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26.2.20

THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT


THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT

Lucy was just nineteen and ripe for plucking when the actor stayed at her aunt’s boarding house. After a week of stories about his glamorous world, she packed her bags and followed him.
But scrubbing greasepaint from his collars wasn’t glamorous, and the thrill of being backstage soon wore thin. She wasn’t even good enough at sewing to help the wardrobe mistress.
When she caught him kissing his leading lady, she got a bus home and married the boy she’d left behind.
He was a much better father to her child than the actor would ever have been.
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In the midst of preparing for publication Landslide, the third book in my Living Rock series, I've taken a break to write this week's 100 words.
My first husband had just dipped his toe into the world of amateur dramatics when we met, and twenty years later the 'roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd' tempted him to turn professional. I still remember scrubbing the collar of his one white shirt and drying it on a radiator overnight for the next performance!
Thanks to Dale Rogerson for her evocative photo, and to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog, https://rochellewisoff.com/

38 comments:

  1. Adventure isn't all it's cracked up to be

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  2. I think she was right to give it a go, otherwise she'd have always wondered 'what if?'.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  3. Glad she married the better person.
    The glamour world isn't for everyone.
    She was jealous. Looks like the actor had a relation with her.
    From the last line, I guess the child was the actor's.

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    1. It was, but she found a good man prepared to accept it.

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  4. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way... All's well that ends well!

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  5. It clearly wasn't meant to be, but at least by trying, she wasn't left wondering what might have been.

    Here's mine!

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  6. Dear Liz,

    She was fortunate the boy back home still wanted her. Good story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  7. It's not for everyone, especially looking for love, but I have to say from my own experience, being backstage is a fascinating world to visit :-)

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    1. I spent twenty years backstage, some of it fascinating, some not!

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  8. It was definitely an experience that opened her eyes to what love is. Phew.

    Good short story--I love those. You wrote this well.

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  9. Good for her for making Lemonade out of some lemons ... :)

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    1. That's an expression I haven't heard in a long time! Thanks.

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  10. Art imitates life, or is it the other way around? Good story, and congratulations on your new publication, Liz!

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  11. (duplicate comment but wanted it with my WordPress handle)
    Art imitates life, or is it the other way around? Good story, and congratulations on your new publication, Liz!

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    1. Ah - I recognise you now! I can't comment on Wordpress, I'm sorry.

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  12. lucky her. glad she was able to go back home. :)

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  13. The glamorous isn't what it seems. There is always a price to pay. Glad she picked the down to earth man.

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  14. That's so many acres done in crisp tones. Will remember thos one🙂

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    1. That's why we do this - to tell an entire story in 100 words. Thanks for visiting.

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  15. I'm glad she realised her mistake. Best to get this sort of thing out of the way early on :-)

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    1. I don't think she'll leave home again.

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  16. I think giving up on your dreams is a vise choice when the dreams turns out to be greasepaint.

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  17. And when your knight in shining armour turns dull and unsound.

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  18. Like with all life has to offer, follow your heart and find true happiness. Beautifully written.

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  19. Great twist at the end, and you've pictured the lure of the "glamorous life" perfectly.

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  20. My first thought was the same as Rochelle's. Thank goodness for second chances.

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    Replies
    1. Thank goodness indeed! Thanks for commenting.

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  21. Lucy seems to have a made a good decision.

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