Day: June 19, 2021

Close But No Cigar

Fandango13 Comments

Paula was a very good photographer who worked for a small town newspaper. She had an eye for detail and great photographic artistry.

She was excited to learn that some of her photographs had been noticed by a photography magazine editor. He sent her an email saying how impressed he was with her technique and wanted to know if she would be interested in coming in for an interview. She responded that she would be keen to meet with him.

Within a few days, the magazine editor called Paula and they discussed and agreed upon a timeline for the interview. Paula was thrilled because, if she got the job, it would be a big promotion for her.

But as luck would have it, the day before Paula’s first interview was scheduled, she received a call from the magazine’s publisher. “Unfortunately, Paula, the editor has been fired due to some financial chicanery on his part and, as a result, we are freezing any new hiring for the time being. However, we will keep your resume on file should the hiring freeze be lifted.”

Well, okay, then, Paula thought. Close but no cigar. I guess I’ll have to put myself back on the market to find another opportunity.

Written for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (technique), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (keen), MMA Storytime (timeline), The Daily Spur (promotion), Your Daily Word Prompt (chicanery), and Ragtag Dailt Prompt (market finds). Photo credit: jwblinn at Shutterstock.com

First Line Friday/Weekend Writing Prompt

Fandango16 Comments

The café began to feel like her only real home. On the outside, she was a loner, but at the café, she became part of a small group of bloggers who took advantage of the free WiFi. She was no longer a lonely woman, unknown to most. She was accepted by the café bloggers and had become highly regarded by other bloggers around the globe.

(Exactly 65 words)

Written for the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie First Line Friday prompt, where the line is “The cafe began to feel like her only real home.”

Also for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, where the word is “unknown” in exactly 65 words.

SoCS — Switch Hitter

Fandango6 Comments

For this week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt from Linda G. Hill, we’ve been given “hat” “het,” “hit,” “hot,” and “hut,” and instructed us to “choose one, choose ’em all, and to put ’em in your post.” And with that said, I came up with this silly bit of slice-of-life nonsense.

I couldn’t help but notice this wickedly beautiful young woman coming out of a Sunglass Hut store. She was wearing this sexy fedora-like hat, and man oh man, did she look hot. I boldly walked up to her and said, “Hi, my name is Daniel. I love your fedora hat.”

She smiled at me. Or maybe it was more of a smirk. It was hard to know for sure. “Are you trying to hit on me, Daniel?” she asked.

“Actually I am,” I said. “You are one hot chick and I’d love to spend the next few hours getting to know you better.” I extended my hand to her and asked her what her name was.

“My name is Sappho,” she said. “Does that surprise you?”

“It’s a beautiful name,” I said. “Unusual, but beautiful. You were named after the ancient Greek poet from the island of Lesbos, right?”

This time I could tell that her smile was truly a smile and not a smirk. “So you know a little bit about ancient Greek culture, I see. I am impressed, Daniel. But Sappho is not my given name. It’s actually the name I gave myself after I came out,” she said. “So if you’re trying to hit on me, and you know who my namesake was, you must also know that I am not heterosexual. I prefer spending my free time with women.”

“So do I, Sappho,” I said. “But you can’t blame a guy for trying. And even though you play for the other side, so to speak, I do think you’re really hot and you wear that fedora hat quite fetchingly. I’d still like to offer to take you out for a drink. Whaddya say, Sappho?”

Sappho thought for a moment. Then she agreed to have a no-strings-attached drink with Daniel. “You seem like a nice and reasonably intelligent guy,” she said, “and so I’ll agree to your offer. But just be aware, Daniel, that I’m not a switch hitter.”

Photo credit: chictopia.com.

FOWC with Fandango — Keen

Fandango20 Comments

FOWCWelcome to June 19, 2021 and to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). It’s designed to fill the void after WordPress bailed on its daily one-word prompt.

I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (US).

Today’s word is “keen.”

Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.

Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Please check to confirm that your pingback is there. If not, please manually add your link in the comments.

And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. You will marvel at their creativity.