Abigail Digby Day

Posted on by

dee-2Photo Copyright–DLovering

This is my story for Friday Fictioneers this week. This is a weekly challenge to write a story in 100 words with a beginning, middle, and end. It’s supposed to follow the picture prompt given for the week. The host for the challenge is the gracious and talented author, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week the picture is a photo supplied by DLovering. Many thanks Dee.

http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/11-april-2014/

Abigail Digby Day by P.S. Joshi

Driving from Boston to Cleveland on vacation last year, I stopped for gas in the tiny village of Pitfall, MA. I noticed decorations, so asked the gas attendant about the occasion.

“Well,” he said after he spit a wad of chewing tobacco on the cement, “it’s Abigail Digby Day.”

“Oh, was she an important person around here?”

“You might say she was a dang scary old bat.” he answered back, eyes watching the pump.”Died in 1969. Said she’d curse us if we didn’t celebrate her birthday yearly. Didn’t in 1970; there was a blasted blizzard in July that year.” friday-fictioneers

74 thoughts on “Abigail Digby Day”

  1. Loved this!! I could totally see the gas station dude talking with an almost exasperated tone about having to celebrate someone no one could stand. Last phrase was a great punchline. I live in Qatar, and sometimes I think it’d be nice to have a blizzard in July. Would sure beat 48 C heat! (118 F).

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks, Hala, for reading my story and commenting. I had fun writing it and am glad you liked it. 🙂 I know what you mean about the temperature. It’s really hot now where we live in India. Actually we live in the mountains so it’s not as hot as in Mumbai.

      Like

      Reply

    • By golly, El, you wouldn’t think it was a great name if you had to throw that danged party every year 😦 Thanks for reading my story and commenting on it, El. I appreciate it. 🙂 That name just seemed to fit a woman from that part of the U.S. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Riya Anne, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. Yes, you’re right. A party is a party and it could be worse. Maybe the elderly lady was doing them a favor after all. 🙂 Maybe she thought the village needed livening up. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Rochelle, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed it as I had fun with it. :). I also wanted to congratulate you on your two-year anniversary with Flash fiction! All the best in future! 🙂 Shalom to you also.

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Karen, for reading my story and commenting. Yes, you’re right. Perhaps the citizens of Pitfall are judging this whole curse with the wrong attitude. They should enjoy themselves more at these yearly parties. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Subroto, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I’ve met a lot of different people and those characters spring up in my imagination. That’s a plus for living a good many years and filing memories away. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Thank you, Maria, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I do enjoy writing these flash fiction stories. It’s good practice also as it keeps my imagination working. I also enjoy reading all the different stories written by others, no two alike. It amazes me. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  15. Clever dialogue and story, PRS. Very imaginative! I really enjoyed this one. 😀

    However, this does not sound like a character from Massachusetts… it strikes me as more Southern in accent and wording. Also, it’s still against the law to spit on the street in Massachusetts. 😉 We Bostonians are particular to the accent.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks for reading my story Dawn and commenting. When you’re right, you’re right. I’m not too proud to admit I’m still learning. I’m glad you liked it anyway. I’m sure it’s against the law everywhere to spit on the ground, however, when we lived in NC there used to be wads of tobacco spit on the shopping center parking lot. It was disgusting. This guy could have argued that it was his gas station lot and the local chief of police was his bother-in-law. 🙂 Sorry about the accent, but maybe this guy was born and spent his childhood in the south, then went to live in MA sometime in the early 1960’s. 🙂 If you know of a resource for local U.S. accents, I’d greatly appreciate the info. I could have written “damned” but I didn’t want to offend anyone. Maybe I should have. It’s probably what that character would have said. Also, I re-blogged some info that might interest you if it’s something you don’t already have. I hope you’re feeling better. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      • Oh PRS, I’m so sorry… I did not intend to get you all worried about these details. I was being playful. I thought it was a wonderfully creative story, and while I did in fact think it sounded more southern, it is not something to worry about. As you point out, he could have moved to Pitfall, MA! 😉 Your story is really wonderful; ignore my silly comment… I was playing around– your character brought it out in me.

        Like

      • Don’t worry, Dawn. It probably sounded southern because we lived in NC for some years when my children were growing up. My kids think of that city as their hometown. I still say “Hay” anymore instead of “Hi.” I really would love to find a good source on the internet for regional language. I think there must be one. If anyone wrote a book on that subject for writers, it would probably be a best seller. There might be one. As I remember, they used to say “doggone” in Ohio where I’m from. Of course, I was from Akron and we had a lot of people from the South who came there for work, so you heard a little of everything. You’re perfectly right though that some people from MA would notice. They warn writers about that all the time. 🙂

        Like

    • Thanks, Anjana, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. It was fun to write. She made sure they would never forget her. She left a memory that stuck, even though it was an unpleasant one. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  19. That’s one powerful lady. I really enjoyed this – a great idea and I could see that gas attendant clearly from your description.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks, Sarah Ann, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Abigail just wasn’t about to be forgotten. She was probably a descendant of the original New England witches. 😉 That gas attendant also had a personality all his own. That’s what makes traveling through small towns and villages so interesting. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  22. Hahaha! The name of your story made me think of the Beatles’ song “Eleanor Rigby.” I was pleased as punch to learn that Abigail was a “scary old bat.” Love the celebration as a means of warding off unseasonable weather.

    Cheers!
    MG

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks, JJ, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had fun writing it. 🙂 The problem is that with power should come responsibility, but I doubt Abigail cared a bit about that. She must have been a very spoiled child who had to have her own way. Unfortunately she was a witch and could force her will on others. That’s a terrible combination. 😦 I think we can all be glad it’s just a story. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Adelie, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I had a lot of fun with this story. It’s been my experience that small towns and villages are full of people with interesting stories. Maybe it’s just that you get to know them better. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      • Yes, that’s a great point! I think in small towns, people tend to live a little slower and take the time to make conversation. Much different from the hustle and bustle of a large city! I myself, prefer smaller towns! 🙂

        Like

    • Thanks, Dee, for reading my story and commenting. Also, thanks for the lovely photo for the prompt. I’m glad you liked the story. I guess any story involving a witch and a curse would have darker undertones.

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks, Russell, for reading my story and commenting. Your comments left me once more laughing out loud. 🙂 I suppose she could cause at least part of hell to freeze over. That would cause problems for a lot of people who said they’d do certain things if that happened. 🙂 I’m really glad you liked the story. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.