work so I could dose it regularly was the day Josefina agreed to marry me.

Now Mama is trying to stop her grandson milking the goats.

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Friday fictioneers is a group of writers who post 100-word stories prompted by a photograph on Rochelle's blog  http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/
Follow the link on her blog to read the others.

31 comments:

  1. Clever and what a mum lol.

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    1. She was trying to do the best for her boy - she just didn't take into account what he wanted!

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  2. In case my other comment didn't send...I like your take on the prompt, it was very clever.

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  3. Dear Liz,

    You can take the boy off the farm but you can't take the farm out of the boy. Nicely illustrated.
    Shouldn't that be "Now Mama is trying to stop her grandson FROM milking the goats."?

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Grammatically you are correct, Rochelle, but in speech the 'from' is often omitted and I had a 100 word limit!'.

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  4. Loved this one,

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  5. Still smiling. :-)

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    1. Thanks yarnspinner. Love your pseudonym!

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  6. Born to the land. Nice one.

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    1. It's in the blood and nothing Mama can say will change that!

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  7. What a lovely story. Have you taken any of these 100 workers and expanded them? I think that would be a good idea.

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    1. Thanks Ros - perhaps I should make more of them - a few more short stories in magazines would make me feel less defeated when my novels are rejected!

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  8. Ah, life repeats itself. The mother is a determined character, isn't she. Good story, Liz.

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    1. Determined but outvoted eventually! Thanks, Karen.

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  9. The carousel goes round and round...as does life. Great storytelling...

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  10. The carousel goes round and round...as does life. Great storytelling...

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    1. Thanks hugmama - as some would say, it's karma, man!

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  11. Dear Lizy, You are a great writer - what an interesting story! I like it and you can't take the farm out of the boy! I agree with Sandra - Born to the Land! Nan :)

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    1. Cheers, Nan - you've put today's smile on my face!

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  12. Another good one.

    I've nominated you for the versatile blogger award, Lizy.

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    1. Patsy - thank you. I shall visit your blog to find out what I have to do!!

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  13. That's one determined mom. Well done

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    1. Rather sad though that she didn't appreciate her husband.

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  14. My take on this is that Mom despised living in the country and wanted something better for her son. Much to her chagrin, he, his bride, and their children seem very happy on the farm.

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    1. Yep - that's about the size of it, Russell. He could, of course, have done both - worked inthe office and kept the farm with the help of Josefita.

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  15. He showed his true (compassionate) self and got his girl. The mother didn't see her son for what he was, but what she felt he ought to be and do. Clever in so few words.

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    1. Thanks Anni - any man who would risk ridicule by taking a goat to work gets my vote too!

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  16. Lizy, In case my comment was wiped out, it was as follows: Good story. I agree. It looks like farming was something the son was born to do. It's great he found the right wife. Well written once again. :) ---Susan

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    1. Susan - thank you. I think the goat found the right wife for him, don't you?

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  17. Glad he's happy although milking goats is far from my aspiration. Hope Josefina understands! Nice depiction of the differences in human nature.

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  18. Each to his own, Perry. Thanks for your comment.

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