© Jeff Arnold
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture below, which this week is supplied by Jeff Arnold.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Portuguese Tony
I’m sorry, old friend, but this is it.
You are becoming more aggravating with each story.
I ignored your dealings with the gangsters.
I turned a blind eye to your philandering with my lady love.
Teaching her to dance, indeed!
But then, after our last encounter, I ended up in hospital.
I’m the writer, I created you, I can eliminate you whenever I choose.
No, don’t argue, it’s over.
Oh, I don’t know, maybe a heart attack?
Watch where you’re going, Tony!
Oh dear.
Looks like the bus to St Tropez is going to be late today.
Just like Tony.
Sound Bite Fiction 
Tony is pretending to be dead. Should a get Tony for his performance 🙂
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Groan!
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Love the premise of the author haggling with one of his characters. A glimpse of a slightly surreal world we never see as innocent readers when we choose a book to read.
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Thank you, dear lady, but don’t you think that writing is often slightly surreal?
We create characters and then watch them wander off by themselves, doing their own thing, developing a whole new, and very different, personality than that which we intended.
Did I say that aloud?
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I have a feeling Portuguese Tony will somehow make it through and reappear when you least expect him. Sorry, it’s inevitable. =)
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{Sigh…}
It seems to be heading that way, doesn’t it…
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That’s half the fun is making your character real. Save Tony and one day he’ll save you. 🙂
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Or else he’ll be the death of me!
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Be kind. 🙂
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Begs the question if you can create a too real character?!
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It seems he has more fans than I do!
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Well I suppose that if his fans keep coming back for him, they’re reading you, so that’s a win.
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Laughing.
Not great for the ego though, is it?
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Love it when a character becomes real.
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This was never my intention, James, I did not plan to be Dr Frankenstein!
But yes, it is entertaining to see how much support he gets.
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Is that like Tony as in Tony from The Sopranos?
Tony got a lot of power.
But then again, our characters do wield a lot of power – time and concentration – in our minds.
But killing them off, could be a bit suicidal too. Have to be careful there, you know.
Good luck,
Randy
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No, it is Tony as in Portuguese Tony, aka Tony Casquette, who has featured several times in my tales.
And, judging from earlier comments, he has his own sodding fan club!
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Great little argument in your head, poor old Tony, he doesn’t stand a chance, however tough he thinks he is.
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Poor old Tony?
He is a rascal and a survivor!
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Lovely, the writing that is.
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Thanks, Mike, that is much appreciated
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Tony is a great character. Of course, his demise doesn’t stop you from telling stories about his earlier life…
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Thanks, Penny, judging from the other comments he is not going to bow out gracefully
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Great fun! But why don’t you sell him on, maybe to a writer of romantic fiction? That’d create a fine mess!
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Believe me, no sensible writer would touch him with a bargepole, he is nothing but trouble!
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sounds like a character worth keeping for awhile to keep the juice going. 🙂
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Laughing. He’s been around too long already, he’s getting on my nerves!
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Loved the play on “late” 🙂 But I’m gonna miss Tony…
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Thanks, Ali, watch this space…
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I think the loss of Tony will be too much to bear. Perhaps he was just injured, or maybe zombie Portuguese Tony will be a whole new chapter!
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Laughing.
Too much to bear!
As the song says, Oh Clare…
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I’m starting a petition to keep Tony.
Sign here ……
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I suspect he won’t need much encouragement, Keith
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You created him, you’re going to find it hard to get rid of him. This isn’t the end… more like a pause, I feel.
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Et tu, Sandra?
Will no one rid me of this turbulent Portuguese?
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LOL love it, thanks!
Ronda
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Thank you, Ronda, happy you enjoyed
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This is not the end of Tony… he can still talk as a quadriplegic,
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He already has a motormouth, Bjorn!
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Poor old Tony. But he’s not dead. He messed up the bus something awful, but he came away in one piece. Sort of.
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C’mon, Linda, gimme a break!
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Okay. I won’t make up a different ending next week 🙂
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I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of Portuguese Tony. He has more lives than Dr. Who.
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He is no more, he has gone to meet his maker, he is a late Tony!
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Wait… Aren’t you his maker?
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Ah, that’s a Monty Python quote that everyone in the UK would understand!
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I see. My life has been sadly bereft of Monty Python. I did watch “The Life Of Brian” and “The Holy Grail” recently.
I still think Tony’s stunned or pining for the fields.
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Apparently discussing your own demise can be distracting. You make it funny, and funny is what we can all use right now.
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Thanks, Andy, got to keep laughing, don’t we
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I felt sure he was going to be coughed on and catch the virus. He will return to haunt you, I have no doubt.
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It seems public feeling is on his side!
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Oh no! You’ve killed him off? No more Portuguese Tony stories? Really? 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Yes, really. Definitely. Probably…
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That’s the blessing of creativity. You can eliminate the unwanted!😊
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I’d like to think so, but I’m not so sure…
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Well, we can’t say he didn’t have it coming. Though I also can’t imagine he won’t be back. You can’t keep a bad man down! Hope you’re keeping well, C
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This seems to be the unacceptable face of writing!
No one will let him go, quietly or otherwise.
I’m cool, thanks, Lynn
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I don’t know. I think Tony is a big enough character that it’s take more than a bus to make him “the late Portuguese Tony”…
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Yeah, we’ll see…
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Writers are really powerful.
But, when characters steal ladylove, there has to be encounter 🙂
Stay home!
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Thank you, Anita
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Dear CE,
Have you seen the move “Stranger than Fiction”? I’d say the author has created a monster…he can stab it with his steely knife but he just can’t kill the beast. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I immediately thought of “Stranger Than Fiction,” too. I love that movie.
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Um, no, m’lady, I haven’t…
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I normally don’t care for the actor Will Ferrell, but I think every author should see the movie about the main character of a novel who comes to life and confronts the author who means to kill him off.
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Tony owns you – silly writer 😀
#savetony
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Laughing.
There will be no hashtag Save Tony Campaign!
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An erased writer. Nice one. From Tony 🙂
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Thanks, Tony!
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Save Tony. Save Tony. Save Tony
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Laughing.
Geez peace, man!
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