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 Jean L. Hays.
© Jean L. Hays
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Tony, again
I meet Portuguese Tony.
First time since confinement.
He is, as they say, tired and emotional, so rambling more than usual.
Which is a lot.
I ask about Rafa, a mutual friend, ex-propriétaire of the little café in the square.
Tony excitedly slurs through an incomprehensible tale of guns and gangsters.
His French is excruciating.
Then his fingers make the shape of a gun.
Bam!
Who? I ask.
Rafa!
I shake my head, Rafa is a sweet guy, totally non-violent.
Then Tony, to my astonishment, utters the first English words I’ve ever heard from him.
He’s pushing up da fishes.
Hmmm…pushing up fishes…I’ve heard swimming with the fishes and pushing up daisies, but neer the two mixed.
Ronda
I did feel for the fish, 🙂
I wanna meet this guy!
Nice one, Tony is back amusing us all.
The proverbial bad penny, not easy to get rid of!
I probably shouldn’t be laughing at poor Rafa, but that last line was hilarious 🙂
Laughing is good, Linda, Rafa won’t mind!
Wonderfully told. Some messages are easily received in any language. Tony made it clear.
Thanks, Bill, much appreciated. Yes, he got his message across, albeit a tad garbled.
You’re welcome, CE.
“He’s pushing up da fishes” – well, he tried!
Nobody’s perfect, and certainly not Tony!
I don’t know about Tony from France…seems I hear a hint of a Brooklyn accent in those lines…he is quite the character! A fun read.
Glad you enjoyed, he is pretty amusing
Sounds like a good gangster movie. Hoping for a sequel.
Thank you, but I think I’m done with sequels for a while
I wonder if you are mixing with the wrong crowd these days?
What do you mean ‘these days’, James?
Yay the #savetony worked! I imagine his English gets lost in translation.
Everything he says gets lost in translation, Tannille, regardless of language!
True!
it looks like had a lot to drink already. 🙂
Yep, where I come from, that’s what ‘tired and emotional’ means!
I love this story. Tony is very well characterized.
He is an interesting dude, for sure!
Poor Tony. Well, them fishes may not like being pushed, I say … 😉
It seems he is indestructible, Na’ama
Good to see him out and about again. Looks like he’s been practising his language skills during the lockdown. And a few other of his attributes.
Well, Sandra, he has very few attributes to practise.
I love the portrayal of the different characters and the backdrop of your story. Do you live in France?
Thank you, Gabriella, I’m glad it worked for you.
Yes, I do, I’ve been here more than 7 years now.
Good for Tony – at least he tries to talk idiomatically!
Oh, Liz, he tries all sorts of things…
Easy mistaka to maka, peixes e margaridas are easily confused!
D’you think we could introduce him to Rosey, Keith?
Mmmm, not sure!
haha! I love the last line, Tony’s language skills are top notch, maybe he should practice those a little more than his aim!
Yep, Jen, he can talk rubbish in several languages now!
Everyone’s favourite gangster, glad to see Tony is flourishing, even in lockdown, and has managed to use the time to learn a new language!
I think ‘learn’ is maybe too strong a word, Iain!
I’m not going to be the one to tell him he’s getting it wrong.
What a great read! These are such vivid characters, CE.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thanks, Susan
Dear CE,
Now I’ll have that line running through my head, “Lou Cabrini sleeps wit da fishses.” LOL. Glad Tony’s working on his English. You made me laugh.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Happy you had a chuckle, m’lady
It’s unjust that with Covid in the air, peeps should die of gun shots 😉 🙂 Lovely little piece that make me smile. 😀
Glad you enjoyed, JJ
Been watching too many gangster movies I think!! Good to see P Tony once more
Just not quite grasped the concept, has he!
Too True
And a delightfully poetic first stab at English it is
About as good as his French!