Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
This week’s photo, to my great surprise, is courtesy of my old friend Al Forbes.
I have a question.
Wotcha doin’ ‘ere, man?
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
Copyright Al Forbes
Mother-in-Law
I love my wife.
And I quite like her mother.
Except when I am driving.
She is a nervous passenger.
When she is nervous, she talks.
Actually, to be honest, she nags.
Watch that truck!
Watch that bridge!
Watch your speed!
All this leaning forward from the back seat, peering, nearly blind, at the world ahead.
We are stuck in a motorway traffic jam, haven’t moved in twenty minutes.
She asks, for the seventeenth time.
How long is this going to take?
I could kill her.
That might upset my wife.
I get out of the car and start walking.
“I could kill her.
That might upset my wife”
My favorite lines!
so nice to not upset your wife 🙂
Truth is, Samantha, even though she is fictitious, she scares me to death!
as she should 😉
Hilarious, C.E. That might be the best solution after all. Well done. 😀 — Suzanne
Happy to amuse you, Suzanne, maybe I will put the cobras in her bed tonight.
What a wise man. Much better response than murder. I like this story – I feel for the poor driver.
Perhaps better, Margaret, but nowhere near as satisfying.
Glad you like it.
I quite like where this story ends, to be honest – a lot of potential. Imagine if we could just get up and walk away – from our mother-in-law, from our car, from our lives. Just up and walking – who knows where we’d end up… 😀
Some of us have done, Ma’am, with interesting results.
Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment.
Good of you to walk away. I’m not sure the other drivers would appreciate it though.
Yeah, Dawn, like I care!
LOL
A bit of whimsy on a very irritating subject – back seat drivers.
You resolved the situation in a very patient way. I wonder, there
must have been a few under-your-breath words said. hehe 😂
Nicely written … have a nice weekend.
Isadora 😎
Isadora, what a suggestion!
Under-my-breath words indeed?
I am a Scot, dear lady, we do not do under-the-breath!
LOL … I just learned something new about being Scot. I love learning new things. Thank you …. Isadora 😎
p.s. I had a friend who was Stottish. He’s passed on. But, I got to see his kilts 😳 (not on him – hehe – I may have been tempted to take a peek ), his family crest and a sword. He was very proud of his heritage.
Ms Isadora, I am surprised at you!
If you had peeked, you would certainly have learnt quite a lot about the Scots.
LOL ….😄
I think we all have someone like that in life. It’s why my hubby always drives. Although, there are times he’d like me to be less jumpy! WATCH OUT! 🙂
Good grief, Yolanda, you made me jump!
Please don’t shout, I almost hit that albatross.
Very amusing! A very patient man. Is this autobiographical at all???
No, no, no, no, no, no, Jan!
Are you convinced yet?
This is my darling daughter’s ‘wee gran’ we are discussing.
And I am allergic to pain.
Love for his wife spared her otherwise what would have happened…. Beautifully written. Nice and wise ending.
Ah my dear Indira, you always believe that the peaceful solution is best.
And you are right, of course.
But sometimes, for the sake of the story, I like to wreak some havoc!
And that’s your specialty dear Ceayr. You’re master of that.
You are too kind, thank you.
Heaven preserve me from becoming a mother in law like that!
Then drive yourself!
This is inspired. I love the ending; I have a nasty feeling I’d have stayed in the car and exploded if my mother in law was like this!
I belong to the Charlie Brown School of Philosophy:
There is no problem so great that you can’t turn your back and walk away from it.
May I recommend a blindfold and gag? All you have to do is put them on when you get behind the wheel. That should give Mother something to scream about. Of course, you won’t be able to hear her with your ear plugs firmly in place.
Can I wear them at dinner too?
The gag especially would improve her cooking enormously.
Oh killing her would definitely upset your wife.
I know, women can be so touchy about the littlest things, don’t you think?
It’s not that I planned to pulverise her skull with the tyre lever.
Although, on second thoughts, that does have a certain appeal…
XD
Oh my God.
I dare say murder is no little matter Sir.
XD, but indeed we can be touchy just as men can be …
did she stay in the car or follow your lead? i wonder.
Hard to say, sir, 100 words all used up!
Good for you mate – I’ll walk with you! Fancy a beer?
Visit Keith’s Ramblings!
Sorry, Keith, this is an alcohol-free blog.
But when I get off-line…
ha ha. Usually you kill such offending characters … what happenned this week?
Good one.
My wife, sensitive little imaginary creature that she is, takes a disappointingly dim view of her mother being bumped off for the sake of a punch line.
Happy you enjoyed the reverse twist.
Haha I know a number of backseat drivers. Worst lot ever. Also I sort of imagine her getting out of the car and yelling at you as you walk on the road. Heheh
You have a surprisingly mean streak for a pretty young lady, Ms Lily.
Or may I call you D3?
And you are right, of course, some people simply do not realise when their life is hanging by a thread.
Poor guy, I think he really should have took her for a ride, then he wouldn’t have to drive her ever again. Nice take on the prompt!
Thanks, Mandibelle, glad you enjoyed.
Been there, know how you feel!
It seems to be an experience that is far from unique.
I am shocked that you did not kill her off… I would have been sorely tempted!
You would not have wanted to drive with my father either… he was a very bad passenger. I actually did do the same thing as your protagonist; only, thankfully, I got out where my car was parked!
She owes her life to you, Dale, it was the thought of shocking you that kept my hands off her scrawny throat.
PS Getting out of a parked car is not news, okay?
Hah! Funny man…
It wasn’t parked. I stopped driving and left. I was horrid…
Nicely done. Hope that you did not have to walk far.
Only 30 or so miles, well worth the blisters.
And thanks for visiting.
Probably the wisest choice!
It was really the escalation that put me off.
After her it would be dad-in-law, moaning-faced old git, then the wife, probably her sister, and she has 3 brothers, the place would be swimming in corpses by tea time.
Oh, I knew someone just like your mother-in-law, it took everything in me not to snap…Well captured!
I am still not sure why I let her live, fictionally speaking.
I don’t think the police read this blog.
lol
Walking was a great choice. If this wasn’t such an everyday experience for many, it would be funny. And yet, I ‘am’ smiling…. 🙂
I just wish I’d thought to put shoes on first.
Glad to create a smile.
Kill the mother-in-law, I say. And peace be with you. My mother-in-law was a sweetheart, though we never managed to remove the fingernail dents in the back of my seat.
You know me, Sandra, normally I’d do it without a second thought, and the wife too if she grumped about it.
But then I’d have to find a home for her wretched cats, explain to the old biddies down at the knitting circle, water her weeds…
Sometimes it’s just not easy being me.
But I am laughing at the image of the dents!
I think sometimes it’s better to leave… I wonder how his wife will handle her mother (usually mother-daughter relationships can be a little bit strained) but it was a wise choice not to kill her mother in law.
I believe, Bjorn, that in polite circles it is considered poor form to have dead mothers-in-law littering the back of the car.
Dear CE,
Now that’s a considerate husband. I’m sure his wife would appreciate his not killing her mother. Although in a hundred words you’ve created such an annoying character, you made me want to show her the sidewalk. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Wait until we pick up some speed, R, and then…