FAITHFUL OLD CLOPPER

 

Photo Copyright: Al Forbes

Here we are again. Today we’re visiting a farm. We’ve gathered in this place to discuss our original stories for the week as the Friday Fictioneers group. This is actually a repeat of this prompt. I had a good story for it last February so decided to use it again. Our hostess for this 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 including the title. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and follow the picture prompt for the week. This week’s  prompt was provided by Al Forbes. He writes for this group and for his own group, Sunday Photo Fiction. Thanks, Al.

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:

https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/27-january-2017/

Genre: Humor Fiction

Word Count: 100 Words

FAITHFUL OLD CLOPPER by P.S. Joshi

Old Clopper, or Clop for short, had been owned by the Rigleys for years. He’d grown up with their children.

His main job was pulling the family buggy, but he also helped old Blinker the plow horse.

Sometimes the children rode him bareback for fun. He had a good life.

“Yes sir,” Pa often emphasized, “I just don’t trust these newfangled automobiles. I bought a tractor but I needed that when Blinker died.”

Mr. Johnson at the next farm bought a Model T Ford, then Mr. Pitt. The next year so did Pa. Old Clop was finally retired to the pasture.

CASE OF THE MISSING WIFE

 

Photo Copyright: Al Forbes

This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction–March 20th 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.woodpress.com/2016/03/21/sunday-photo-fiction-march-20th-2016/

Genre: Crime Fiction

Word Count: 5+200=205

CASE OF THE MISSING WIFE by P.S. Joshi

“I tell you, Mable, I haven’t seen his wife for days. There’s something wrong.”

George Mason stared at his neighbor’s house with keen interest. He’d retired and needed something to do, so turned amateur sleuth and watched his neighbor, Frank Cordill.

Mable shoved a pie into the oven. “Your imagination is running wild. I saw Ruth at the supermarket and there were bruises on her face. She must have left him for a good reason.”

“Yeh, well”–George took another look–“let’s see if he takes his boat out this year. The ice has melted now.”

In a few days, Frank hitched his trawler to his Chevy Silverado truck and drove toward Lake Michigan.

A month went by and he didn’t return.

In the paper one evening there was a big headline:

BODY FOUND IN LAKE MICHIGAN. IT’S BELIEVED TO BE MRS RUTH CORDILL. HER HUSBAND IS MISSING AS ARE HIS CAR AND BOAT. ANYONE KNOWING THE LOCATION OF FRANK CORDILL, NOTIFY THE LOCAL POLICE.

George shook his finger. “I told you, Mable. He killed her and dumped the body.”

“Yes”– Mable said as she set the table–“and you’re never, ever going to let me forget it are you?”

FAITHFUL OLD CLOPPER

 

Photo Copyright: Al Forbes

Here we all are at a virtual antique auto show. Our hostess is the gracious and talented 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. 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. Thank, Al.

To read the other stories by the group, 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/2016/02/24/26-february-2016/

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100 Words

FAITHFUL OLD CLOPPER by P.S. Joshi

 Old Clopper, or Clop for short, had been owned by the Rigleys for years. He’d grown up with the children.

His main job was pulling the family buggy, but he also helped old Blinker the plow horse.

Sometimes the children rode him bareback for fun. He had a good life.

“Yes sir,” Pa often said, “I don’t trust these newfangled automobiles. I bought a tractor but I needed that when Blinker died.”

Mr. Johnson at the next farm bought a Model T Ford, then Mr. Pitt. The next year so did Pa and old Clop was retired to the pasture.

RETIRED AND DECORATED

I’ve written this for a blog by author Teagan Geneviene about the senses. You can read her piece and find links to others in the comments at the following link:

https://teagansbooks.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/mini-series-the-senses-hearing/

RETIRED AND DECORATED By P.S. Joshi

There she sat, year in and year out, alone, decorated by nature to make the eyes glad and the nose grateful.

The old locomotive had been a majestic sight in her day. As she barrelled down the track, coal smoke rose up her mighty chimney and billowed into the air.

But she’d been retired to a side track and the flowering groundnut vine had wound around her to give her a second glory she’d not known in her working life.

From spring to mid-summer  the vine bloomed with a canopy of fragrant lavender flowers. Butterflies and bees flitted and buzzed about and birds sang and nested. It provided both home and food.

The locomotive felt a peace she’d not know before. She was still useful.