Photo Copyright: Adam Ickes
Here we are for another week. Today we’ve gathered on a virtual boardwalk over virtual wetlands. Our hostess for this weekly gathering is the talented and gracious author 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, not including the title. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and follow the picture prompt for the week. This week’s prompt is a repeat supplied by Adam Ickes and requested by Sandra Crook. Thanks, Adam, and Sandra.
Except for a few minor changes, this is the same story I wrote for this prompt in March of 2014.
To read the other stories by the group members, just click on the link 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/2016/08/10/12-august-2016/
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Word Count: 100 Words
THE WETLANDS by P.S. Joshi
George asked his dad, “Why is there a bridge over the land?
Well, son, it looks like land, but it’s called a wetland. You’d sink down and get stuck if you walked on it.
Could they drain it?
Yes. They could. It’s been done. There’s a lot of life there, though that would be destroyed. Also, if a bad storm comes, the area can flood.
He remembered having been shown homes built on drained wetland.
The agent said, “We never get bad flooding here. Never happened.”
A few years later, people from those homes had to be rescued by boat.
Musings on Life & Experience 
Reblogged this on Matthews' Blog.
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Thanks so much for the reblog. I appreciate it. 🙂 — Suzanne
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And sadly still the powers that be allow inappropriate building to continue of flood land.
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My Regional czars finally got tired of rescuing people, so they passed a law prohibiting ‘any further building’ on the flood plain. This means we’ll only have to keep rescuing the same idiots until their houses are washed away. 😦 😯
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Thanks, Archon. It’s disgusting, isn’t it. I feel sorry also for the people who have an investment in that land and hate to give it up. I’m pleased you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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Thanks, Mike. You’re right. It’s sad and so wrong for them to let it continue. I’m glad you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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We’ve had some disasters following building on flood plains. Not a good idea.
xxx Massive Hugs Suzanne xxx
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Thanks, David. I know. It’s sad for everyone involved. I’m pleased you liked the story. Massive Huge Hugs back to you. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
It would be poetic justice if the agent was one of those who had to be rescued, wouldn’t it? Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle. Yes. It certainly would. They probably know better, though. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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So true, unfortunately.
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Thanks, Graham. You’re right. I wrote this based on a true story. It happened some years back along the East Coast. A salesman really told us that. I’m pleased you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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Often no need to invent, just to interpret and tell the story. Thanks for the insight Suzanne.
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Real estate is an industry the politicians love and environmentalist hate. Often wonder if they are the two sides of the same coin.
Great post.
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Thanks, Yarnspinnerr. No one listens and it leads to tragedy. I’m glad you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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A sadly blinkered outlook here and one repeated the world over as man looks for more land to build on. A well told tale 🙂
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Thanks, Lynn. What you say is true. I’m pleased you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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My pleasure 🙂
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And yet they still build.
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Thanks, Louise. You’re right. No one listens. I’m pleased you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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That is what happens when humans don’t let live the creatures in the wet lands. Good one Suzanne.
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Thanks, Ansumani. That’s right. It has a bad effect all round. I’m glad you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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Great take, Suzanne. I like your environmental message. Sadly, people don’t apply the facts most of the time. I enjoyed this very much.
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Thanks, Amy. I’m pleased you liked the story so much. You’re right. People don’t listen and think ahead. It is sad. —- Suzanne
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A simple message, Suzanne, that people don’t pay enough attention too. 🙂 Nice story!
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Thanks, Diana. You’re right. So many people don’t listen. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 —- Suzanne
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I think I’ve met that agent… or several like them. Strong message Suzanne. Hope you had a lovely birthday.
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Thanks, Sandra. There are a lot of people like him around, unfortunately. I’m pleased you liked the story so much. Thanks also for the birthday wish. i appreciate it. 🙂 — Suzanne
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I don’t have much sympathy for those who build in flood plains. I think they’re rather empty between the ears.
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Thanks, Russell. You’re right. It seems some people can’t resist what they think is a good bargain. They can’t be using their brains all that much. I’m glad you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Never trust an estate agent…
Should have left the wetlands to the wildlife.
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Thanks, Ali. You’re right. I think they can be likened to those who used to be called “snake oil salesmen” in the old U.S. West. I have sympathy for the wildlife. Many people couldn’t care less. We’re losing something valuable. I’m glad you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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True picture. Exactly what has happened to my city of Chennai. Dec 2016 saw an unprecedented flooding of the city. Reason? Turning waterways and lakes that allowed rainwater to drain into the sea had been converted into real estate!
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Thanks, Sabina. As you know, that happened to Mumbai also, and it’s been one flood after another. The land is so valuable it blinds people to the truth. I’m pleased you liked the story. —- Suzanne
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There’s a lot of magical thinking in the flood zones and you captured that here.
Tracey
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Thanks, Tracey. You’re right. It’s too bad there’s no magic to make things better. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Wetlands are certainly worth protecting. I used to live next to one, with beautiful birds… They drained it and built a house on the higher ground, so no flooding. But I never saw any of the unique and beautiful birds again.
Wishing you a wonder-filled weekend. Huge hugs.
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Thanks, Teagan. Isn’t that a shame. Some people don’t recognize the real riches in the world until it’s too late. I’m pleased you liked the story. You have a great weekend also. Huge hugs back to you. 🙂 — Suzanne
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was the developer happened to be named trump? 🙂
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Thanks, Plaridel. No, but he could have been. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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It’s nice that he thinks of the animals and plants that live in wetlands. There are far too few left. Good story.
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Thanks, Gah. You’re right. Precious animals and plants are being destroyed through greed. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Never say “Never”!
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Thanks, Dawn. Yes, if given a chance nature can rebound. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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So… it’s better to go with the flow? 😉
What gets to me are the flood plains on mountain sides. I can understand that you don’t want to build in a wash, but they are always restricting places that are high ground and rarely see water at all.
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Thanks, Alice. I always suspect land developers in this mix. I think some of it is politics. There are some hills that shouldn’t be built on, though. The hills here in Pune are called the “lungs of the city”.Building there I would guess restricts the flow of air carrying off pollution. I’m pleased you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Great story Suzanne – many homes were built in the UK in ancient riverbeds that had long dried up and been forgotten except by the locals… and then once in 100 years or so there is a massive storm and they all flood.. As you say snake oil salesmen!
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Thanks, Sally. I don’t know how some people can sleep with their guilty consciences Some of those houses along the coast like the one the salesman tried to sell to us were bought by people who had retired and sold their older homes further north along the coast. They were looking for a warmer place further south to live in retirement. I told my husband that what was a wetland once could be again. A large storm came after that, and people in those areas had to be rescued by boat. Really sad. —- Suzanne
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Dreadful Suzanne. you have to be so careful.. and some people have led sheltered lives and have not the experience to deal with these sharks.. xxs
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