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.
And the prompt photo, which this week is provided courtesy of Dale Rogerson.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
© Dale Rogerson
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
Colour Blind
Susie is intelligent, funny, and achingly beautiful.
Our wedding is planned for September.
I am beyond happiness.
In the street we meet a cousin I haven’t seen for a while.
She introduces her fiancé.
Later I say to Susie ‘Tom is great, yeah, smart, serious, and he obviously adores Mary’.
She shrugs ‘Hmm, I guess’.
I am surprised.
‘Did I miss something?’
‘You know’, she says.
I look blankly at her.
‘Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter’, she says.
Now I am praying she doesn’t mean what I think.
But she does.
And the lights in my life go out.
I didn’t catch the meaning of your story at first either. I should have in today’s climate. It’s getting worse instead of better. Really well done, C.E. —- Suzanne
I love what you’ve done here. And the title is so important because initially I didn’t read it. I read the story twice and then looked and had a “duh” moment. This is wonderful, C.E. I don’t know that it’s the same in France or the UK, but here in the States, people’s true selves are being shown and it’s not a pretty sight. Your story shows why.
Thank you, Sascha, for your kind words. I am sad to say the problem of prejudice, or bigotry, seems to be universal. Sometimes it is for pseudo-religious reasons as in Ireland and, to my great shame, Scotland, with the Catholic/Protestant divide, or it is antisemitism, anti-Muslim or anti-anything that is different. And sometimes it is just a question of skin colour. And we are all to blame, to varying degrees.
Nicely done!
Thank you, Lisa
I read this twice hoping the narrator had realized something different but alas. Your stories are always wonderfully told
There are people who see the superficial and have no interest in what lies behind it.
As you say, alas.
Thank you for your too kind words, very much appreciated.
I love your stories, powerful subjects yet gently written and food for thought. Though it’s incredibly sad to find out your significant other has a prejudice that cannot be overlooked or lived with, it’s best he found out before they were married.
Comments like this, Brenda, lift my heart and cheer my soul.
Your kind words, and your understanding of what I try to do, are hugely appreciated.
Nicely done!
Thank you, Tina
Very sad. And so much unsaid. beautifully delivered as usual.
Thank you, Patrick, much appreciated
I don’t think I’ve ever read a story so many times – I should have taken more notice of the title from the outset! Nice one CE
Sorry, Keith, your finger must be exhausted!
I like how this makes you think about what we like and dislike. When does it it beome a prejudice: in our thoughts or by our actions.
Thanks, James, if I make someone think about these issues then I feel that I have achieved something.
It took a little time to get it (Thanks to the comments).
It seems I was not to clear this week!
The title was a great clue. Some people have a hard time accepting mixed-race relationships. At least the MC found out about Susie’s narrow views before he married her.
Thanks, Russell.
Just saying that bigotry affects us all in different ways, and it is never acceptable.
Ah, thanks to pennygad’s comment and re-reading the title I think I understand what’s going on here. I reckon the wedding’s off.
Yes, it appears I was rather too vague this week, the clues not doing their job!
I have always been very aware of the ‘crime’ of being different, and I try to ridicule these prejudices whenever possible.
So Tom adores Susie too and Susie appreciates the gesture? Any you are still marrying her in September?
Um, no, no and no, Abhijit!
In fact, as the title suggests, this is a case of simple prejudice.
So everything is fine and September marriage is on?
Laughing. That was the third ‘no’ in my reply, Abhijit.
I attempted and, it seems, failed to highlight the damage done when someone, in this case Tom, is rejected because of what, and not who, he is.
To quote your narrator, did I miss something? I don’t understand what happened? Did she have a previous relationship with Tom? Or did she kill him? Is Tom a robot from the future? Is somebody a robot from the future? May I be a robot from the future?
All great ideas, but sadly not what I had in mind!
The much more insidious human problem, as hinted at in the title, of bigotry based on ethnic background.
And yes, you write fiction, so you can be anything you want!
That shows where my mind is. Even with the hint from the title, my thoughts went to robot from the future before bigotry. It didn’t even cross my mind. Thanks for the explanation. I can appreciate the story much more now. Well done.
Still laughing.
I have no idea why on earth (or elsewhere) you thought of future robots.
To quote Nobbinmaug ‘It didn’t even cross my mind.’
Have a bizarre weekend.
Every day’s weird in the life of Nobbinmaug.
Relationships, are, well they are, nicely told.
Until they aren’t, Mike.
Thank you
It was all going so well until then… Some things are just too good to be true I guess.
As Scots we are all too aware of these vile and pointless schisms in our society
Oh, no! What an upset!
I love the clever way you’ve told this story, leaning on the title to ensure that the reader understands what you’re saying.
Oh thank you, Penny!
I was just thinking I had been too subtle this time, but you got it exactly right!
What a thought provoking story. Deft writing!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thank you, Susan, I tried not to spell it out, but to let the reader work out why Tom was unacceptable to her.
She’s a deceptive one! 😉
Perhaps not even intentionally. People with these crass biases often assume that others are the same.
Dear CE,
That last line cuts to the quick. Things aren’t always what they seem, are they?
Shalom,
Rochelle
We don’t expect our beloved to have the baser human shortcomings, do we, m’lady?
Never hurts to do a little background check… before you get in too deep, I mean.
But when we are besotted, Sandra, we see and hear only what we want
Ouch!
Nicely expressed!
A poignant tale. Perhaps the narrator should have been a bit more curious about Susie’s past.
Perhaps love is blind, Neil
Consider that…. nah