Photo Copyright: Sandra Crook
Here we are again and this week we’re gathered at a derelict building in a small town. We’ve come together to discuss our original stories for the week. This is the Friday Fictioneers group. Our hostess for the gathering is the talented and gracious author and artist, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The challenge for each of us this week and every week is to write a story with no more than 100 words, not counting the title. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and be inspired by the picture prompt for the week. This week’s prompt was provided by Sandra Crook. Thanks, Sandra.
To read the other stories by 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:
Genre: Humor Fiction
Word Count: 100 Words
STILL IN BUSINESS by P.S. Joshi
David Pitstop and his wife, Flora decided to spend their delayed honeymoon in exotic Pashchandra, Redonia.
“Darling, I’ve checked and found great rates at the Raj Hotel there. It has three stars which isn’t perfect but acceptable considering our budget. Here’s a picture.”
Flora observed and agreed it was attractive.
A week later they checked in, two men hefted their baggage, then started up the stairs.
“Is there no lift?” David asked.
One answered, “It’s out of order, Sahib as three of four floors above are gutted during renovation. Luckily, you have a faucet with cold water.”
I’ve stayed there.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Neil. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. We stayed in one where they’d gutted the floor below ours. One employee’s dog used to wander into the lobby and drink from the fountain. Some of the employees slept on the lobby floor at night. Ah, the memories. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Ha ha ha. It’s sure going to be a memorable honeymoon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Anurag. I’m happy you enjoyed the story and it made you laugh. Yes, that will be a memorable trip. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
No cause for complaint then. 😦 Good one, Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sandra. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. They’ll probably be afraid to complain. Someone may turn the water off. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Ah well, at least there’s cold water….!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Iain. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. Yes, there’s cold water, the weather is hot that time of the year, and they can fill buckets to pour on themselves. All is not lost. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Ha! The perils of internet bookings. They will be fine as all you need on a honeymoon are cold showers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Subroto. I’m happy you enjoyed the story and it made you laugh. Who said anything about a shower? Buckets and a plastic cup, yes, regular shower no. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Ah good, a tap. Hopefully a bed too!
You so should have called his wife “Penelope”. Especially since they’re probably in peril every moment they’re in that hotel 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, ha. Yes, there was a bed and a more than firm mattress. You’re right. Penelope would have been a better fit. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Aha …. the booming tourism industry. Great take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Yarnspinnerr. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. Yes, it involves the tourist industry. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha – that reminded me of some of the places I’ve stayed in in South East Asia… really! Enjoyed reading this.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Susan. I’m happy you enjoyed the story, it made you laugh, and brought back memories of some of your travels. It’s something you can laugh about “afterward”. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Ha ha ha. I’ve been to that hotel. Good one, Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, John. I’m happy you enjoyed the story and it made you laugh. You’re not the only one to say you stayed there. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Thanks, Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Entertaining little tale! I stayed in a hotel once where you could track the route of the electrical cables by the lines of rust on the wall. I sympathise with your couple!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Penny. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. There are no doubt many different kinds of hotels. It’s an experience, to say the least. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Ooh, sounds delightful – at least it will be a memorable stay! Well written tale Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Lynn. I’m happy you enjoyed the story and thought it was well written. Yes, it will be memorable, if nothing else. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes it’s worth paying a little more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Liz. I’m glad you enjoyed the story. Yes, sometimes it pays not to go cheap. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
I guess they really were on a budget! I hope they enjoy their honeymoon! Nice one, Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Diana. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. Well, they do have water. It could be worse. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
It will be one of those stories they’ll look back on and laugh. Trust me. I know!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dale. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I know what you mean. I often laugh these days. We stayed in a hotel where only one floor beneath us was gutted. The lobby was open to the outside and a dog belonging to one of the employees used to come into the lobby and drink from the fountain. I was eating an egg sandwich outside one day and “Tiger” came over and plopped his old head in my lap. A lot of people fed that dog and he was used to begging. He was, therefore, a fat dog. His name didn’t exactly fit him. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! There ya go…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, I’ve stayed in places that didn’t quite match the photo online (haha). I can imagine this scenario for sure. Very nice story! =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Brenda. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I exaggerated a bit in my story. Only one floor beneath ours had been gutted, not three. It seems many of us have stayed in hotels that had problems. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Suzanne,
This is going to be a memorable honeymoon. 😉 I wonder who the Raj owners paid to give them a rating as high as three stars. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rochelle. I’m happy you enjoyed the story It’s possible someone let them give themselves the rating for a small payment labeled as “Advertising”. By the time the matter would be ruled on in a court it would probably be ten or more years old and cost too much to make it worthwhile. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Reminds me of a place we stayed in New Orleans. The room was so small you had to go outside just to change your mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, ha. What I remember most about that room is when the big earthquake of January 26, 2001, hit in a state north of the one we were in. We were on the fourth floor. I slid back and forth on the very firm mattress of the bed where I was sitting and saw a tree outside thrashing back and forth. It destroyed much of the city of Bouj, Gujarat with a scale of 7.7. It was the first earthquake I’d ever experienced. I don’t remember it doing any damage where we were in Pune. — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! We had a little one in Oklahoma (approx 200 miles away) that rattled doors and windows here. It was only about a 4.2 on the richtor scale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel sorry for the honeymooners. Beautifully written, Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Moon. I’m happy you enjoyed the story and really liked the way I wrote it. They were young and survived in one piece. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike
I think it’s way better than the hotel I stayed in once with a mirror above the bed and hourly rates… cold water is much better than some stains on the carpet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Bjorn. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I agree with you. I wouldn’t want to stay in that hotel either. My mother and dad stayed in a motel one night on a trip and Mom said she could hear suggestive noises coming from the next motel room. while my dad innocently slept away. Unknown to my dad it was a stop for long-distance truckers and catered to them. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLike