Madison Woods has a new web site, and another photo for us to use as inspiration for one hundred words (or so) of fiction. Here’s this week’s photo and my story –
Advice
Don’t hike with coworkers. I know. But I wanted company.
“Kim said Matt came on to her.”
“Some days, Kim thinks the water cooler’s coming on to her.”
“Should I get my hair tipped? Red. Maybe purple. Or new shoes.”
“You can’t afford it.” Up ahead, a stream. A damselfly’s perched on a rock in the water. Looks like it’s biting it.
“Should I go after Andy? If Matt’s dumping me? You have to tell me what to do!”
Silly bug. The stone doesn’t notice. “Ignore Kim, leave your hair alone, don’t buy the shoes.”
“You’re no help. Maybe I need my chakras aligned. Do you think I should?”
A Number of Things 
I like the vapid tone of the one speaker – seems like she isn’t really looking for a response, just another reason to say something – well done.
Exactly – all she wants is the sound of her own voice and someone to tell her she’s right. Thank you!
I had to read over twice to get the conversation. Initially, I thought it was between two damselflies, but when I got it, the damselfly-stone analogy worked in well with her predicament.
http://logo-ligi.com/2012/06/21/a-silent-moment/
Oops – no – two people. (That might have been clearer in the first longer version – I had to cut some description of where they were hiking.) Glad you understood the analogy!
A fine hilarious story. The persistent coworker obviously didn’t take the hint. Mine is here and linked too: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/fridayfictioneers-the-omen/
Thanks! Some people never take hints, do they?
Yours is a very creative take on the prompt!
People ask for advice when they really want someone to affirm what they’ve already decided to do. An excellent example of why one shouldn’t hang out with co-workers.
Thanks for visiting mine. Here’s the link for others http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
Yes, there are many people like her! And some of them are co-workers – those need to be kept at polite arms’ length. (I will say, on the other side, that some of my best friends are people I met at work – one I’ve known for thirty years, and we last worked at the same place twenty years ago!)
Hilarious, and I know someone just like her!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Gilly! Yes, I’ve met several of her myself.
Hmmm, that has to be the closest non-reference-to-the-picture story I’ve read from you 🙂 But you still managed to make me chuckle.
I’ll admit it’s a stretch! 😀 But I’ve written a couple of insect’s-eye-view stories and wanted to do something different with this prompt – so here we are. Glad you found it funny!
I like this one very much!
Thank you!
I like her approach to giving advice. Sounds like someone I know….
Mine is here: http://erinleary.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/flash-friday-fiction-6/#entry
By this time, I think she knows her advice will be brushed aside! Yours is very poetic, and the last sentence stops it from being too fluffy.
I really enjoyed this, I thought it was so so well writen and so fun. I laughed so much this is the type of book I want to read. Thank you.
http://vsichalwe.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/friday-fictioneers-3/
Thank you so much! Yours gives us a unique perspective on the dating game.
good grief feels like she probably already made up her mind but loves the sound of her own voice so she just goes on…nicely done!
Yes, that’s exactly what’s happening! Thank you.
Oh, such an annoying, self-involved twit. I had a childhood friend just like her. Adulthood finally put distance betw. us. I’m #2 on the list.
The only thing to do with people like her is to keep your distance (if they’ll let you!) 😉
Sounds like the sort of friend you’d quite like to accidentally lose on the trek . If she wants her chakras aligned, please don’t send her to me; I’m not sure I’d want her as a client! 😉
Thanks for your comment on ours; finally got here!
http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/damselfly
Oh, if she notices you, I’m sure nothing will keep her away! It’s not like she’s really going to listen to anyone 😉
I love the unusual descriptions in your story.
Ah, yes! And whatever advice you give, it’s never what she wants to hear! I’ve met this lady so many times! One of the reasons that I’m a hermit, now. My story’s on the list.
My experience with people like this is that the only thing they want to hear is for you to enthusiastically ramp up the drama they’re trying to create! Nothing else interests them. Ah well. 🙂
I got a little muddled who was speaking – is there one whiny co-worker or two? Either way, I definitely felt the narrator’s frustration and her attempts to focus on the natural world not the human one. I’m totally on her side – silly vapid coworker(s)!
I’m over here: http://elmowrites.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/friday-fiction-the-crossing/
No, no, only one – my poor narrator has enough to deal with as it is!
Yours presents a very familiar problem for me!
oh dear, she’s got issues.
True, so true.
Loved the line about the water cooler. Still laughing at that.
Aloha,
Doug
I’m so glad you liked that one!
Isn’t that the truth of it – one person talks a whole load of inanity and the other barely listens as they’ve heard it all before … the advice when it came showed the concise nature of the person giving it who had far bigger and more beautiful things to be interested in – really well done 🙂
Here’s mine too: http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/06/22/friday-fictioneers-gramps-and-me/
I think the narrator might be a lot chattier talking to somebody else! But she’s fed up with listening to her babbling friend. And she does resent not being free to enjoy the outdoor beauty.
I can understand her frustration 🙂
Oh, and your story is a nice warm portrait!
Thank you 🙂
I’ve been on hikes with chatty people. Loved the water cooler line, Funny!
Mine’s over here. http://www.rochelle-wisoff.blogspot.com/2012/06/homework.html
Thank you – I’m glad it amused you!
Yours is chilling!
A nice way to align chakras is to hold one’s head beneath the flowing waters of….wait, that is a different story. I enjoyed. Thank you.
I don’t think my viewpoint character’s enraged or violent enough to take that way of escaping the conversation!
I really like the characterization and twist ending in yours 🙂