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.
Today’s colourful and picturesque prompt by Sandra Crook, my favourite and, in my opinion, the most talented of all Lady R’s contributors, took me down my usual predictable road of doom and disaster.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
© Sandra Crook
Click here to hear my 60-second story:
The Roof
I am back in Scotland for a very short visit.
I have doctor and dental appointments.
It is snowing.
Not the fairy tale snow we see on Christmas cards, all white and fluffy.
There are no reindeer, no happy-faced snowmen.
Just a brutal, icy, wind-driven pain.
It is good to be home.
But there is a plus side too.
I am staying with my brother.
I have a lunch date with a dear friend.
And later I will see my daughter and my grandson.
So I am ill-prepared when the roof caves in.
I hear the news.
Trump wins.
Sound Bite Fiction 
As if bad weather and the dentist aren’t enough to spoil his trip home. You just never know what’s around the corner.
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Concerning Trump, blame white Evangelicals, 81% of whom voted Trump. A number of self-proclaimed prophets claimed that Trump is God’s pick to turn America back toward God. (There are a number of religious people who reject these ideas.)
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This was one of the most shocking stories I have read… alas I had the same inspiration.
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Exactly..
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What a climax, bringing everything back down to the fearsome thunderbolt that has hit everyone this week
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You truly can’t make this stuff up. Trying desperately to climb out of the rubble, but my heart is broken and I feel paralyzed. Listened to you read this one CE, and it brought comfort… it can’t be any darker. xo
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What a great narrative. Truth is stranger, much stranger, than fiction. Expertly done.
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Ha, I guess in your story Trump is your hideously colored roof. It’s pretty hard to ignore such an event. Glad you addressed the elephant in the room so aptly. Loved the description of the snow as wind driven pain. As a Canadian I know the feeling.
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I know the feeling. My daughter is a woman, part Indian, and could be taken for Hispanic. She called in tears from the U.S. She was scared and I talked to her for an hour. That campaign has spread so much fear it’s hideous. Even Afro-Americans are afraid again. Building bridges doesn’t half cover the need. The Republicans and their President-elect have a lot to answer for. Thousands of young people were flooding the streets of some of the large cities. My daughter said she was calm at first but her younger fellow actors scared her. She said they were yelling and screaming at the TV screen. I hope things calm down soon. Fear is rampant at present. Good piece, C.E. —- Suzanne
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Yes. Exactly. Everything’s changed and we all are affected. Let’s hope we all survive the next four years. Bigots can be dealt with, nukes can’t.
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Love the association with the roof! Well done!
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Here in the U.S., we felt like the roof caved in too. We’re waiting to see……..
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Happy you get to see your family CE. Your brother, daughter, and grandson. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see Grandpa 🙂 Yes, the roof did indeed cave in. Or it might be on fire too. Hugs
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wow, never have I read a poem that means so much and describes something so easily.. love it. Scotland is wonderful place.
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I read an article before the election guessing what Trump might do if he had lost. Visiting Scotland (he is purported to love it there) was one. I thought of you.
Very dramatic story this morning. Let’s hope the reality is not as severe.
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Sad times and wonderfully put, C. Dental appointments and snowy Scotland as back drop to the chilliest of news.
I know our Stateside friends have every right to tell us to mind our own business, but it’s a disturbing result for the world, really.
Nice write
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I’m Stateside, and I love to hear what the rest of the world has to say! It’s nice to get out of the echo chamber. Speak on.
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Well, I’m afraid your new president isn’t popular here in the UK. One poll reckons most of us think he’s dangerous – but who’s taking any notice of polls these days? 🙂 In truth, we don’t get to see and hear the details as you do. Our media picks and chooses the most scandalous sound bites to blast across the papers – some of our press are horrible (and at times actually criminal). I just hope Trump is more moderate in office than he was while campaigning. I am intrigued by one fact – that he could run for president having no experience of public office. Our PM has to be a member of parliament before being able to run for the job – mind you, that doesn’t make them good people! Interesting. But Trump won the popular vote – there’s no arguing with that. All the best http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/donald-trump-president-wins-us-elections-world-more-dangerous-place-opinion-poll-british-public-a7413756.html
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Pain, chill, shock, horror, disbelief. It’s all there, both in your story and on the news this morning. I’ll always remember waking up in a cold, French hotel room to hear my husband groaning “Dear God, I don’t believe it…” You like us, will remember “where you were when” for a long time, I suspect. Good one, CE, and thank you for your lovely comment.
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I follow and comment on the blog, Love, Joy, Feminism, which leans leftist. Anyway, I woke up Wednesday to a reply to one of my comments of being in shock, so I googled the election and discovered the news. (A lot of people I know IRL voted Trump.)
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No words… still stunned
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Very apposite!
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You’ve written what I’ve been feeling all morning. Nicely done.
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Dark times for sure. First Brexit, and now this.
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I couldn’t even bring myself to write about it. I did enjoy sweeping the snow off my car this morning though!
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And what news it was. 😇
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Crazy times.
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As one of your US friends, how do you think we feel?
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Dear CE,
Would this be considered flash friction? It sounds all too true to me. Well done with your usual icy stinging rapier wit.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I wondered who would break the silence first
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I have a short message for our US friends.
REALLY?
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America is entitled to elect who they wish. I just hope the rest of us don’t pay the price for their decision 🙂
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Indeed they are, but it seems that, according to the popular vote, they did not.
I think the biggest concern is that the presidency can now be bought, it is available to the guy with the most money.
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MANY of us are asking the same question with a few expletives thrown in.
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Sadly, on this occasion, this is an expletive-free site.
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