Wednesday 13 December 2017

LEANING ON A LAMP-POST - 100 word story

As soon as I saw this photo prompt for the Friday Fictioneers I thought about the George Formby song: I'm Leaning on a Lamp-post, which made me start to think...

Do let me know if you enjoy the resulting story.


Photo Prompt: Sandra Crook



LEANING ON A LAMP-POST

Eddie leant on the lamp-post opposite the park bench so that he’d see her passing by. If she was unattractive he'd ditch his rose and skedaddle.
A beautiful woman sashayed towards the bench. She was carrying a matching rose. Eddie's heart leapt. Should he wave?
He looked down, controlled a giggle and swiped his sweaty palms on his thighs. Be cool and sophisticated. Let her do the work. He took a breath, composed the sexy smile he’d been practising and looked up. 
Her rose lay abandoned on the bench.
Incredulous, Eddie smoothed his comb-over as he watched her retreating back.



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

If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories you can find them listed HERE


If you wish to join in you'll find the all information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 
- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page




73 comments:

  1. Dear Susan,

    Now I'll have that song running through my head. I loved that song, although my memory of the song was by Herman's Hermits.

    I feel bad for you man on the bench. Although his thoughts were on the arrogant side and could send me into arias about men. So biting my tongue and telling you it was a good story and thank you for the ear worm. ;)

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  2. Thanks, Rochelle. I think it was no more than he deserved!

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  3. A taste of his own medicine, hopefully it's a lesson learned. Like Rochelle, that song is going round my head now!

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    1. Sorry, Ian - but since I've been humming it all day I thought I'd share it with the rest of you! :)

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  4. It amazes me how many men I've met who are just like this. The girl has to be perfect. The guy? Totally self unaware.

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  5. '...until a certainly little lady comes by ...' and does a runner! Like how you switched about there, making the dumper the dumpee. Great idea

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    1. He he, thanks Lynn - it just seemed right that he should get a taste of his own medicine!

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  6. i guess she wasn't into him. better luck next time. :)

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  7. Well, they do say that turnabout is fair play...

    Count me as one more reader who's hearing the Herman's Hermits version of that song now. My older sister had a crush on Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone, better known as Herman. In fact, it's her onetime crush that planted his full name so firmly in my mind over fifty years ago!

    Nice story, great twist.

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    1. Ha ha - well I remember Herman's Hermits, but confess I don't remember them doing that cover. I don't blame your sister - he was quite cute if memory serves!

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    2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlhLnooyUU8

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    3. Ah, thanks for the link! There's a touch of the George Formby about his voice too. :) :)

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  8. Eliciting so many different emotions/ reactions from the reader in a 100 word story is remarkable, indeed.
    He got what he truly deserved but then again may be it's really about his age.

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  9. He still won't learn his lesson, guys like him never do :-)

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  10. Ha ha, looks like she had the same plan in mind :-)

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    1. I think she ditched her rose when she spotted him leaning against that lamp-post. :)

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  11. Loved this. The comb over said it all at the end there. And I love the play on 'do unto others as you would be done by'.

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    1. Thanks, Sandra. Yes, the comb over says everything you need to know about Eddie.

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  12. Oh me, oh my, I hope the little lady comes by! There she is...there she goes!

    Click to read my FriFic!

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  13. Oh, that song. Don't we give our ages away? I thought I would be one of the only ones to remember it

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    1. Gosh, you nearly made me spill my coffee! You don't have to be from George Formby's era to know that song. :)

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  14. "Let her do the work." There was no coming back from there. :D

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  15. Poor Eddie. He waited a bit too long and lost out. Maybe she spotted him and left in a hurry. His ego much have been punctured. I hope he knows better next time. Good writing, Susan. :) --- Suzanne

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Suzanne and don't waste your pity on Eddie. He needed a wake-up call. :)

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  16. Giggling, with sweaty palms and a comb-over? What an unpleasant picture you paint of poor Eddie! Nicely done, Susan.

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    1. He he - he's not very attractive that's for sure which is why she dumped her rose!

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  17. Yeah, the comb-over would have had me going in the other direction :) I married a guy who was bald at 24. Glad he didn't try to cover it up!

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  18. 'Smoothed his comb-over' says it all! Brilliant - it took me completely by surprise.

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  19. Oh my! What a wonderful character you created here. I, too, like the image of the "comb-over" and imagining him practicing his sexy smile. :)

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    1. Thank you, Jan. I think creating characters is one of the most enjoyable things about writing fiction. :)

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  20. He never even considered it...😂😂

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    1. No, he was either very arrogant or very deluded!

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  21. I read an article once by a Grade 8 teacher whose class erupted one day after a remark by one of the girls. The boys accused the girls-- you don't want us unless we look like some movie star. The girls retorted with similar accusations. So this thing, "It's all about looks" starts young and definitely influences both genders.

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    1. I think humans are hard-wired to be attracted to attractive people. But we also can and do become attracted to a person's other qualities too, given time.

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  22. People in glass houses and all that... Guess he had it coming for him.

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  23. Wonderful story. He didn't suspect it could go both ways - dumped before starting.

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    1. Thanks, Irene. Ah, the disillusionment of men!

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  24. Replies
    1. Thank you, Dahlia. It's always good to know if I've written something entertaining. :)

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  25. Oh! This made my blood boil! In a good way. Good on the lady with the rose.

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    1. Yes, I think she was right to dump her rose, Alicia.

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  26. Ha... I wonder if he understood the message. Maybe being bald would be better...

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    1. Oh yes, infinitely better - something all men should remember! :)

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  27. Very entertaining story! I could imagine the scene occuring in front of me. Eddie felt a little too highly of himself and the woman taught him a lesson hopefully. =)

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    1. Brenda, I'm delighted to know that you were entertained by my story.

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  28. Life! The dating game's not always fun. :) :) Best wishes to you for the festive season.

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    1. No, and I'm heartily grateful that dating is a distant memory! Best wishes to you too, Jo.

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  29. Great twist, he got what he deserved, the biter bit

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  30. The mating dance. Lovely take.

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  31. Thank you. Like how you describe it as 'the mating dance'.

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  32. Ha! Ha! Wonderful picture of someone with a higher opinion of himself than deserved. I guess he will be leaning on that lamppost for a while then.

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  33. Ha! Brilliant! It made me think of that expression 'what goes around, comes around'.

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    1. Yes indeed, Joanne. Glad you liked the story. :)

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  34. Replies
    1. He he - I'm sure she'll find a suitable suitor in due course. :)

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  35. This makes me think of internet dating which I did for a time 10 years ago. Never again. This is why.

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    1. I imagine any sort of blind dating is fraught with disappointments, Dawn!

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Many thanks for commenting. I appreciate your feedback.