Photo Copyright: Al Forbes
We’re all here for another week. Today we’re sitting in someone’s virtual home where there’s a virtual, colorful glass jar of used batteries. Our hostess for this gathering is the talented and gracious writer and artist, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. We’re the Friday Fictioneers group. Our challenge this week and every week is to write an original story with no more than 100 words. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and follow the picture prompt for the week. This week’s prompt was supplied by Al Forbes. Thanks, Al.
To read the other stories by the group, just click on the links given below, then on the little blue frog in the blue box.
The link for this week’s stories is as follows:
https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/4-march-2016/
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Word Count: 100 Words
THE COLLECTOR by P.S. Joshi
Why don’t I invite friends over? I’ll tell you why. Our mother is a collector.
You name it and she gathers it up. She wasn’t always like this. It started ten years ago when our five-year-old sister, Bethie, got hit by a car and died.
Among the things Mom collects are old prescription bottles, empty soda bottles, and cans, old clothes, suitcases, cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes, pots and pans that spilled over from the kitchen, old outgrown clothes, our old toys, twelve sets of dinnerware, mixing bowls of different sizes, and more
Dad left.
Musings on Life & Experience 
Avery neat take on this prompt. Loved the simplicity of this.
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Thanks, Yarnspinnerr. I’m so pleased you liked the story, the way I wrote it. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Poor lady. Concisely told, Suzanne.
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Thanks, Sandra. I wrote from experience. I have a close relative with the problem. I also knew of someone else who was affected. They need help but most probably don’t get it. Thank you for the praise. —- Suzanne
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Wow! Extremely good, Suzanne. Those last two words put the whole thing in perspective and knocked me for a loop. Bravo!
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Thanks, Kent. I’m so pleased you liked the story. Thanks for the high praise. I appreciate it. 🙂 — Suzanne
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It happens! A very sad situation/condition for many, Patricia. Well told.
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Thanks, Carolyn. I know that sadly it happens. I’ve known a couple people who suffered from it. I’m so glad you liked the way I told the story. —- Suzanne
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So, I guess you’d say Mom became a hoarder. How sad.
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Thanks, Russell. Yes, that’s what it’s called. It is sad, very sad. —- Suzanne
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Very good. The pace is fantastic – the long list of collections and the abrupt conclusion. A sad story, however.
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Thanks, Margaret. I’m so glad you liked the story, especially the pace. The condition is sad. While the story was fiction, I’ve known a couple of people who suffered from it. — Suzanne
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A very sad piece. But I imagine it plays and replays all over the world. (Interesting that we both used the same title!)
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Thanks, Alicia. It is sad. The story is fiction, but I’ve known people with the condition. I would guess there are many people suffering from it the world over. I didn’t even check the other stories before I gave it that title. If I’d seen your story I would have probably given it a different title. I’ll stop over and read yours. —- Suzanne
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she must learn to let go. she needs help.
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Thanks, Plaridel. You’re right. She does need help to learn how to let go. I don’t suppose many people get the help they need, though. I would hope that will change in future. —- Suzanne
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Poor mum, sounds like she needs some professional help.
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Thanks, Ali. You’re right. Someone with that condition does need professional help. I hope more people get it in future. —- Suzanne
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So sad. She needs help not desertion.
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Thanks, Dawn. You’re right. Someone does need to get her help. There might have been more involved in the breakup than just that. They also lost a child. This was fiction, but I’ve known a couple of people with the condition. They weren’t deserted, though. Although, one of them didn’t get help for it either. —- Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
The last two words added a new chapter. Very well told.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle. I’m so pleased you liked the way I wrote the story. Yes, the husband leaving did add to the story. — Suzanne
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Well done – your story packs a lot in. The last line is especially powerful.
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Thanks, Erin. I’m so pleased you liked the way I wrote the story, especially the last line. —- Suzanne
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It’s interesting in that in all her collecting and hoarding she pushed people out of her life, as if in gathering all these things, she’s shutting everyone out and shutting herself in. Have you watched the show about hoarding? It’s pretty fascinating. Very well done, Suzanne.
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Thanks, Amy. I’m so pleased you liked the way I wrote the story. My character was emotionally wounded and was probably shutting others out. I didn’t see the program on hoarding, but would certainly like to if it comes on TV again. I’ve known a couple people who had the problem. One is now being treated for another mental problem that probably aggravated the hoarding. — Suzanne
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This is so sad. Mum won’t let go of anything ever again. And isolates herself with it. Great story, Suzanne.
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Thanks, Gah. I’m so pleased you liked the story. Yes, she’s emotionally wounded and needs professional help. — Suzanne
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The ending does indeed pack a punch.
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Thanks, Subroto. I’m so pleased you liked the story, especially the ending. — Suzanne
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Life can bring out traits in us we never knew existed.
Great story.
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Thanks, CAH. I’m so pleased you liked the story. Yes, life is always testing us. —- Suzanne
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There is nothing that can change a life more than the death of a child… so sad, and maybe the father changed too, making them incompatible… so sad.
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Thanks, Bjorn. Yes, a child’s death is a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s bound to leave a deep impression on their life. It no doubt had an impact on the relationship of the parents in the story. It’s really sad. — Suzanne
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I’m the opposite. I save nearly nothing. I can’t imagine the need to hang on to something
that may be used by someone else in need.
I like the way you told the story. There’s a very senistive approach to it.
Isadora 😎
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Thanks, Isadora. I’m so glad you liked the story. You’ve got the right attitude. My husband started hoarding. He’s bi-polar and is being treated for it. The hoarding is no doubt part of his illness. I would give things away and he’d start collecting again. Most of it was just junk. The mother of a friend of ours was also a hoarder. Her family just overlooked it. She was a lovely person. —- Suzanne
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There are more people that have a tendency to hoard than not. The possessions somehow give them comfort. : – )
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🙂
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