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.
Sound Bite Fiction 
This really was a lovely romantic story!
LikeLike
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 🙂
LikeLike
Who says opposites don’t attract. I would say the man’s stickability quotient is very high. Enjoyed this, Ceayr.
LikeLike
Thanks, Neel, I love ‘stickability quotient’!
LikeLike
Ha ha, perception is everything. I bet her friends would say the same about him!
LikeLike
She does not have any friends
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to have one of those. The bachelor life for me!
My tale is called ‘Envy’
LikeLike
C’mon, Keith, who’d have you anyway!
LikeLike
One of my sons was recently in a similar relationship and he finally had the good sense to call it off.
LikeLike
Now that is interesting
LikeLike
I love that. And if anyone says something against her, that’s when he kills them? Hahah. A great romantic story.
LikeLike
C’mon Al, that’s 3 weeks running without a corpse, I am writing to the Guinness Book now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet you can’t make it four lol. The pull of murder is too much 😈
LikeLike
True love, or true marriage is perhaps more accurate. Good laugh.
LikeLike
Happy to amuse, Iain
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story loved it 😊
LikeLike
Great comment, loved it!
You are very kind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha 😊
LikeLike
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
LikeLike
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’.
LikeLike
This relationship is never going to be a fairytale romance!
LikeLike
Ya think!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You ole romantic!
LikeLike
Ah, yes, you got me!
LikeLike
Nothing like the honeymoon phase.
LikeLike
And this is nothing at all like the honeymoon phase!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol. I guess that depends on what your experience with honeymoons has been.
LikeLike