PHOTO PROMPT © Fleur Lind
If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.
“Well, write something about it,” Muse demanded. In such an ordinary setting, her ephemeral existence, blond hair flowing as water-like as her sheer gown, she was so out of place.
I answered in dismay, “Write what? It’s just someone’s family room. I have no idea what the image on the TV screen is supposed to mean except in the literal sense.”
“Hurry up, James. You do this every week. I have a 10 o’clock with another client.”
“It reminds me of…” I looked around my home office. “Everyone keeps stuff no one else understands.”
She vanished in an impatient puff.
It’s Wednesday and time again to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ 1 March 2024 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
I really was totally stumped on what to write in response to the prompt. My only available option was a meta-commentary about the image itself. Muses can be so pesky.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit inlinkz.
poweredbyrobots.com 
I hope she doesn’t abandon you for long!
LikeLike
She’s a fickle mistress. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to say, as far as writer’s block goes, you tackled this one rather well!
LikeLike
Thanks, Dale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James,
We all have those days, don’t we?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Indeed. Thanks.
LikeLike
Oh goodness, I with you on this one, James!
LikeLike
Nice to have some company. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the Muse needs to relax and ease off on those insistent demands, it’s enough to put anyone off their breakfast.
LikeLike
Thanks. She does need to chill out occasionally.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The muse visited me, but only briefly. Perhaps I should try talking to her too.
LikeLike
Couldn’t hurt.
LikeLike
Ha! Well done. Just like Muse.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLike
Well, I like the fact you brought in the muse. Some photo prompts are like that – 100 questions marks in your head = no story.
LikeLike
Must have been my mood. Thanks.
LikeLike
Muses are real, as is writer’s block! Great story. Don’t think you’re blocked at all.
LikeLike
Thanks. Sorry for the late reply but for some reason, your comment ended up in the spam bucket. It’s al good now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. Coming up blank is not comfortable. You’ve turned it round though, and now I’ve got a new literary genre to investigate – meta-commentary. Your sentence ‘Everyone keeps stuff no-one else understands’ took me beyond the prompt, however. Very good.
LikeLike
Thanks, Margaret.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, everyone keeps things no one else understands–or cares about. Terry will never understand my teapots. I will never appreciate his vast collection of nuts and bolts 🙂
LikeLike
Indeed. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice, light-hearted approach, James. Funny to think of our muse as having other clients.
LikeLike
I have a lot of weeks when I stare at the picture wondering what the hell to do with that picture. Then, I have those weeks when a glance gives me an entire story that I type into a 95-105-word story that I can easily tweak. It’s crazy how it works.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This made me laugh. I know her, or her twin sister. I know her well…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent. And there you have the cure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like what you did here. I think we can all relate at some point or another.
LikeLike
Certainly. Hopefully, my “Mojo” will be back by next Wednesday. Thanks.
LikeLike
I have great faith!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was meta-fun. Always a good, navel-gazing, last resort.
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLike
Gotta say I love that the muse has another appointment! Guess that explains why she’s so sketchy…
LikeLike
Maximizing her billable hours. Thanks.
LikeLike