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The fun begins again or rather continues as the Fictioneers get busy. Thank you Madison Woods for this amazing fun every Friday. Dear readers and Fictioneers, have fun with this prompt from Madison, courtesy of Doug Mcilroy, as you visit other blogs too. A tough one if ever there was one!! Somehow, I have the feeling that I haven’t produced my best this time. You be the judge, dear friends.
My Pilot
He said he wanted to be a pilot, like his father. He loved airplanes, indeed anything that flew in the skies got him excited. As a child he watched the birds as they sped past and laughed at those that settled on the mango tree behind our house, chirping sweet but mournful tunes. Perhaps, theĀ mournful tone should have warned me. But he was only a child then.
Fulfilling his dreams, Kofi soared above the mountains, in his glory gliding dangerously above the glassy plateau until the crash. My son!
Craig Towsley said:
I liked the line about the birds and the alliteration “glory gliding..glassy”
But then I want to know what kind of birds were they? Little details like that might pull me in closer, you know?
Reading Pleasure said:
Oh Craig, thanks for your comments. But frankly I don’t know about birds, not any exotic one, anyway and I didn’t think I had to name any. Could you suggest some?
Craig Towsley said:
You didn’t have to name any, I just think it might make the image more vivid. Google is my best friend when writing, it knows everything, hahaha.
Reading Pleasure said:
Now why didn’t I think of that? Thanks, Craig. LOL!
ThelisteningVoice said:
What an anti-climax for a protagonist (hero) who had big dreams of being a pilot only to loose his gentle soul in a crash š¦
Reading Pleasure said:
Yeah, I agree. Sometimes, life is like that. Sad isn’t it?
alzaquan said:
Was wonderful to connect the crash, back to a child viewing the planes and birds in a romanticized way.
Reading Pleasure said:
That was the idea. Glad you caught on. Many thanks for the comment.
dmmacilroy said:
This was a hymn to human’s strengths and, ultimately, their frailty. Loved your alliteration and the connection to the birds of his youth. The mother’s lamentation at the end…heartbreaking.
Aloha,
Doug
Reading Pleasure said:
Thank you, kind sir. You really gave us a tough one. Or should I say me?
unspywriter said:
As a pilot myself, I can say you’ve aptly described the emotions we have about wanting to fly. I felt myself soaring with him, but the ending was not what pilots like to see. I loved the alliteration–“glory gliding…glassy.” Very nice. –Maggie
Here’s mine: http://unspywriter.wordpress.com/friday-fictioneers/expendable/
Reading Pleasure said:
OMG! Maggie, that’s wonderful, Never knew you are a pilot. We don’t have a lot of female pilots in Ghana. I agree that pilots would never want to crash, but sometimes like is like that and the unexpected happens. Many thanks for coming over, Celestine.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said:
Poignant. I hurt for the mother.
Reading Pleasure said:
Me too. Thanks for stopping by.
TheOthers1 said:
Aw, mama. Seeing a son grow up to realize his dream. I enjoyed this immensely. A picture of him as a child morphing into a man. Very nice.
My linky: http://unduecreativity.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/the-beautiful-hush/
TheOthers1 said:
I know this is a sad tale, but I still liked reading the progression even if the ending isn’t so happy.
Reading Pleasure said:
It’s the dream of every mother to see her child grow up into adulthood, fulfiling his dreams. But life can be funny at times.
Linda Parkinson-Hardman said:
Nice alteration and a lovely juxtaposition between the child’s perspective and the adult reality.
Here’s mine for anyone else that happens along: http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/06/01/friday-fictioneers-too-near-the-sun/
Reading Pleasure said:
Many thanks for stopping by to comment.
boomiebol said:
My heart soared as I read it…I honesstly didn’t see that ending and I felt it (my heart) drop with the last paragraph…great job as always :). Well done, I wonder how you guys do it…
Reading Pleasure said:
Thanks, Boomie. You can do it too, really. I’ll be happy to see you on FF.
flyoverhere said:
A mother’s reflection. I get a sense that she is going over in her mind the events in her son’s life that she could perhaps have used to somehow change the outcome. I know that as a mother and grandmother I am constantly looking for ways of heading off disaster for all my children.
Reading Pleasure said:
You’re so right. We will always be mothers, no matter how old our children, worrying on their behalf and looking out for them . Thank you very much.
Joanna (Lazuli Portals) said:
Oh sad! But also dream fulfilment, so a life lived well.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment on ours:
http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/time-is-running-out (160 words, this week)
Reading Pleasure said:
I agree. You’re welcome.
theforgottenwife said:
A sad story, but you have to assume that he died happy. Well done. Thank you so much for coming by to comment on mine: http://theforgottenwife.com/2012/05/30/friday-fictioneers-1-june-2012-the-conquerer/
Reading Pleasure said:
I agree; the pleasure is mine. I enjoyed your post.
Carlos Repuesto de la Tabla said:
This was a beautiful story, imbued with a tragic sense of fate. The birds’ “sweet but mournful tunes” that she should have paid attention to was a sublime touch.
