Friday, October 14, 2011

Do Not Weep for Me



 
My writing friend, Madison Woods has started the "Friday Fictioneers".  Each Friday she posts a picture on her blog and we write a flash fiction story (around 100 words) about it.  http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/
Here is her picture for this Friday. And my story.


                                                   DO NOT WEEP FOR ME
I didn’t always look like this—sagging, aged, yellowed, and sad.
In my youth, I was wanted, needed in fact. The first purples and pinks in the swirling autumn skies signaled the arrival of dawn, of a new day fresh with knowledge. 
Laughing children would run to my door. Excited to learn, they’d push their way into my one room; sit at wooden desks, surrounded in scent of quill, parchment, and caulk.The black board against my side offered up sums and letters. Primers in worn jackets whisked their young minds into a world of poetry and prose.
My time is over now. Obsolete. But do not weep for me.
My purpose is eternal.   

5 comments:

  1. Very nice, Ruth. The one-room school house in Mayfield (just down from Linda's house)stayed open into the mid 70s. They still hold annual reunions.

    I didn't do friday flash this week, but check out my blog anyway http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/

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  2. Very nostalgic. I liked that :)

    This old church/schoohouse still gets used every once in a while when a traveling preacher stops to try and conjure up a congregation. We have another one closer to my house on the same road where the Burke's have a reunion every year and it still has the desks and blackboard in place. They camp in sleeping bags on the floor and cleanup outside.

    Glad you found us again and I hope to see you next Friday too! Pretty soon we're going to have a big crowd of flashers ;)

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  3. I love your last line, Dixie. It says so much about the lasting memories and wisdom of a schoolhouse. You're a natural flasher. :)

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  4. That's great, Ruth. I love it.

    I may have to become a flasher myself.

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  5. I love the picture--the purple behind the schoolhouse is breathtaking. Enjoyed your flash fiction. I've always worked nights and never witnessed a purple-hued sunrise (of course, I didn't see ANY sunrises for the most part. :-)) You did a good job of "personalizing" the school.

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