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26.5.16

THE SHOE - flash fiction for the weekend

I am back at home! Two weeks in Canada was long enough to get to know my fifteen-month-old granddaughter, but not nearly long enough to be close to her and her parents. Skype is wonderful, if you can work out a mutually acceptable time with a five hour time difference, but I shall miss the cuddles.
Now I am home I can ease back into the routine of being around my UK-based family and, of course, of writing.
This week's photograph for Friday Fictioneers was taken by Rochelle herself and posted on her blog https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/  Follow the Blue Frog link from there to read stories from other Friday Fictioneers. After you've read mine - and left a comment if you can!



THE SHOE

We were on a half-term break, walking along a beach, when Alice ran up to me. “Look what I found, Mum!”
It lay in her hand, soggy and salt-encrusted – a small shoe with a barely legible name written inside – an Arabic name on an Italian beach.

I write Alice’s name in her shoes too, but the fear of losing clothes at school hadn’t been this mother’s worst nightmare.
“Why are you crying, Mum?”
I shook my head helplessly and Alice ran off again. 

How do you begin to explain such tragedy to a five year old?
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30 comments:

  1. RobCrompton26/05/2016, 10:30

    Good one,Liz. Poignant as usual - especially coming just after today's news of a capsized overcrowded boat.

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  2. Susan A Eames26/05/2016, 18:10

    Oh, that's so sad and so apt, Lizy.

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  3. Unknown27/05/2016, 02:44

    I agree that any photo of a beach or rocky shoreline immediately brings to mind the refugee tragedy. Beautifully written. Very sad.

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  4. Keiths Ramblings27/05/2016, 17:37

    How indeed. A tale of our times, sadly

    Visit Keith's Ramblings

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  5. Vijaya27/05/2016, 17:44

    Oh, that BROKE my heart! So moving, so powerful! Thank you for linking this with an ongoing tragedy. Everyone needs reminding.

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    Replies
    1. liz young28/05/2016, 11:02

      You are right, Vijaya - most people do need reminding.

      Delete
  6. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields27/05/2016, 18:36

    Dear Liz,

    Thought provoking and tender. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    Replies
    1. liz young28/05/2016, 11:03

      Thanks Rochelle - it's good to be back!

      Delete
  7. Gah Learner27/05/2016, 23:26

    I want to cry with that mum. Very powerful and necessary story.

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    Replies
    1. liz young28/05/2016, 11:04

      Those little things that remind us of our own children always touch the heart.

      Delete
  8. Perry Block28/05/2016, 07:42

    Good job, truly captured the feeling.

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  9. margirene28/05/2016, 09:52

    What dreadful times we live in. Well depicted in your story - the innocence of the five year old is a poignant contrast to the tragedies we hear about every day.

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    Replies
    1. liz young28/05/2016, 11:05

      Dreadful times have always been with us, as the centenary of the first world war reminds us.

      Delete
  10. Gardenlover28/05/2016, 12:32

    Great use of the prompt, Liz. We see the news on TV and read it in the newspaper, but you made it personal and real. Well done. - Russell

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    1. liz young29/05/2016, 12:12

      Thanks Russell - other people's suffering shouldn't be ignored.

      Delete
  11. Patsy28/05/2016, 14:50

    Glad you had fun with your grand daughter.

    A sad story. All the more so, because we know it's happened and is likely to keep on happening.

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  12. brudberg29/05/2016, 19:09

    This is such a sad story... and it keeps repeating... I truly hate wars.

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    Replies
    1. liz young30/05/2016, 17:02

      Anyone with any sense hates wars - so why are there so many senseless warmongers?

      Delete
  13. Dawn30/05/2016, 17:35

    It's hard not to imagine that very scene, with each passing day of news... horribly tragic and indicting of us all. Powerful writing Liz!

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    1. liz young31/05/2016, 10:19

      Thank you, Dawn - the news is so graphic and real, I agree.

      Delete
  14. P.S. Joshi31/05/2016, 13:48

    Heartrending, Liz. You would hesitate to try and explain it to a five-year-old wouldn't you. It's just difficult even for an adult to handle that emotion. Well written. ---- Suzanne

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    Replies
    1. liz young31/05/2016, 14:59

      Thank you Suzanne. How would you, how could you, explain the evil that Men do to each other?

      Delete
  15. Dawn01/06/2016, 03:13

    Oh wow…

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