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 rather cute prompt photo is one of mine, taken in Cogolin, a nearby town with an interesting background and etymology.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
© C. E. Ayr
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
Not the Grinch
Portuguese Tony.
Aka Tony Casquette.
(That’s cap, okay?)
I’ve seen him around a lot recently.
In fact, too much.
I’m wondering if he’s trying to muscle in on my territory.
He is a charming guy, gets on with everyone.
Even me, until now.
And not many can say that.
But he seems to have changed his old truck for a motorbike.
So he can get to my clients faster, maybe.
I’m not standing for this.
He reminds of that kid’s character that I hated.
The really cool dude.
Yep, it looks like I need to eliminate the Cat in the Hat.
Sound Bite Fiction 
I also have a soft spot for Dr. Seuss work as I have a grandson who loves the stories! I so enjoy your blog and your wonderful writes. ☺️❤️️
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Clever write. I enjoyed this one.
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A clever, witty take on your own photo!
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Ha! Love this. Old Tony’s back, but stepping on toes he shouldn’t – he’s been around long enough to know better. And love that last line. Is that true about the Dr Seuss artwork? What a tale. Fabulous, C, as always 🙂
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Need to feed him with some green eggs and ham, that might just do the trick 😉
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Cute maybe… but this is a matter of honor and gold… i see a cat turning cold.
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Laughing.
I love that there are so many Dr Seuss fans here!
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I think you need to read, ‘The Cat in the Hat Comes Back’… Nice one CE.
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I think I have read everything he wrote, Violet, with great delight.
And once, in San Francisco, I went to an exhibition of his art, where a gentleman tried to sell me $15,000 worth of his art.
Alas, I was in the process of abandoning all material possessions and migrating to sunnier climes, so I passed.
One of my alter egos wrote this review:
https://anelephantcant.me/2013/03/03/dr-seuss-geneuss/
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Very good. I have a soft spot for Dr Seuss too. My grandson, Dan, who can’t see, is very sensitive to loud noises and when he was only 4 he emerged from a public toilet after using the loud hot air hand drier (Do you have those everywhere in your part of the world?) saying ‘I do not like that fan. I do not like it. Dan I am.’ I’ll never forget.
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You know, Margaret, I don’t think I have ever met anyone who didn’t love the great Doctor.
As for Dan, he am the man, Dan he am.
So let’s ban that fan, I think we can, Dan, ban that fan.
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Ha. I love it. I’ll pass it on to him. He’s 12 now. He’ll appreciate it.
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I will forever associate dr seuss with potty training. So the cat in the hat is fair game in my book.
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Exactly!
A cat, a bag, a brick, a river, a big smile…
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I enjoyed your reading. It brought your tale to life. It would seem, from comments above, that you’ve written about Tony before. I’ve been gone for some time so I hope you don’t kill him off before I get a chance to know him better. 😉
Oh, and also from above regarding: “random”
I think being random makes us more interesting.
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I am happy you enjoyed the reading, I often wonder if it is worthwhile.
But it is good discipline for finding typos, repetitions, and such like, and my trans-Atlantic friends like the quaint accent.
Tony appeared as a bit player a few weeks back, and for some reason seemed to catch the imagination of several readers:
Then I mentioned him in passing in my intro the following week and even that, to my great surprise, got a reaction.
I am not sure you want to know him better, he is a bit of a ladies’ man!
But I will try not to bump him off just yet, although this blog does tend to have a high DBC (dead body count).
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A high DBC, well, I’ll consider myself warned! LOL!
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Great stuff. And the deliver was excellent.
And thanks for the prompt.
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Cheers, Patrick, much appreciated, and welcome on all counts.
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Business rivalry! Why don’t you invest in a bike rather than eliminating Tony who gets along with everyone? Nice story.
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He has to go, I can’t stand people who get along with everyone!
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Dear CE,
Better be on the lookout of Thing 1 and Thing 2. I see murder on the horizon. Guess there can be only one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dr Seuss meets Highlander, m’lady?
