Well, this will be the last Tackle It Tuesday post. In the August newsletter (posted on August 1st), you’ll discover the new blog line-up. Hey, gotta keep things interesting and you guys on your toes.
But, for now, here’s your final challenge.
Use the following random words in a short-short story 200 words or less. You can write about anything, as long as the following words are included somewhere in the story.
Phone Water
City Country
Pajamas Stairs
Salad Frog
Tears TV
Now, grab your random helmet and tackle it!
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5 Comments until now.
Phone rang – still in pajamas – went down the stairs, past the family room TV, heard the Austen City show playing some sad country music tears, stopped in the kitchen only to see a fat water frog sitting in a tiny salad bowl . . . woke up, hearing the phone ringing.
As a young girl growing up in the country, I always dreamed about visiting the city. We lived so far out we had no phone, running water, and no tv. At night I would sneak up the stairs in my pajamas into the attic to watch the lights. One night I was intently watching and a frog jumped onto my back. I jumped, hit my head on a stack of boxes and broke my toe. It brought tears to my eyes when I found the little fellar underneath a fallen box that made frog salad of him…….
Back in them thar days there warn’t no TV, and the best way ta git the latest gossip or Aunt Lil’s ducky salad recipe was ta listen in on the crankup phone, but ya had ta be real careful ta pick it up slow so’s no one knew ya wuz listnin’. He Hee.
Them wuz the days when folks wore Roy Rogers pajamas an’ heaven help ya ef ya fell upstairs on the way ta bed!
Gittin’ up in the mornin’ was sa hard it almost brought ya ta tears, but it wuz good ya lived in the country stid’a the city cuz lil’ ‘ol frogs down under the water lilies’d hop up on the bank, put yer ta sleep at night ‘n the barnyard rooster,d wake yer in the mornin’. Yahoo!
The ringing caused Emily to jump out of bed and race down the stairs to answer the phone. She listened as her mother gave her the sad news. When she hung up she knew she had to find a way out of the city to get to grandpa before he died. She paced for a few minutes, thinking of who could take her out to the country farmhouse. Grabbing her purse she started to head to Joe’s before realizing she was in her pajamas.
Emily knocked on Joe’s door and heard the TV. She let herself in and found Joe sound asleep on the couch. Shaking him awake, she held back her tears as she told him about grandpa. “OK,” Joe muttered. “Let me go throw some clothes on and splash water on my face before we go.” Emily looked around and noticed last night’s salad still sitting by the couch.
Emily was quiet on the drive, but when they reached the farmhouse she jumped out and ran to the pond. Joe followed. “We are too late. Grandpa is gone.” With that Emily picked up a large dead frog and showed him to a confused Joe. “Joe, meet grandpa.”
Sarah paced back and forth through her house in her pajamas. Tears streaming down her bruised cheecks. She would call for help but the phone was shut off. She couldn’t walk to a neighbors because Mike moved her 40 miles from the city out in the country where neighbors were miles apart.
He had run down the cellar stair before he passed out and hid the car keys. She hated that cellar, the walls made of old river stones with many crooks and cranies. It could be anywhere and she was so very weak from the beating . She decided she would try to eat something to give her strength. She got herself a glass of water and a small salad. She sat down in front of the TV and attempted to eat but her face and jaw hurt too bad.
She dressed, packed a small bag, let her pet frog free and got on the road and started to hitch a ride. She did not care where she went. She just wanted to get as far away from Mike as she could and NEVER would let a man hit her again.