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Succor Punch ~ 10TH OCTOBER 2015

11/10/2015

Inspiration Monday: Succor Punch
SUCCOR= Assistance and support in times of hardship and distress

SUCCOR PUNCH
by John Yeo

The cycle race had been extremely hard going for Fred Wilkinson, at 54 years of age he most definitely was not the man he used to be. Although he was an unusually fit man for his age he was not getting any younger and he was finding it continually harder to keep up with the younger cycling fraternity.
George his eldest son also a cyclist continually remonstrated with him and literally begged him to stop competitive cycling.

"Dad, you will only harm yourself if you continue to try to outrace the younger cyclists!"

"Don't worry George, I am a very fit man, I will always be capable of pushing the pedals around. I came second in the last County road-race. Remember I always said I would carry on regardless. If I stop now I will have desperate withdrawal symptoms and my life will never be the same again."

"Dad, my brother and I will insist on riding in every race you enter from now on so that we can keep an eye on you during the course of the race."

"George! Will either of you be able to keep up with me! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

This banter and the competitiveness went on for the next few races over the next month or so, until the day dawned when the club championship final races took place. George and his Father were due to race in the late afternoon.
The ladies in the clubhouse were preparing a sumptuous tea when Fred and George arrived.
Beryl was always quick with a quip and she had a very soft spot for Fred.
"Come and taste my fruity homemade tarts Fred! They are all my own work and very tasty." said Beryl sweetly smiling as she passed a plate to him.

Fred looked at her proffering her wares, smiled and said, "Perhaps just a nibble!" as he popped a piece into his mouth.

Suddenly he staggered forward unable to speak and started to go very red, then blue in the face. Beryl, who was a trained nurse turned and suddenly punched him hard in the back. Fred shocked, spluttered and choked when a piece of pastry came flying out of his mouth.
The shocked club members gathered around, relieved that he was breathing normally and all was fine. Beryl arranged for him to get a checkup straight away at the Doctors surgery, which meant he would miss the race.
George smiled after his father had gone as he quipped to Beryl, "That was a very good right hand punch you delivered there!"

"That was my succor punch!" She replied. "I have been trained to follow through my instincts and I respond fast. I float like a Butterfly and sting like,
Bee!"

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

Image © Copyright John and Margaret

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TERRORISM ~ 8TH OCTOBER 2015

9/10/2015

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Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers ~ Writing challenge.

Hosted by Priceless Joy.

The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

TERRORISM

by John Yeo

Breathlessly and excitedly I arrived home clutching the white envelope as tightly as possible.

"Margaret! I got the tickets. I had to wait in a mile long queue for about an hour! We are going to see them live on stage. A first night performance of the musical evening, featuring the talents of our favourite, Andre Rieu."

"Oh! Fantastic! That is brilliant, Well done John! I have nothing to wear. We will have to go shopping this morning, I will need a very special outfit for this. Thank you so much darling."

"I have ordered our car for 5pm, that will give us time for a cocktail before the performance begins."

A few hours later, dressed in our finery we arrive at the concert hall and take our seats and indulge in the unique spectacle and colourful backdrop with the sound of a superb musical extravaganza.

Suddenly there is a huge explosion followed by a stunned silence, before the screams of the injured and the dying ring out. Then sirens and a hubbub of chaos.

POST ~ (175 Words).

Copyright (c) Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

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THE SAD SIDE OF THE RIVER ~ 3rd OCTOBER 2015

5/10/2015

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Francois Gall (Gall Ferenc) (Hungary,1912-1987 Paris) 1941 "The girl at the banks of the Seine"- oil on panel

750 WORDS ~ 3rd OCTOBER 2015 ~ FLASH FICTION

Francois Gall (Gall Ferenc) (Hungary,1912-1987 Paris) 1941 "The girl at the banks of the Seine"- oil on panel

My friend Mile V Ristovski, posted this intriguing oil painting on his Facebook page and it seemed to leap off the page. I decided to use it as a prompt to weave a flash fiction story.

