Below is this week’s contribution to Friday Fictioneers. The challenge is to write a story in approximately 100 words in response to the photo prompt provided. This week’s photograph comes courtesy of ©Jean L. Hays
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Genre: Fiction
Friday Fictioneers prompt for January 9, 2015 ©Jean L Hays
A Hero in His Own Kitchen
Route 66 was an American-style diner that brought the magic of movies to life in our town. As a teenager it was so cool to hang out there supping chocolate milkshakes or ice-cream sodas.
Charlie the owner thrilled everyone with stories from when he visited the States and traveled the famous route with his American cousin.
Years later my editor tasked me with writing Charlie’s obituary. I asked his wife about the infamous journey.
‘Charlie never set foot outside Donegal,’ she laughed. ‘Mind you, he watched so many of those damn American biker movies that he might as well have been there.’
©Siobhán McNamara
The power of the imagination. 🙂 Nice one, Siobhan
janet
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Thank you Janet 🙂
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now that you know the truth, i wonder if you’d allow him to take his secret to the grave. 🙂
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Ha, I did think about this when I was writing the story. The journalist in me was thinking along the lines of ‘Charlie loved all things American and liked to tell people that he had traveled the famous Route 66 in his youth.’ or something to that effect.
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Loved the twist to this story! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Nice one.
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Thanks Indira 🙂
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Aaahhh good ole Charlie, he was a storyteller like us!
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He sure was 😉
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Ha, the truth will out! It’s a shame he never got to go in real life. I hope the narrator finds some way of carefully wording his obituary so as to keep his secret.
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I think he/she will find a way 😉
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Dear Siobhán,
All I can do is clap my hands and say, “delightful story.” I know what his wife means about those “damn American biker movies.” I’ve endured many of them with my American biker husband. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, no doubt Charlie would have loved to meet some real life American bikers 😉
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Dear Siobhan,
Ah, his imagination matches yours. A great story from one of my favorite FF biker chicks.
Aloha,
Doug
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Ah, thanks Doug. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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As long as he’s a hero in his own kitchen – no more is needed. An engaging story about a lovely character.
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Thanks Margaret, I wanted to make him likable rather than ridicule him so I’m glad it worked! 🙂
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Charlie sounds like a true storyteller of old. One that would nail children to their chairs with his enchanting words. Well done – I do like him.
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He sure knew how to wow an audience. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Irish to the bone! I love this story Siobhan, and the back history. I’ve known so many Charlies; they bring so much color to the world!
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Thank you Dawn 🙂 The world certainly needs people like Charlie to add colour and excitement, and to fuel our imaginations. They are part of a long line of oral storytellers but have no idea they are keeping such a great tradition alive
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I can identify with Charlie. I watch so many American films (I can’t bring myself to call the movies) that sometimes I’m widely travelled, state-wise. Florida, New Orleans and Philly are the true extent. 🙂 Nicely done Siobhan.
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Thanks Sandra. We can travel to so many places through movies and books. The line between reality and imagination is a thin one when it comes to memory. Thanks for reading 🙂
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A great title. It’s an interesting take on how movies, TV, books etc can help us visit the rest of the world without leaving our own parlour. I was on Mars not that long ago; did you know … .
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Ah, the places books and movies can take us … I hope you enjoyed your trip to Mars!
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I heard a travel writer say that you didn’t actually have to visit the places you wrote about in person to be able to share that adventure with others. Sounds like Charlie took that advice to heart.
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I came across a writing exercise once that suggested using YouTube videos to help create a setting for somewhere you had never personally visited and that was culturally different to your own background. I never got round to trying it, but it stuck with me.
Interesting thought that travel writers may be a little less traveled that we think!
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I like that image, of the restaurant owner telling made-up stories to an audience who doesn’t know any difference. 🙂 Great story.
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Thanks David 🙂
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Charlie obviously was a true Irishman, born with the ‘gift of the gab’
I could hear him telling his stories. Well done Siobhan you did him proud
Dee
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Thanks Dee. Charlie is not the type to let the truth stand in the way of a good story!
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Love this. I’ve traveled quite a bit, and have seen these shrines to American culture, full of all kinds of Hollywood cliches. Well done.
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Thank you 🙂
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we all have that imagination don’t we… we are writers, so this hits close to home… (not time for my obituary yet though
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Thank you Björn, storytellers are such a crucial part of society. 🙂
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I adore the title of your story, perfection!
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Thank you 🙂 I think it took me longer to come up with the title than to write the story!
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Great story, Siobhan. What an imagination. Looks like he wasn’t the only one who benefitted from his stories. He took everyone along with him. Humorous and well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you Suzanne, there are so many great community storytellers out there fueling our imaginations 🙂
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