I suppose the Moggie in the Bunnet has a certain ring to it!
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I hardly recognise you in this mode. Not a body in sight. Prospects, yes, but not confirmed as yet.
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C’mon, I haven’t snuffed out anyone in yonks (apart from a wee oopsy with a train on Sunday).
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The cat in the hat a great touch!
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One of the great characters in children’s literature!
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I like how you’ve set this out as his thought process. Tony could be in for a bit of trouble!
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Tony is always in trouble!
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Oh no!
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Oh yeah!
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Cool story, cool scooter, is it for sale🙂
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Just make the cat an offer, I don’t think he’ll be hard to deal with🙂
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The return of Portuguese Tony…or the demise?
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He ain’t dead yet, Sascha, but my promise still stands!
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😀
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And to top it all I guessed the location of the photo!!
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You recognised Cogolin from that photo?
Jings, I’m impressed!
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No I thought the south of France which I mentioned in my preamble, shutters and blue street names I guess!
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Cat in the hat is an absolute classic, i think green eggs and ham was written as a bet with his publisher that he couldn’t write a book using only a certain number of different words, I think 50. Really funny stuff.
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As I mention below, Dr Seuss was a magician, who could write and draw anything. A personal hero.
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This is a wonderful prompt in that there is so much one could go with: the cat, the bike, the narrow streets, the windows… I like your comedic twist on this one. I started out expecting something darker.
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I think the title suggests it isn’t too dark, Dawn, but happy you enjoyed the tale and the photo.
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Well, my daughter did get pretty hooked on Dr suess books when she was little, they’re peddling something pretty strong!
Great story! Wish there was a part 2!
-Rachel
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The man was an absolute genius, I adore his work.
Portuguese Tony might be back, but the Cat in the Hat is under copyright!
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I like how you worked in the cat. I didn’t even notice it when I started my story. I like the audio, too. I was thinking about doing that. I read my stories aloud to make sure they sound right, anyway.
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Thank you, happy you enjoyed the whole package, you made my day!
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I never expected the Cat in the Hat to be involved with organized crime. Maybe he can bribe them with Green Eggs and Ham
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Disorganised, maybe.
But times have changed, things can be arranged!
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Oh no, not the Cat in the Hat! He can’t be killed—surely, we can’t have that! 😂 No, but seriously, Tony needs to watch his back!
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I would never hurt any character of the great Dr Seuss.
He is a hero of mine, so the Cat is fine!
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I love the wordplay with the cat and the cap-hat. And casquette, to me, eerily sounds like casket. Tony better watch out.
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Don’t fret, Tony’s been around a bit, he’s an elusive dude
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I feel sure we’ll hear more about Portuguese Tony – much more, I hope, because he’s a great character! I love this story – very witty. Your punchline had me grinning broadly!
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Well, Penny, I might let him survive for a week or two as you like him so much. Happy to amuse…
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It seems we’re all having fun with your photo today, CE 🙂 It took me a minute to realize the cat was the MC here. Had me smiling the whole rest of the way!
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Glad you enjoyed it!
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Non, non, non et non ! Tu laisses ce joli chat noir tranquille. Mais tu peux tuer Tony Casquette .
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T’inquiète pas, le seul en danger est the Cool Cat, Tony Casquette
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They’re heading for a cat fight – or should that be a tom fight? Whatever, it doesn’t bode well!
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I always bring a Doberman to a cat fight, Keith
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Sounds like its going to be a hunt! 😉
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Ya never know!
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Just as I was warming to Portuguese Tony. I like to think he’s smart enough to see you coming and a violent game of cat and mouse will ensue!
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Yeah, we’ll see!
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Hope the bike has some horse power. This was a clever little take, CE.
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Thanks, Varad
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Very clever!
Too bad for Tony, I like the guy, cool cat.
He might have 9 lives…
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Yeah, and I might have 9 bullets…
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