THE SAD SIDE OF THE RIVER
by John Yeo

Adele and Louise and Jules and Jean were always together, they grew up together in the same street in Roquebrun. A pretty village in Provence with beautiful scenery and mountains, with a little stone bridge over the river Orb.
Adele and Louise were sisters, both born in the little house where they had always lived.
Their Mother and Father were well respected members of the community and outwardly friendly to one and all. Mother was a leading member of the local church and chairperson at the church meetings.
Their Father was a successful estate agent and the two girls never wanted for anything. There was a secret mystery surrounding him that he kept very close to his heart.

The two brothers, Jules and Jean's parents were relative newcomers to the area, although the two boys were born in the village and grew up there.
The boys were brought up by their Mother who had been widowed, but she somehow got by and they enjoyed a good standard of living.
One fateful day this placid peaceful existence was about to be shattered forever.

Adele and Jules, fell head over heels in love with each other.

Jules remarked one day to Adele 'I want to get away to live in Paris, the bright lights and the high culture are calling me. I can easily get a good job as I have my degree in economics.'

'Oh! No, Jules, please don't leave me here, you know how I feel about you and I am sure we were meant to be together.'

'Come with me, Adele, I will take care of you and we can be married there. Let us go now and find Jean and Louise and see what they have to say about our plans!"

Excited, the four friends were discussing this turn of events. When Jean could get a word into the noisy happy discussion led by the two girls, he had this to say.

"We also would love to live in Paris and see the wondrous sights of the big city with the impressive architecture and the fluid magnificence of the river Seine. What about our parents? We should ask their permission and get married before we leave."

The four friends all agreed that this would be the right thing to do, but they would have to wait and carefully pick the right moment. The girls father was the biggest hurdle to get over, he had already shown a strange attitude
towards their friendship. Almost over-protective of his two daughters.

Jules had an inspiration, "Why don't we ask Mum, what she thinks about the idea first and maybe she will put a good word in for us, she has always been friendly with their Dad."

A few days later the two brothers broke the news to their Mum.
With a shocked, stunned reaction she fainted on the spot. When she had recovered she told the boys never to even consider getting involved with those two girls and never to see them again. The two boys were amazed at this reaction and there was a huge family row, both of her sons were curious and kept pressing their Mother to tell them why she was against the idea.
When Jules and Jean threatened to leave home and never come back, their Mother became frightened and begged them to stay. Swearing them to secrecy she confessed to a very real reason why she could never agree to any involvement with that family. Both boys were shocked and stunned.

Jules shouted, "Mother, I am leaving for Paris immediately. Sorry I have no alternative!"
Jean assured his Mother he would be as good as his word and break off all friendship with the two girls.

Jules left for Paris and never said a word to his love Adele, boarding a train he left for the city, without a goodbye.

Adele, heartbroken and distraught begged Louise to talk to Jean, without success.
Jean cruelly broke off relations with both girls.
With a tear in his eye he said,
"Goodbye, Jules is in Paris, you must talk to him!"

Adele left home heartbroken to find her love in Paris and every day she walks along the riverbank of the famous river Seine, searching for Jules.

Copyright (c) Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

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SOCIAL SLIP-UP ~ 30th September 2015

2/10/2015

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Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers ~ Writing challenge.

Hosted by Priceless Joy.

The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

SOCIAL SLIP-UP
by John Yeo

The party was a huge social event among the islands and inlets around the approach to the port. The marine community arrived in many vessels, there was always ample mooring space at the big house. The servants had been busy for a whole week in preparation for this long awaited event. Sebastian, the son of a wealthy industrialist Ivan, and his beautiful wife Dolores, had reached the age of eighteen. The guest list was composed of the members of some of the wealthiest people in the community and security was very tight.
The magical night arrived, Sebastian at the door greeting the steady trickle of arrivals with a fixed smile became somewhat uneasy.
Something was not quite right, the security had expelled several young people, and there was a growing presence at the main gate as more and more people attempted to gate-crash the party. Soon fights began between the gatecrashers and security and the police arrived.
Suddenly it became clear, Sebastian had publicly invited his girlfriend Penelope through a post on his Facebook page.

