Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by my old friend Al Forbes.
The idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in his picture (below).
This week Al resists a topical theme, instead showing us a photo which can be interpreted in a multitude of different ways.
Click on this link to enter your tale, and to see what others have written.
Copyright Al Forbes
Click here to hear me read this 2 minute tale:
Three Steps to Heaven
Step one, you find a girl you love
I was a cynical, callow young man.
I thought I knew how to handle women until I met her.
Love at first sight.
The way she smiled.
The way she smelled.
The way she walked.
I was smitten.
Step two, she falls in love with you
She was out of my class.
I was just not her type.
I decided I’d do anything to win her heart.
I dropped my friends, the ‘bad crowd’ I hung out with.
I went back to my studies, worked towards a good degree.
I changed the way I dressed, tamed my hair.
I even learned how to speak properly, without profanities.
I became accepted in her circles.
I charmed her slowly, surely, over a period of almost three years.
Step three, you kiss and hold her tightly
It worked.
We married, raised two children together.
Spent five happy years in love.
The rest of the time loathing each other.
Fifteen years of arguments, fights, infidelities, betrayals.
Now she says she is leaving me.
I have agreed to move into a little apartment in town.
I will live alone there.
Yeah, that sure seems like heaven to me
———-
Go on, you know you can’t resist Eddie:
Sound Bite Fiction 
The circle of love! I wonder how many this rings true for?
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Hehe yes I know, it’s real life I know very well. But perhaps underneath the obvious is more. You can’t blame me for thinking your speaker killed someone again 🙂
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You got me, Amanda, I killed 17 of her lovers and all 3 of her parents.
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A sad way to get to the after life or not. As Maria points out, hopefully it’s not always like this. Then, I’ve never believed it was or is works that get you into heaven and not the totals of your mistakes. Hugs CE. Great song.
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Afterlife?
Pay attention, girl, no one died here!
Hugs to you.
And yes, great song, recorded on January 8 1960, so 57 years ago today.
How cool is that!
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Well written and so sad an outcome.
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Thanks, Roger, but just life, yes?
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That is me spot on lol. I haven’t heard this song for a long time, it was great to hear it again. One thing I don’t get though. Who died?
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Don’t start, right!
No one piggin’ died, okay!
Well, except Eddie, of course, when he was only 21 years old.
But that’s it, next week is gonna be a bloodbath, and you’re first against the wall, Forbes!
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LMAO. Fantastic 😀 I am trying to remember what I chose for the prompt. I am sure you can make some sort of death out of it 😉
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Perfect start, perfect middle and absolutely perfect end! The story of my life!
Click to read my tale
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Cheers, Keith, glad you related to it!
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Clever, C. E and very real. Love the twist at the end.
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Thank you, MaryRuth, very happy you enjoyed
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Witty take, C.E. Ironic and sardonic, this is. But I do hope not all steps to heaven ends this way.
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Thank you, Maria, you read it as I wrote it.
I don’t know about heaven, but I have found paradise!
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Sounds like my parents’ relationship! And sadly, many, many others out there too. What a shame he spent so long wooing a woman who would only love him for such a short amount of time. Love how you used the song to frame the story – very affective, C. 🙂
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Happy that it worked for you, Lynn, thank you
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My pleasure C 🙂
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A broken heart — but a resilient one I suspect when the next “one” comes along.
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Time will tell
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Yep.
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Just shows love is perishable commodity and comes with an expiry date.
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Oh, how very cynical of you, sir!
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With great risk comes great reward. Or not. The romantic will always keep trying.
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It’s just life, isn’t it
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Dang, I was that girl…still am actually, but I’m so glad that we changed each other.
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Well okay, if you’re glad, then I’m glad
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A typical tale of a fair few marriages I’m sure. Shame he had to work so hard to win her over – maybe he should have seen that as a warning sign that it wouldn’t last.
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Do we ever see warning signs, Iain?
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Pity… All that for naught.
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2 kids ain’t naught, Dale
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True ’nuff
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There are no guarantees in love or life. But Eddie Cochran can help to soothe a broken heart.
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So true, Steve, and Eddie was pretty cool indeed
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