Photo Copyright: Al Forbes
This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction – March 27th, 2016. Each week the host, Al Forbes, provides a picture prompt. The challenge for each member of the group is to write an original story or poem with no more than 200 words and inspired by the prompt.
To read the other stories written by group members just follow the link below, then click on the little blue frog in the blue box.
The link to the other stories this week is as follows:
https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/sunday-photo-fiction-march-27th-2016/
Genre: Romance Fiction
Word Count: 3+200=203 Words
THE MEMORY BUS by P.S. Joshi
Sean Wilson sat comfortably on the top level of one of the last Routemaster buses in London. They only traveled on a couple heritage routes now. It was one of his “remembering” days.
The face of the woman sitting opposite him in the aisle seat had faded away and he now saw his dear Annie. It was on a similar bus they’d first met.
In a voice like silver, she’d said, pulling off her gloves, “I just moved here from Aberdeen.”
Until then, he hadn’t noticed she was wearing gloves. He’d heard of love at sight but hadn’t believed it. She was magic and her golden hair glowed. He couldn’t think of a thing to say.
He must have looked stunned because she laughed. My name’s Annie Macintosh, what’s yours?”
His name, what was his name? “Sean Wilson,” he blurted out. Now she’d think he was stupid.
But she laughed again. “Do you always take this bus, Sean?” Another passenger walked between them.
His brain froze. Did he? Finally, “Yes, yes,” he almost shouted.
“Say, mate, this seat taken?” a deep voice asked.
With a mild shock, Sean came back to the present and his fellow passenger. “No,” he said.
Lovely story, Suzanne. Heartbreaking. I was swept up in the first meeting and just as jarred out it no less than Sean. Well done.
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Thanks, Diana. I’m so pleased you liked the story and it held your attention. What great praise. 🙂 — Suzanne
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A lovely reminiscence. Question, do the bus seats face each other on the Routemaster buses? Trains do in America, but the bus seats do not.
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Thanks, Kirizar. I’ve never been on one of those buses. The picture was from the host who lives in the U.K. I’ve been on a double-decker bus in India. As I remember, the seats on one of those didn’t face each other. They were like buses in the U.S. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Great story about the power of memory.
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Thanks, Athling. I’m happy you enjoyed the story so much. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Wonderful story.It’s amazing how certain things will jog your memory and take you back to different events and you can me temporary zoned out of the present. 🙂
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Thanks, Lucky. I’m glad you enjoyed the story so much. You really can “zone out” like that as it’s happened to me. 🙂 — Suzanne
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What a great short story! It would work very well as the introduction to a longer tale too because you set up their first meeting so well, I really want to know what happened next.
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Thanks, Bun. I’m so pleased you liked the story that much. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Lovely to be able to remember things like that. Sad though when all they are is memories. Good story.
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Thanks, Al. Yes, it is sad she’s gone. All his has now are his memories and he will have to move on. I’m so pleased you liked the story. 🙂 —- Suzanne
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