All my life I seen things different.
I look at a place and I don’t see it like it looks now.
I seen everything ever happened in that place all at once, like the way you can drill into a tree and count the rings.
Some places, like roofs and treetops and the high sides of buildings, they barely got anything on ’em since no people been up there aside from window washers.
A place like the station, it’s so full of people that have passed through– why, it’s just a blur.
I can hear ’em sometimes, too.
Oh yes.
A nice concept. I liked the idea of the places that have barely anything on them – they are really interesting! And then to look back at a seemingly ’empty’ photo and see what our narrator sees… Great take on the prompt.
Watching life pass by. Something I would do too!
What a stories his visions could tell…. Loved this!
Convincing voice, and an interesting concept. Nicely done, and a great photo offering lots of scope for this week. As an aside, someone (probably a Friday Fictioneer) posted on Facebook “When I hear you start a sentence with ‘I seen’ I can safely assume it will never be followed by the words ‘the inside of a book’. :)
Oh this is excellent, and following up on Sandra’s comment, even i reacted to that choice of words, that made the voice all the more convincing… Thank you for the wonderful image that gives hundred of options.
I join the chorus complimenting the compelling voice. I can’t decide whether I think the narrator is crazy, or if this amazing (and possibly crazy-making) vision was somehow acquired by someone who seems so uneducated,. Although maybe the lesson is that wisdom does not equal book-learning.
Nice voice.
Great voice; makes his story even more interesting and believable.
Dear J Hardy.
When I first read “I seen…” I thought “surely not.” As I read more I realized it was the character’s voice. Well done. And thank you for the picture.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I was talking to my wife about this particular choice earlier today. Vernacular is often overdone, but a subtle change of a single word can color the entire piece (especially in a hundred words, where everything is distilled). It’s like a pinch of saffron coloring the dish bright yellow.
My sentiments exactly.
Hard to know if this would be a gift or a curse. I fear maybe the latter. Either way, a fascinating idea and one you could definitely expand. Thanks for the photo!
You’ve cast quite a spell–with the photo and the story. Loved it.
Wonderful. The narrator seems to be content with his ‘gift’. Such a great concept, it could lead to all kinds of stories, all kinds of genres. And a great picture.
I cannot tell you how beautifully you’ve written this – the voice is perfect, the tone marvellous. Your descriptions spare, not a word wasted – lean and wonderful.
Adore it
Thanks! That’s awfully nice.
My pleasure – a really lovely piece of writing :)
Your narrator has a supernatural gift or a great imagination – either way, well written story!
[…] course I’m late for Friday Fiction. (I love a paradox!) And such an interesting photo, thanks to J Hardy Carroll. Not a school I’m assuming but, although the chairs are plastic and metal nowadays, I will […]
Interesting take on the prompt. Great voice.
When I see English used that incorrectly I assume it’s to give the character voice and make him different. I’ve done the same in some of my stories. This fit quite nicely. A good story and thanks for the picture this week that made so many great stories possible. :) — Suzanne