(175 WORDS)

Copyright (c) Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

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INSPIRATION MONDAY ~ SNEEZE GUARD ~ 29th September 2015

1/10/2015

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Image from the net

INSPIRATION MONDAY: SNEEZE GUARD

SNEEZE GUARD
by John Yeo

Mayor Reynolds was troubled by traffic problems in the city. Wichitaw was a total gridlock from one end of Main Street to the other on a daily basis.

"This is getting on my nerves, something has to give, I demand some action, call a meeting of the city council at once!" His face was thunderously angry as he shouted this order to his secretary. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose.

"Yes sir!" Sarah responded. "I will try to set the meeting for tomorrow, we can e-mail all the members of the council and set up a video conference. Do you want me to prepare an agenda or will you do that? I will need it very fast!" Wiping her nose with a tissue, she waited for his response.

"You do that please Sarah! Make sure you include an item for me under AOB, regarding the pollution generated by this continual snarl up of traffic. I need to get a few new ideas on the statute book as soon as possible." He searched his pocket for a clean handkerchief.

"Yes Sir! I will get started immediately. Your first appointment with Professor Rinski, will be one hour behind schedule as he is running late due to a traffic holdup. He should be arriving very shortly shall I send him right in as soon as he arrives?" Sarah sneezed loudly and uncontrollably.

"Yes please! Oh remind me what he wants. I have an obscure note about the implications and respiratory costs incurred by carbon monoxide poisoning. E-mail me all the information at once please, and send in some hard copies. Thanks Sarah!" The Mayor couldn't help dabbing the end of his nose with a tissue, pulled from a box kept in his desk. Good job this isn't visual, he thought.

"Yes Sir!" Replied Sarah, clearing her throat politely

Suddenly a loud ringing of his personal mobile phone intruded, Mayor Reynolds sighed, he was aware who was calling at this time. Sure enough her name came up and he was obliged to answer. Sniffing silently, he pressed the receive call button.

"Hallo Mary my love! Is everything alright?" His voice sounded thick with the continual fluid generated by a sudden sneeze.

"No Henry! Sorry to trouble you at work, both of the children are unable to go to school today as they have gone down with the "shoo" bug that's going around!" Suddenly there was a loud clearing of her throat as Mary waited for a reply

"Shoo bug? Is that the respiratory problem that is affecting many of our aged relations? Have you called the Doctor?" A worried Mayor tried to hold back a sniffle.

"Of course Henry, but he is stuck in traffic and I wonder if you can call in a helicopter to get the children to hospital! Please darling!" Mary couldn't contain an uncontrollable cough.

"Oh no! I will try but all our city helicopters are in use at present. Wait there for the doctor and I will get back to you!" The mayor coughed in response.

The internal telephone then loudly sounded as Sarah, quietly coughing into a tissue, announced the arrival of Professor Rinski.

"Send him in please Sarah!" The Mayor responded with a silent sniffle as he could feel yet another sneeze welling up inside.

A minute later the office door opened to reveal a figure dressed in what appeared to be a lightweight diving suit, covering his total body with a microphone attached to a round plastic headpiece. There was a distinct resemblance to a knight of times gone by, except he was wearing a suit of plastic instead of metal and there were a number of air filters attached to the front and rear of his head.

"Good morning!" A metallic voice greeted the stunned mayor.

Copyright (c). Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

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Succor Punch ~ 10TH OCTOBER 2015

TERRORISM ~ 8TH OCTOBER 2015

THE SAD SIDE OF THE RIVER ~ 3rd OCTOBER 2015

SOCIAL SLIP-UP ~ 30th September 2015

INSPIRATION MONDAY ~ SNEEZE GUARD ~ 29th September 2015

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