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 Marie Gail Stratford.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
My Friend Gerry
Gerry is my best friend.
Actually he’s pretty much my only friend.
Some folk think I’m a bit weird.
Actually most folk think I’m very weird.
But Gerry doesn’t mind.
I guess you could say we’re on the same wavelength.
We have long conversations about all sorts of stuff.
Rugby. Girls. Books. Girls. Music. Girls. Politics. Girls.
So, pretty much everything there is to talk about.
I say ‘we’, but Gerry rarely speaks.
When he does it’s probably deeply insightful.
Sadly it’s also totally unintelligible.
Did I mention that Gerry’s a Gerbil?
I did say some folk think I’m weird.
Sound Bite Fiction 
Pets are considered family these days so this isn’t too weird at all.
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I absolutely adore your little sound bites.
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A lovely self-contained story. Gerry is the perfect friend, never talks back, keeps running in his wheel with blithe disregard for life’s Big Issues.
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I don’t think it’s weird. Many people talk to their pets as it allows them emotional release and also allows them to affirm their vision of life. I read that Prince Charles talks to plants, but then he would wouldn’t he.
No talking to pets is not weird, it is just madness creeping in.
I like how the story led me along waiting for a reply from Gerry – I wonder what Gerry thinks, probably a soothing voice will send him to sleep.
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I talk to my plants in French, can’t expect them to understand a foreign language! I suspect Gerry can sleep with his eyes open.
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Gerry, the perfect listener.
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Almost never interrupts, Ali!
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Lovely, Gerry sounds perfect
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The patience of a saint!
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Poor guy, talking to a gerbil about girls is well peculiar to say the least! Good stuff
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Hey, gerbils are people too, y’know!
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And people are gerbils…
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Gerry is my type of friend.
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The strong silent type!
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You know the value of words. They are safe with Gerry.
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Thank you for the kind comment, Oneta, and welcome to Sound Bite Fiction.
I hope this is the first of many visits.
And yes, Gerry is generally pretty tight-lipped.
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Dunnow, sounds to me like Gerry is a pretty good companion … 😉
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Yeah, he’s a pretty cool dude, Na’ama
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And … he doesn’t interrupt! 🙂
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I wonder what Gerry the Gerbil has to say about politics. Bet it’s a lot more interesting than what we get on the telly.
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He thinks all politicians are rats.
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All in the family then . . . 😀
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Sounds like me and my cats. I thought for sure Gerry was going to be an alter ego that does bad things.
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Y’see, you do get ahead of yourself and try to second guess, don’t you!
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Yes, I do, but it’s based on your past stories, so not out of the blue. Admit it, you were considering that end weren’t you.
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Actually no, but I have just read a story about a talking alpaca, which might have influenced me!
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🙂
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I like the sound of Gerry.
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He’s pretty cool, Liz
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I had a conversation with my cheese plant last night, took a photo of her too. Say cheese I said. She didn’t respond.
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Maybe she finds you a bit silly, Keith.
Cheese plants are pretty serious dudes.
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J’aime les gens bizarres, je parle à mes chats et très souvent ils me repondent . Est-ce que je suis bizarre ? 🤔
Toute mignonne ton histoire .❣
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Oui, Madame, même tes chats te trouvent bizarre.
Ils me l’ont dit eux-mêmes.
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I hope there’s a girl gerbil somewhere for Gerry 🙂
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Then he’ll leave me!
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🙂
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Giggles… great one, had me hooked. hubby’s been calling me weird because I talk to my fish. they even come to the front of the aquarium when I do. All I can say is that when you’re home alone all day and most of the night….
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Um, sorry, Bear, I’m kinda with hubby here!
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hehe! Katmandu (green cory) says: “Glub, glub!” HAhaa!
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Dear CE,
Some of the best friends are wrapped in fur. They’re non-judgmental. At least he has someone.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As The Blues Brothers said, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love …
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Best conversations are often with pets. At least he doesn’t feel lonely.
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Only lonely on the inside…
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We had gerbils when I was a kid, I’m sure I must have chatted to them. Don’t ever remember them answering back. I do remember them biting my fingers quite a lot.
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Gerry doesn’t bite.
Well, not much…
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So many of my best conversations have been with gerbils. And cats… and dogs. Maybe I should get out more.
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Yes, and take your budgie for a walk, maybe?
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You made a whole character sketch in so few words. I think Gerry’s keeping him sane and alive.
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Thanks, JJ.
Sane?
Really?
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Sane, yes. Don’t we all talk to ourselves? Are we insane then? He’s projecting to an animal what we project to ourselves.
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It could have been so much worse. He could have chosen an imaginary friend. He’s pretty grounded
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Sane as a parrot, Neil!
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