Friday Fictioneers–After Midnight

One of the great difficulties of writing is to make every word count.  Writing a story, or the introduction to a story, in 100 precisely-chosen words,  is a great way to practice that skill.  If you like to write, join us.  We are kind and helpful.
If you like to read, join us.  Our stories are diverse!  Click on the blue link critter at the very end, sit back and enjoy your travels.

(I’ll be traveling Friday-Monday, so it may take me some time to get to your story.  But I will.  Happy Easter or Passover to all of you.)

All three sayings in my story are from our family lexicon, the name has been changed to protect the innocent and, thankfully, the advice was heeded and the story is complete fiction.  Thanks, Rochelle, for the picture.

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After Midnight

“Nothing good happens after midnight” and “Never take a drink you haven’t seen someone open.” Dad’s oft-repeated sayings, sometimes accompanied by Francesca’s surreptitious eye-rolls.   Hot from dancing, she’d gulped from an extended glass, then felt woozy.  Gathering her wits to decline an offered ride, she called Dad, knowing he’d be up until she got home.

She half-sobbed,” I’m sorry.  Are you mad?”

“Stay right there, I’m on my way. You’re fortunate nothing happened and too smart to do it again.”  Then, as he did nightly, he added, “Dad loves Francesca.”

The passing headlights glowed in the warm darkness like nightlights.

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After Midnight

Blogging in the bathroom

OK, I’m not actually blogging in the bathroom but while I was brushing my teeth, a blog subject did pop in my mind….Menards. Menards, for those of you who don’t know, is a huge “hardware chain”, according to Google. (Menards is also one of those words that I have to look up to determine whether or not it uses an apostrophe–the grammar nazi in me screaming in my ear that I’d better get it right.. These possible traps are everywhere–Applebees/Applebee’s, T.G.I. Friday’s…you get the idea.) At least TJMaxx uses X’s, but do they use periods (T.J. Maxx); is it one word (TJMaxx)…the chances of a grammar faux pas abound.

Menards resembles a hardware store the way my lawn resembles the Super Bowl turf (if played on turf.) A Menards store is about an acre of everything you ever thought you could want for the house, yard, garden, garage…even snacks for game day and who knows what else? I have no doubt Menards also sells things even guys haven’t thought of, although it is the quintessential men’s store. You can go there and buy everything you want in just one place, no need to really shop. To top it all off, the prices are pretty good, too. This is the kind of shopping my husband likes–go in, stagger around the store until you find everything on your non-existent list, pick up a few things you didn’t know you needed, pay, then leave. Go home and attempt to install.

This is diametrically opposed to most female shopping. My husband was irrevocably scarred after he went with our older daughter to buy a sweater. They arrived, she found a sweater, then proceeded to grab a bunch of other clothes to try on. My husband was incredulous. She had what she came for. Wasn’t it time to leave? However, her idea was that she was there, with all those clothes, so why not try on a bunch of them? Venus and Mars, no doubt about it.

There actually is a reason I thought about Menards while brushing my teeth. While visiting my best friend, I noticed the cool mesh drain protectors in her sinks. She told me she’d gotten them at Menards, so I got some. Looking at them tonight gave me a blog moment. They’re everywhere, you know (blog moments, that is, not mesh drain protectors.)