Thursday 9 November 2017

Jimmy's World - A story in 100 words

Here's my story based on the photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers.

JIMMY'S WORLD


Jimmy blinked, yawned and sat up. Concealed within thick shrubbery, he rose and folded his blanket of newspaper before peering out. His sleeping place must remain secret. Jimmy sported scars to testify the dangers of sleeping in plain view. Unkindness and bounty went hand in hand in this city.

PHOTO PROMPT © Marie Gail Stratford 

Jimmy scuffed his way out of the undergrowth and took up his post opposite Bloomingdales. 

He had found the optimal distance. Close enough to attract the pity of punters and far enough not to attract the wrath of the management.

He adjusted his buttocks on the unyielding sidewalk and waited.







I hope you enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading your comments.

If you would like to read more stories from other contributors to Friday Fictioneers click HERE


p.s. a quick plea to Wordpress bloggers whose settings require people to log in to their Wordpress account in order to leave a comment - this prevents Blogger users like me from leaving comments on your stories.


39 comments:

  1. A harsh existence, I admire his fortitude.

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  2. Yes, whenever I see a homeless person I wonder how they cope.

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  3. Sympathetic observation on a side of humanity often overlooked - well written.

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    1. Thanks, Lizy. Sometimes we can be too busy thinking about our own lives to consider how others' live.

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  4. Dear Susan,

    Jimmy's definitely a survivor, isn't he? Pity anyone should have to live like that. Good one.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  5. A hard life, especially as Winter approaches. Nice story!

    By the way, I'm posting my four sven-year-old "Flash 55" stories this Friday night.

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    1. Uhhh, that should have been "seven," not "sven," obviously.

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    2. Oh good - I'm looking forward to reading them.

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  6. We have been very fortunate not to have to learn what Jimmy knows. Your story highlights the old saying "Someone always has it worst than you".

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    1. Yes, I've seen people who live difficult lives in many different countries. It's astonishing how resilient humans are though.

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  7. I have found Jimmy many times! Neat story!

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    1. Thank you! I think most of us have seen he Jimmys of this world.

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  8. Down and out in Chicago.

    So common across the globe but always provokes a sad thought on the state of our society.

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. Clearly he is genuinley needy. Today, so often they are not. Nice one Susan.

    Click to read my FriFic!

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    1. Yes, Jimmy lives by his wits, through no fault of his own.

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  11. A harsh existence for Jimmy, and opposite a place where money is spent like water.

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  12. A succinct little snapshot of life on the streets. Well done for summing it up so concisely!

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    1. Thanks, Helen. I think he deserves a longer story really.

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  13. Sadly but true there are Jimmys everywhere irrespective of different countries and cities. Susan your story portrays their account accurately.
    Thanks,
    Norma.

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  14. Well written. By showing us how Jimmy has found the best position to sit begging, you show him at his most human - adapting to his environment, thinking things out, surviving. And by this means, you enlist our sympathy.

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  15. I know a fair number of young men who do that. They like to talk about the perfect distance. In fact, two of them are sleeping in my son's van right now.

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  16. That's interesting to know, Alice. I put it in my story because it seemed logical. I had no idea that young homeless men talk about 'the perfect distance'.

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  17. An image of reality you have painted...perhaps a flash snapshot is what is needed "regularly" rather than a long story. That way people will read it through again and again and again...changing things here and there to ensure they do read it. The cold is their enemy and I worry this time of year for the next 4 months here.

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  18. It's a sad situation that happens in cities all over the world but it always seems worse when cold weather is added to the mix.

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  19. It's so tough, living on the streets. Unbelievably hard and dangerous. Well written

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    1. Thanks, Lynn. Yes, they live such difficult lives.

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  20. Well, that's cheery! Sadly it isn't fiction for some.

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  21. I feel that we were telling about the same person almost... sad that some has to sleep in the street

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    1. Yes, when I read your poem I realised we had chosen the same subject matter.

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  22. A resilient man. Strange how so many of us went in the direction of the underprivileged when seeing this prompt. well done.

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  23. I think it's because we see the homeless in cities and associate cities with inequality. Certainly I've never seen homeless people in villages.

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Many thanks for commenting. I appreciate your feedback.