Reading Pleasure said:
Gracias! Much appreicated!
tedstrutz said:
I liked your story… I’m wondering exactly what Kofi did… not so sure it was an airplane…
http://tedstrutz.com/2012/06/01/friday-fictioneers-one-natural-disaster-on-its-way/
tedstrutz said:
Do not tell me that is your writing space at top!
Reading Pleasure said:
My oh my! It is! LOL!
Reading Pleasure said:
Well, it is an airplane. He grew up to fulfil his dream and died in a plane crash!
Karmic Diva said:
Ironically he died living his dream. Very creative.
Mine is at: http://karmicdiva.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/friday-fictioneers-530-via-madison-woods/
Reading Pleasure said:
Thank you, Karmic Diva.
Brandon Scott said:
I find myself wondering if his fate was the same as his father. That would be truly following in his father’s footsteps. Nicely told.
http://authorbrandonscott.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/be-warned/
Reading Pleasure said:
Probably. I dare not go there because of the 100 word limit. Thank you.
mysocalledDutchlife said:
Even if she had paid attention to the mournful tunes, his life was his own to pursue. So sad and agonising, but you can feel how loved he was/is. You’re so very good at tugging the heartstrings!
Thanks for stopping by me already š : http://mysocalleddutchlife.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/friday-fictioneers-1st-june/
Reading Pleasure said:
I agree. And thanks for your wonderful words.
erinleary said:
Heartfelt and poignant – a mother’s loss is a universal sadness.
Mine is here: http://erinleary.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/flash-friday-fiction-3/
Reading Pleasure said:
I agree with you. Much appreciation for stopping by.
elmowrites said:
I love your description of the childish dreams, and the sense of foreboding you weave into the whole piece. It flowed well towards the young man’s fate, but I felt the last paragraph was a bit rushed and I didn’t get on with the final exclamation. I knew it was her son, and after such a calm report, this felt out of place to be.
If this is what you come up with when you struggle with the prompt, it shows what a talent you have for description.
I’m over here: http://elmowrites.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/friday-fiction-guilt-trip/
Reading Pleasure said:
I am grateful for your comments and happy that you love my descriptions, but I do feel that ‘my son’ is there for eemphasis, to stress her loss in a more poignant manner. LOL!
Janet said:
At least he died fulfilling his dream.
Reading Pleasure said:
Yeah. Thanks for stopping by
Sheila said:
Oh, the helplessness of the mother as we watch our children leave the nest in pursuit of their dreams. Great description & story.
Reading Pleasure said:
Thank you very much!
Jess Schira said:
At least he was doing what he loved when it ended. That’s how I would chose to go. Excellent job!
http://whimsicalquestsofacuriousmind.blogspot.com/
Reading Pleasure said:
Oh my! (I am laughing here) Thank you very much.
Scott Hays said:
I reluctantly would like to take exception with a comment that precedes this one … the death of a son is a tragic event, and its admission doesn’t come easily or flow smoothly from the heart. The final, “rushed” paragraph is more of an eruption of emotion than it is a flaw in the writing. At first, I was tempted to suggest make “My son!” a separate paragraph … but now I think it works best as part of that last, raw paragraph. Thanks for visiting mine, which others might view at http://scottcheck.blogspot.com/2012/06/desolation.html
Reading Pleasure said:
Thank you dear Scot for coming to my aid. Much appreciated.
Atiya said:
I didn’t find anything wrong with the last paragraph either. I went back and re-read it just to see, and I was at a loss. You’ve done a beautiful job portraying the Mom in this. I could smile along with her in the first paragraph.
Because I’m such a geek my first thought was that this was going to be like Star Wars episode 4 where Luke wanted to be like his father. I don’t know that’s just where I went. Don’t mind me. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I’m going to leave the link for others to follow: http://remakingme-atiyatownes.blogspot.com/2012/06/friday-flash-fiction-start-day.html
Reading Pleasure said:
Many thanks to you Atiya for the endorsement. Star Wars? Huh! I’m lost there, never watched any though my kids rave about it all the time. LOL!
Nifti said:
awww… I like it..!
check mine out: http://niftitalks.com/2012/06/01/a-prayer/
readinpleasure said:
Thanks, Nifti. Glad to see you on board. Off to yurs.
silentlyheardonce said:
Very nice. Encouraging for your son to do amazing things.
readinpleasure said:
Thanks!
Amanda Gray said:
Well writen and so bitersweet.
readinpleasure said:
Many thanks for the visit.
Gilly Gee said:
So beautifully written and very emotive Celestine!
readinpleasure said:
Glad for your appreciation, Gilly.
Susan Wenzel (@SusanWenzel) said:
Ah…what a hard choice for a parent to make. Clip the wings and quash the spirit…or take the chance and let them soar.
~Susan (www.susanwenzel.com)
readinpleasure said:
Beautifully and aptly captured, Susan. Thanks a mil!
Brian Benoit said:
The little detail of the bird on the mango tree really sold this for me, and made the reality of the story and the mother’s memory so much more concrete. Great consistent voice throughout, too. Nice Job!
