Thursday Inspiration

Thursday Inspiration — On the Brighter Side

Fandango7 Comments

“I bought the place because I want to keep it simple. I want to create a Bed & Breakfast that would offer real country comfort, you know what I’m saying?” Ted said.

“That sounds nice,” Ted’s cousin Mike said. “Do you believe you have the talent, though, to pull it off?”

“At the risk of sounding bellicose,” Ted said, “I will stop at nothing to pull it off.”

“Interesting,” Mike said. “By the way, I looked at the town inspection report on the property and there are some flagrant code violations, including a leak in the septic system that could be harmful to the ground water.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s going to be a major expense,” Ted admitted, “but on the brighter side, once all of those code violations are resolved, I’m going to have the best B&B in the state.”

Written for Jim Adams’ Thursday Inspiration prompt, where the word “brighter,” and the image above, are the prompts. Also for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (simple), Ragtag Daily Prompt (country comfort), Word of the Day Challenge (talent), Your Daily Word Prompt (bellicose), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (flagrant), and MMA Storytime (harmful).

Thursday Inspiration — Them’s the Breaks

Fandango8 Comments

“Those are some prodigious waves, aren’t they?” I said to my little girl on our weekend trip to the coast. “Do you see how that giant wave breaks against the rocks?”

Debbie looked at me and asked what ‘prodigious’ meant.

“Large,” I said, “remarkably so, titanic in size.”

“Titanic?” she asked. “Like that famous ship that sank?”

“Sort of,” I responded. The Titanic was a very large ship for its time. I doubt that there were any larger back then. Where did you hear about the Titanic, Debbie? Did you learn about it in school?”

“No, Daddy,” she said. “I watched the movie with Mom, silly.”

“Oh, she didn’t tell me that you watched that movie together.”

Since she threw you out of the house,” Debbie said, “you two barely speak to one another.” She let out a deep, disquiet sigh.

“The issues between your Mom and me have nothing to do with you, sweetie,” I said. “We both love you very much.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what your relationship coach told you to say, right?”

Written for Jim Adams’ Thursday Inspiration prompt and for these daily prompts: Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (prodigious/coach), The Daily Spur (weekend/doubt), Ragtag Daily Prompt (titanic), MMA Storytime (school), and Your Daily Word Prompt (disquiet).

Thursday Inspiration — The Partner

Fandango11 Comments

“He’s an antagonistic son of a bitch,” Jeremy said. “That guy is toxic.”

“Honey, don’t let your emotions get the best of you,” Barbara said. “You can’t exactly tell him it’s your way or the highway. He’s your business partner.”

“More like my nemesis,” Jeremy said. “First, he spent a ton of money buying junk bonds a few years back and when they defaulted, we lost everything. Then he paid way too much for what he called a nifty parcel of land near old Route 9, and the business doesn’t generate enough income to even pay the property taxes, which are due next week.” Jeremy put his head down in his hands.

“There must be something you can do,” Barbara said. “Can’t you just sit down with him and discuss the situation?”

“He’s so defensive and can be extremely volatile when confronted,” Jeremy said. “I think he is a dangerous man.”

“What about contacting the authorities, tell them he defrauded you, and have them arrest him and haul him off to jail?” Barbara asked.

“They’d probably tell me it’s my own fault for going into business with him.”

Barbara shrugged. “Well, it’s quite a dilemma. I certainly don’t covet your situation.”

Written for the Thursday Inspiration prompt, hosted for the first time by Jim Adams, where the theme is “jail.” Also for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (antagonistic/income), MMA Storytime (toxic/highway), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (emotions/nemesis), Ragtag Daily Prompt (junk/dangerous), Your Daily Word Prompt (nifty/covet), Word of the Day Challenge (parcel),

Thursday Inspiration — Over You

Fandango13 Comments

I was so into you
I could think of nothing else.
I just wanted to be next to you
So I could touch you all over
From head to toe
It was truly magical
For me, anyway

But then you started acting all queer
The times we spent together
Became, well turbulent
Your opinion of us as a couple
Changed dramatically
You called me clingy
And said you were
So over me

Written for Paula Light’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, where the theme is “over.” Also for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (touch), Word of the Day Challenge (queer), MMA Storytime (turbulent), Your Daily Word Prompt (opinion), and Ragtag Daily Prompt (cling).

This is Paula’s last Thursday Inspiration post. Jim Adams will be taking this prompt over, I assume starting next week.

The Big 7-0

Fandango10 Comments

“Can I tell you a secret?” Betsy asked.

“Of course you can,” Andrea responded.

“You have to promise not to tell,” Betsy said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Betsy. My lips will be sealed,” Andrea assured her friend. “So tell me, what’s your big secret?”

“It’s Fred’s seventieth birthday next month and I’m planning a big surprise party,” Betsy said. “I am going to confer with his poker, bowling, and golfing buddies to set the date and the place.”

“Oh, I’d forgotten that this was his 70th. That’s a biggie,” Andrea said.

“Indeed,” Betsy said. “That’s why I’m being so assiduous in my planning. And you know that Fred has been preoccupied with getting old ever since he retired. So I want this to be a celebration of his birthday, not an event that could cause him any trauma. I’m going to keep it low-key and not brandish any decorations or reminders that he’s reached seventy. It’s just another birthday, right?”

“I get it. But, Betsy,” Andrea said,” “he should be happy to have reached that ripe old age in the era of COVID.”

“You would think so, wouldn’t you?” Betsy said. “But this is Fred we’re talking about.”

Written for Paula Light’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, where the theme is secret.” And for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (birthday), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (confer), The Daily Spur (forgotten), Your Daily Word Prompt (assiduous), MMA Storytime (trauma), and Ragtag Daily Prompt (brandish).