Romance – Sunday Photo Fiction

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 the picture (below).
Al’s photo this week
makes me think of love and romance, of all the happy times two people can spend together.
So, just this once, that is the story I wrote.

Click on this link to enter your tale, and to see what others have written.

© Al Forbes

Click here to hear me read this 90-second story:
Romance

It has been a turbulent romance.
She is moody and frequently bad-tempered.
And she is stubborn, opinionated, and very quick to express her views.
Usually quite forcibly.
I am a long term born again bachelor, set in my ways.
I am pretty easy going but, I admit, I have my quirks.
Like my fear of supermarkets.
An odd phobia, I grant you, but very real to me.
I don’t even like outdoor markets, the crowds, the sensory overload.
She likes to shop, of course.
She even likes to go to supermarkets.
After the first time I am no longer invited to accompany her.
She takes my credit card instead.
She hasn’t met many of my friends.
I try to spare them.
Those she has met stare at me in horror.
What are you doing with her, they ask.
She is okay, I lie.
She is a horrible, totally unlikeable woman, they all say.
Yes, I answer, but she is my horrible, unlikeable woman.

Unknown's avatar

About ceayr

A Scot who has discovered peace in a small town he calls Medville on the Côte Vermeille, C.E. Ayr has spent a large part of his life in the West of Scotland and a large part elsewhere. His first job was selling programmes at his local football club and he has since tried 73 other career paths, the longest being in IT, with varying degrees of success. He is somewhat nomadic, fairly irresponsible and, according to his darling daughter, a bit random. So, nobody’s perfect.
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27 Responses to Romance – Sunday Photo Fiction

  1. Dahlia's avatar Dahlia says:

    This really was a lovely romantic story!

  2. mandibelle16's avatar mandibelle16 says:

    Aw, CE this piece is very sweet. Even though he often seems to hate her and his friends are horrified he still loves her. “but she I is my horrible, unlikable woman.” I love that line. Reminds me very much of Billy Joel’s “Always A Woman To Me.” She’s terribly flawed but loved nonetheless. Hugs CE 🙂

  3. Who says opposites don’t attract. I would say the man’s stickability quotient is very high. Enjoyed this, Ceayr.

  4. Joy Pixley's avatar Joy Pixley says:

    Ha ha, perception is everything. I bet her friends would say the same about him!

  5. I used to have one of those. The bachelor life for me!

    My tale is called ‘Envy’

  6. James's avatar James says:

    One of my sons was recently in a similar relationship and he finally had the good sense to call it off.

  7. I love that. And if anyone says something against her, that’s when he kills them? Hahah. A great romantic story.

  8. Iain Kelly's avatar Iain Kelly says:

    True love, or true marriage is perhaps more accurate. Good laugh.

  9. Vaidehi Soni's avatar Vaidehi Soni says:

    Great story loved it 😊

  10. Dear CE.

    What a horrible, unlikable story. 😉 Nah…just kidding. A lot of conflicting emotions in a tug-o-war relationship made this story a fun read. “born again bachelor?” I’d say the honeymoon was over before it began. Good one.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    • ceayr's avatar ceayr says:

      This is actually, if somewhat bizarrely, based on a true story to which I have alluded in the past.
      Very much ‘born again bachelor’.
      As Shakespeare said about marriage ‘ Tried it once, didn’t like it’.

  11. Steve Lakey's avatar Steve Lakey says:

    This relationship is never going to be a fairytale romance!

  12. Martin Cororan's avatar Martin Cororan says:

    You ole romantic!

  13. Nothing like the honeymoon phase.

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