“What do you want?”
His eyes crinkled above the grizzled beard. “Another of them beers, for starters.”
I pulled a can from the six-pack and handed it to him. He sipped, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, set the beer on the tarp.
He peered into the sky. “Looks like we’re just about through with the rain, anyway.”
I jotted this down. “Did you learn a lot about the weather during your time in the jungle?”
“Weather is part of life.”
“So what is it you want?” I asked again.
“That’s never mattered. It’s what you do.”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields hosts Friday Fictioneers, stories of 100 words or less.
Alot going on between the lines there! Nicely done.
He sounds like every journalists nightmare. I like though it doesn’t matter what you want its what you do that matters.
Sounds like a conversation with my Father!
Dear JHardy,
You stay alert, walk point when you have too, trail when you must, work during the days and stand watch through the nights. Only a good writer will ever come close to understanding these elemental truths. I’m buying the next round. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
Dear JHardy,
You walk point when you have to, trail when you must, work during the days and stand watch through the nights. Only a good writer will ever come close to understanding these elemental truths. I’m buying the next round. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
A lot of wisdom there. Hope the journalist got a good story out of it.
What true words. Brilliant.
Great piece of advice wrapped neatly in a 100 word story. Kudos to you. It’s far easier to want than it is to do.
Nice sentiment. BTW there is a typo in the second last line…is & it the wrong way round :-)
Thanks!
Dear J Hardy,
The dialogue carried this piece. I could hear the old man’s voice and even see him. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Great wisdom, and a great character. There’s a lot of story here.
A storm brewing in their conversation.
Love the characters – the bearded one has depth that the questioner will never plumb, I suspect.