Thursday, December 3, 2009

Flash Fiction Friday - Litter mates




Biscuits & Gravy
By Kathleen Kimball-Baker




“Pat?”


Anne’s eyes smiled even when closed.


Yes, darlin’?


“Remember that mongrel you brought home when you was a boy?”


"Hmmm. Mama wasn’t too happy."


“What’d we name her? Cookie?”


"Biscuit. And the two pups that lived, Gravy and Whisky."


“Just like you’n me . . .”


"Yup."


..........




“Hurts.”


Pat tapped bubbles out of the morphine shot. 







Image by Brad Holt
----------------------------



To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).


Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.


33 comments:

Brian Miller said...

kathleen, a little sweet and sour...i was living in that beautiful memory and then...whew.

mine is up!

G-Man said...

Kathleen...?
Dang Girl!!
Nobody said 55's had to be happy..
But yours sure was Perfect!
Thank You for returning to the flock...You Rock!
Have a Kick Ass Week-End....G

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Oh, my, goodness! Amazing 55!! Hit me in the gut!

Mine's up. I had to go back and refresh because I was out a week or two.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'll be very busy keeping three little grandsons -- ages 9 mos, 3 yrs, and 'almost' 5 (in Feb.)!! ♥ Pray for me! Seriously!

Kathleen said...

Hey Brian-- sorry for the rapid downturn. I'm a little obsessed with the dying process right now with my dear friend in hospice.

My Dad (Pat) sat with his younger sister (Anne) and administered her morphine shots as she was dying from pancreatic cancer. This one wobbled around in my brain all day. Good to finally get it out!

Thanks for reading!

Kathleen said...

Hi Boomer -- Thanks for reading my "downer" 55. A bit preoccupied with death at the moment. Coming over to read yours!

Kathleen said...

Hey G-Man-

For the "life" of me I can't seem to get a happy camper 55 out of me (no pun intended).

My lighter side, however, appears on my other blog: ez4me2say.blogspot.com.

Swing by for a visit sometime so you don't think I'm all morose all the time! =;^D

Bubbie said...

A very intimate 55. Sad, but felt so real. Too real. Nicely written.

Janna said...

Bittersweet and contemplative!
I love the variety of topics people come up with for these Friday Flashes. :)

Mine is ready, too... right HERE.

Felicitas said...

Beautifully done and a very touching tribute to your aunt and father!

Kathleen said...

Thank you, Felicitas! I've really got to try something that stays happy throughout the whole 55! Maybe next week!

Best,
Kathleen

Kathleen said...

Bubbie: Much appreciated. Real event, imagined dialogue. Seems I'm a little obsessed with death these days. Hoping to lighten up a bit next week!

Kathleen said...

Jana: Thank you! The variety is amazing. And it reminds me I've got to get out of this death and dying rut!

Tall Kay said...

Very touching 55. I loved the picture you chose to go with the story. Biscuits, Gravy and Whiskey! Too cute!

Alice Audrey said...

Hurts more ways than one. Very well said.

Anonymous said...

Kathleen,

I was already composing my thoughts to leave in this little box, and then...wham. Not only did it hit me and tug at my heartstrings ~ it made me read it 3 times over because I was in the room with your dad and aunt all of a sudden. The way you laid out the text was perfect.

I hope that you can find a ray of light this week. May you find beauty in the little things as you are going through the big ones.

Thank you for your touching comment by my place earlier.

~Kar

I'm up:

Friday Flash 55 ~ Sobering 55

Dr.John said...

Sadness and pain seem tpo be today's theme.
Great 55

clean and crazy said...

this was a painted picture, pure perfection sad and lovely at the same time. great 55 mine is up too.

Susan at Stony River said...

Oh, Kathleen, wow. Not a downer at all---we all have to die sometime, but how wonderful if we only had someone this close to us, and so caring: that's love. Smiles and tears sometimes go together beautifully; they did here!

Monkey Man said...

Wow. The back story written in the comments really brings this home. Great 55. My 55 is HERE.

Fandango said...

WE dragons feel sad now. This is a sad 55.
You did well.

Kathleen said...

Tall Kay: Thank you for your comments. The setting is real, the conversation imagined. But the photo pulled it together for me. Sure appreciate you stopping by!

Kathleen said...

Alice Audrey: So so true. Sure appreciate your stopping by and visiting. Will aim for something more uplifting next week!

Kathleen said...

Chef Kar: You read it 3 times? Wow. Thank you for taking the time to "visit" my little family story. My Dad had a very difficult youth. Tossed out of the house in his teens, hard drinking years, lots of rage. But compassion was always a fundamental part of his being. He was a scientist who did good things with his life professionally. And in the end for his mother and sister, too. I am perched on your wishes for the week and will keep them close at heart. Peace.

Kathleen said...

Dr. John: Melancholia just may go with the change of seasons, eh? Helps to express it creatively. Thanks for stopping by!

Kathleen said...

Clean and Crazy: Wow, calling it a "painted picture" made my day! I have a friend who is going to teach me oil painting -- it just feels like a natural extension of writing somehow. Thanks for the visit!

Kathleen said...

Susan: Well put. Thank you for your lovely comment. I'm only beginning to understand the way my Dad expressed love. He had a hard life, that one. Felt good to delve into the relationship he had with his sister as she was dying. He did what I had always hoped to do for him. His death was quite sudden--a heart attack. And as he lived a hermit's life toward the end, his body wasn't found for 4 days. That's another story I may explore -- after I try my hand at the "sensual" 55 thanks to your fine research!

Kathleen said...

Monkey Man: Thank you! And thank you for reading the comments and finding the back story. I've only recently started dipping into my own back story to craft these 55s. Very cathartic! Sure appreciate your support!

Kathleen said...

Fandango: Oh my, what happens when dragons get sad. I hope it doesn't dampen your fire. By the way, how long to dragons live? And when they die, what happens to them?

Connie T. said...

Nice memory, but sad. Thanks for visiting mine. You write good 55's.

Kathleen said...

Thanks, Connie! Am hoping to lighten up a bit next week. Wish me luck!

Akelamalu said...

Good memories then the shot! Great 55.

Reverend Michael Kilgore said...

The ending really threw mw-great 55. Thanks for visiting mine and sorry I didn't get around to visiting sooner!

clean and crazy said...

hey there, did you know that today is g-mans birthday? he is feeling under the weather and i am trying to get as many 55 players as i can to post a surprise birthday tribute to him. i have made him a card and posted it on my blog, if you want you can copy the card and post it on your blog tonight with your 55, i am trying to surprise him cyber style. hope you can play, i have to go i have a lot of bloggers to ask yet. enjoy your day!!