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 prompt comes courtesy of JS Brand, and takes me back non-fictionally to a simpler, pre-Katrina world.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
© JS Brand
Click here to hear the author read his tale:
There is a House
New Orleans is fabulous.
We cruise on a Riverboat, eat jambalaya, listen to jazz in Jackson Square, chill on Bourbon Street.
I sit on a balcony in the French Quarter, remembering Elvis in King Creole.
It is all I imagined.
Except for the company.
My companion is a bitter lady who finds fault everywhere.
The relationship will be short-lived.
We ride a horse-drawn buggy, the driver pointing out sites of interest.
‘The building to your left was made famous in a song by English band The Animals’.
It is our hotel.
I stayed in The House of the Rising Sun.
Sound Bite Fiction 
I love that song and it would be very neat to stay in that hotel, jus for the fun of it. I must admit, kept waiting for his lady friend to disappear somehow. Maybe a consequence of the house of the rising sun, somehow!
LikeLike
Nice one but now I have that song playing in my head 🙂
LikeLike
Oh mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done…
Does that help?
(Chortle, chortle)
LikeLike
I like the way you wove this story. I guess Ms. Grumpy might be thrown overboard if she keeps complainging. Of course, like others before me have said, I love the song.
Isadora 😎
LikeLike
I always smile when I see you here, Isadora.
I am glad you enjoyed my little tale, and remembered a great piece of music.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aahhh … music and dance are my passions. Anytime, I hear a great song it makes me happy. I’m glad I bring a smile to you each time I visit. I hope I bring a smile to your heart too. My blogging goal has always been to touch the hearts of those out there in the great atmosphere of the WWW with my gentle spirit.
Happy Sunday to you … Isadora😎
LikeLike
You have always touched me, dear lady, thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
~~~~ : – )
LikeLike
Ahhh..so now I have that song in my head. that’s okay, it’s a good one, as is your story.
LikeLike
Thank you, Dawn, it is one of the great songs, I think
LikeLike
It is indeed.
LikeLike
I presume it did not prove to be his ruin.
LikeLike
Hell, no!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Although there are some who think that ship had long sailed😁
LikeLike
Perhaps there is a rising sun in his house somewhere. How? Who knows? Some people have a way of finding fault in others, especially their husbands or only their husbands.
LikeLike
The narrator is fortunate to always see the sun rising in his house.
And, more fortunately, he was never married to the lady described here, so the relationship ended relatively painlessly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope the sun is indeed rising for him. I loved your short comment on her!
LikeLike
Thank you.
And less said the better!
LikeLike
I’m very amused by the comments to this story today.
I actually chuckled at the line “The relationship will be short-lived.” She’s lucky she made it through the end of the story. Not all of your characters do. Great piece, C.E. I really enjoyed how you captured the essence of New Orleans. You painted a very vivid picture.
LikeLike
I am amused by your comment, Mandie, and happy that you enjoyed the story so much. Considering how short my time there was, New Orleans is still high on my list of favourite places.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh, wonderful jambalaya! Too bad your companion was such a dud 🙂
LikeLike
That’s life, ma’am, sometimes things just don’t work out
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder, am I meant to read irony in the story when applied to the lyrics of the song? Either way, I really like this story, as it’s got a lot of things I enjoy in it (The Animals, jazz, Elvis)… but I’ve never tried jambalaya. I wonder if I can find a vegetarian version recipe and try my hand at cooking it?
LikeLike
Happy you found so much to enjoy, TUS, but you are asking the wrong person for a vegetarian recipe.
I am a Scot, we eat the things that eat vegetables, and our only fruit is apple pie with custard.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s okay, I found one on the interwebs 😉
LikeLike
How close to the waterfront is this hotel? Somehow I think the young man may have made his miserable mistress disappear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laughing. She did not disappear until they got back to Scotland.
And that is another story!
LikeLike
Ceayr, sounds like the sun is rising on a new chapter for him. A new love interest perhaps? Great story.
xx Rowena
LikeLike
There is always a new love interest, Rowena, the narrator is a moving target.
Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can hear Eric Burdon’s raspy voice even now… it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy and god I know, I’m one. Brilliant CE
LikeLike
One of the great songs, Keith.
Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear CE,
Some people can be so negative they suck the life from all around them. Good story. Now I have that song bouncing around my head…”There is a house in New Orleans…”
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
She did have that effect, although fortunately the magic of Nawlins rose above it.
LikeLike
As always, a wonderful twist of words. Hope you find a better woman at the hotel.
LikeLike
Alas, basic chivalry forbids abandoning even the meanest of ladies until she is home safely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha… maybe there are less grumpy ladies to be found at that hotel…
Do they have an exchange service?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not nowadays, Bjorn!
LikeLike
Ha ha – that was a great little read! Brilliant take on the photo prompt. (And I hope he ditches Moaning Minnie soon!)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLike
Glad you enjoyed, Susan.
Moaning Minnie lasted until Glasgow Airport!
LikeLike
‘Tell your children not to do what I have done!’ What a cracking song that is. And a wonderfully fitting end to your story too, C. Love your descriptions and references, the names of places, the feel of the place. Fab
LikeLike
Great song and great city.
Happy that I visited before the Katrina disaster.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s always appealed to me, that hot and hazy atmosphere, the music. But you’re right, much of it went with Katrina and still hasn’t been rebuilt. Tragic
LikeLike
I think she’s going to be even grumpier when she learns this. Nice story.
LikeLike
Even grumpier was her default mood, Claire!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great detail in a few words! Even the nature of the woman – fault-finding.
Hope the Rising sun proves to be good for him just like the life & glow our sun bestows on earth.
LikeLike
Sad about his bitter memories. He sounds like a sensitive young man to me, as it was the companion that mattered to him.
LikeLike
We all make occasional mistakes in our choice of partners.
Some more than others!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the little-boy glee of your last line; I didn’t need the recording to tell me the laughter in your voice! Nicely written, CE
LikeLike
Thanks, Penny, I was kinda thrilled!
LikeLike
Wait! I thought “House of the Rising Sun” was a prison.
LikeLike
Um, no, a house of ill-repute, I believe
LikeLiked by 1 person
I looked it up. You’re right. My bad.
LikeLike
Love the ode to a great, great song!
LikeLike
Happy you enjoyed it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It will be the ruin of this poor boy, or perhaps his companion more likely.
LikeLike
We get over life’s little hiccups, Iain!
LikeLiked by 1 person
House of the Setting Sun for that relationship, I think
LikeLike
Indeed it was, Neil
LikeLike
I love the song, CE. This was fantastic.
LikeLike
Thank you, Varad
LikeLike