Brian (thanks also for commenting on mine!)
readinpleasure said:
Thank you so much, kind sir.
Carrie said:
Reminds me of the tale of Icarus. Except this time it is the mother mourning her child who has crashed to the ground. Very nice
readinpleasure said:
Yeah, was reminded of it too. Glad you came over.
George Weaver said:
Hey, RP, you’re good. Would never have thought about handling it this way. Wonderful juxtaposition there. I really liked the sweet vision of the child, for a change, since folks almost always give themselves away right off. You’re good with this FF stuff. š I’ve seen your comments on Boomie’s blog and meant to follow for awhile. Glad I came here.
readinpleasure said:
Now you have made me swollen headed with so much praise. But I am tickled…….black! Thanks a mil for such lovely words and the follow.
readinpleasure said:
Will be paying you a visit soon
Kwadwo said:
OK. I didn’t see that coming.
The crash? That was really hard on me. As if it was my own son.
Good job. Nevertheless, I still think a writer’s gut feeling about their work surpasses whatever readers think so if you feel dissatisfied with your work, modify it until you are happy with it.
My link: http://logo-ligi.com/2012/06/01/the-standpoint/
readinpleasure said:
Thanks, Kwadwo for the advice. Glad you stopped by.
Lindaura Glamoura said:
This was a beautiful and touching story. That last phrase: “My son!” so full of misery. You have written gorgeously, with every detail concise, but compelling. Bravo!
Thank you for your comments on mine.
As ever,
Lindaura
and for those who have not been there yet: http://fictionvictimtoo.blogspot.com
readinpleasure said:
I am honoured, Lindaura. Gracias!
Mike said:
A lovely story with an almost inevitable sad ending.
readinpleasure said:
Many thanks, Mike.
dbfurches said:
What a sad, haunting melody of a story!
http://stonesoupnovelist.com/2012/05/31/a-scene-something-on-the-horizon/
readinpleasure said:
‘haunting melody’ I like that. Thank you for commenting.
Kathy McClure said:
Ouch, ouch, ouch… again, ouch. I have a child who, when she was young, this sort of thing was a genuine fear for me, because she had no fear.
Kathy
http://notforallmarkets.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/690/
readinpleasure said:
We mothers always worry and fear for our kids. Thanks for the comment!
Melody Pearson said:
How touching. My first thought was of Icarus. Mankind has always envied the birds. Thanks for coming by my space. Here’s the lnk if others want to find it. http://melodypearson.com/june-1-2012-city-in-the-desert
readinpleasure said:
I noticed the similarity, Melody. Many thanks for coming by.
Monique Shante said:
Sounds like a beautiful elegy, nice job!
readinpleasure said:
Many thanks, Monique.
Lady Marilyn Kay Dennis said:
This is heartbreaking and beautifully described. So very, very sad.
If any of your readers would like to read mine, here is the link: http://marilynkaydennis.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/madison-woods-friday-fictioneers-waiting/
readinpleasure said:
Thanks for your lovey compliment. Glad for the stop over, Lady Marilyn.
JKBradley said:
I wonder if this was Kofi’s only flight.
Here’s mine: http://thebradleychronicles.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/flash-fiction-friday-an-addiction/
readinpleasure said:
No, it wasn’t his only flight. Glad you stopped by,
bittercharm said:
Dear Friend,
You sure do know how to hook readers up, making them feel connected and then leaving them mourning them for one they all loved.
Beautifully written.
Regards,
Bittercharm
readinpleasure said:
Oh Bittercharm, thanks for these wonderful words. Glad you were hooked by the story.
bittercharm said:
Oh i sure am hooked, i am going to keep coming back for more.
readinpleasure said:
LOL! I’ll be giving you more then (that sounds corny)!
Madison Woods said:
Great story Celeste – and so sad. Yet I’d rather know someone died while living rather than after waiting an entire lifetime and never really engaging. Only one crit. If you take out this phrase after telling us about the mournful tunes: “…that made him yearn to cradle them in his tiny arms.” I think it would make the story more succinct, even if it does fall shorter than 100 words.
readinpleasure said:
Thank you for your critique. Done as suggested.
aquahlekkergarla said:
oooooh MY*mouth drop open* lady writing is flowing in your veins…i read you pieces and boom am inspired..i wish i was a born writter..*holding my chin wt a sigh*…but anyway am proud to have a friend who is a dope writter…you take da cup mami#italianaccent..keep up the good work…mwahhh
readinpleasure said:
OMG! I am flattered! Proud to have you as a friend too. I am happy when I see your fashionable posts.
aquahlekkergarla said:
awwww thank you darls..you sweet…darls i dnt knw where thse bin hiding only i see them today lol
EmmaMc said:
Beautifully described the simple pleasures in life, our hopes and dreams, fragility of our existence.
readinpleasure said:
Thank you, Emma. And so sorry for the late reply.
eof737 said:
What a sad, sad tale…
Reading Pleasure said:
Indeed. Thanks!