© shivamt25
His two grandkids laughed. Grandpa had given his coffee cup a face.
“What should we name him, Shelley?” The four-year-old girl twisted her face in serious contemplation, but her six-year-old brother Riley was quicker to respond. “Harold. It looks like a kid in my class.”
“What if it’s a girl coffee cup?”
“How can that be, Shel? It’s Grandpa’s coffee and Grandpa is a boy.”
“He can have a girl coffee if he wants to.”
“I think Shelley has a point, Riley. There’s no law that says my coffee can’t be a girl.”
“So what name do you want to call her?” Riley put extra emphasis on the “her”.
“Hmmmm. How about we name her after Bubbe.”
The kids got suddenly silent. It had been two weeks since his wife left to stay with her sister and “rethink” their marriage.
“I miss Bubbe, Grandpa. When is she coming home?”
“Yeah when, Grandpa?” Riley added.
“Tonight I’ll call her and say I miss her too.” Riley and Shelley cheered.
I wrote this for the FFfAW Challenge-Week of September 26, 2017. The idea is to use the image above as the inspiration for crafting a piece of flash fiction between 100 and 175 words long. My word count is 168.
Things are fine at home, thanks. This isn’t about me or anyone really. I’m just aware how my grandchildren miss their Bubbe (Yiddish for Grandma) when she’s not around and thought I’d increase the tension a bit. Besides, the coffee cup and sunglasses does kind of look like a face.
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
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Loved the image of children teaching grandad to say, I miss you.
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It’s a lot easier for kids to say that sort of thing sometimes.
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Children come without any baggage. Nice story, James.
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They only have the baggage we give them, at least when they are children. Thanks, Neel.
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awww….such a lovely story
Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
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Thank you.
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I hope he manages to get Bubbe to come back, for his sake and the children.
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Oh I’m sure she’ll be back, Iain. Thanks.
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A really touching and beautifully written story. The boy v girl difference of opinion about gender possibilities is spot on. One complaint though – it’s not fair to give an old man a tear in his eye at this time of day.
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Life isn’t always fair. Thanks.
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Sweet, in a gentle way. I half expected you to say the Granmother was dead. This would be something done to acknowledge that someone who ought to be there was missing. Like an empty setting at the dinner table, or an upturned glass on the bar. Love that you let her live, though. 🙂 ❤
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I almost killed her but that would be too cruel. The children would miss her terribly.
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Wonderful story James! I love the innocence of children and you have woven that into your story. Love the ending too!
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Thank you, Priceless Joy.
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I half expected some drone or android to make its grand entry into the story. A very different story from you, James. I quite enjoyed it.
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That would be fun but somehow I think the kids would be able to tell the difference.
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Very clever take on the prompt. I would love a girl coffee as well, might name it Joy because, well, I lack imagination 😀
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There’s nothing wrong with wanting a little joy in your life, especially if she’s warm, liquid, delicious, and helps you wake up in the morning. 😀
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😂 lol
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I could hear them talking! Simply brilliant.
Click to read my FFfAW
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So can I. Thanks, Keith.
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Enjoyed it. kids have such an effect on parents/grandparents…
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/09/30/1-shade-of-amber/
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Absolutely, KindredSpirit. Thanks.
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