giovedì 20 settembre 2018

The Unpopular Prompt


Welcome to The Spot Writers. The September prompt is to use these five words in a writing: carrot, lily, moustache, esophagus, pigeon.
This week’s story comes from Phil Yeats. Phil (using his Alan Kemister pen name) recently published his first novel. A Body in the Sacristy, the first in the Barrettsport Mysteries series of soft-boiled police detective stories set in an imaginary Nova Scotia coastal community is available on Amazon.


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The Unpopular Prompt
Phil Yeats

After their monthly writing group meeting, two women stopped on the library steps.
“What’s up with Colonel Mustard?” Susan asked.
Beth laughed. “Is that what you’re calling Maurice Moutarde? And I presume your question refers to his angelic smile when Claire announced this month’s prompt.”
“Yeah, really. Have you ever seen him smile?”
“Not part of his persona. And everyone knows he hates prompts based on five disconnected words.”
Susan shook her head. “We’ll find out what he’s up to next month.”

One month later, the dozen writing group members reassembled in the library’s meeting room.
“Time to start,” Claire announced before everyone had taken their seats. “No newcomers, so we should commence our readings. Who wants to start? And remember, no more than five hundred words.”
Susan rolled her eyes. Everyone knew the five hundred word maximum. She snapped to attention when Maurice cleared his throat.
He stood, theatrically displaying an opened three-by-eleven-inch Power Corporation envelope before spreading it face down on the table. Maurice paused, staring at Claire. When she looked up from her agenda, he began reading.
“A pigeon with moustache-like marking above its beak scarfed a carrot-coloured encrustation from the pavement, staggered to Claire’s prized lily and dislodged the disgusting mess from its esophagus.”
Beth whispered to Susan. “Would you conclude he hasn’t changed his opinion of those prompts?”
“Or abandoned his ongoing feud with Claire over the preferred direction for our group,” Susan added.
Their mirthful eyes and suppressed chuckles contrasted with the evil eye Claire cast toward Maurice. He ignored her malevolent glare as he bowed to his audience before sitting. Mark one up for Maurice in their little battle to become top dog in an insignificant writing group.

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