‘Happy Hour’. What a joke.
The wind is sharp as a papa’s razor, cutting through my shirt, grazing my ribs. The air’s coloured with urine. A dead pigeon lies pressed on the pavement, feathers still flapping, still keen to fly.
I close my eyes, imagine the tug of the wind on wide wings, the thrill in my chest as I lift, soar above the traffic stink, leave the rotting corpse of this city behind…
‘Hey!’ Tommy’s standing in the doorway. ‘Do some goddamn work!’
I take my cloth, go back to wiping tables.
But the wind still tugs me.
***
Friday Fictioneers is run by the incomparable Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. One story, one hundred words – come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.
***
It’s been a while since I tried my hand at FF – hopefully, I can still write a drabble that’s comprehensible! I also now hang out at my website, https://www.lynnlove.co.uk/ , where you’ll find more stories and details of my critique services. Just come and hang. Could be fun.
Word Shamble 
Dear Lynn,
Long lost, but never forgotten. Your writing is as razor sharp as ever. Amazing descriptions and analogies. I keenly felt her frustration. Brava!
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Rochelle. Lovely to be writing flash again 🙂
LikeLike
Still amazed at how much you can do with so few words, Lynn. Such imagery!
LikeLiked by 1 person
AW, thank you so much Walt 🙂
LikeLike
I enjoyed this,
LikeLike
Thanks Michael 🙂
LikeLike
Welcome back Lynn. This is beautifully written. You haven’t lost your touch, This may be one of your best
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much Neil! Nice to be writing something short again, rather than 80,000 words! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always a real pleasure to see you writing Lynn, and showing us all how it should be done. Magnificent!
LikeLike
Thank you, Iain. Kind of you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad to see you back, Lynn. You’ve been missed. And what a piece to come back with. Every sentence adds something, you give us so much, so evocatively. Love it, even if it’s desperately sad.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Sascha. Glad you liked it. 🙂
LikeLike
Dreamers… sometimes I wish the wind could take me away too. Nice!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Kimber. Thank you for reading 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like your description of the pigeon in the wind.
LikeLike
Thank you Frank 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet your main character has fabulous sleeping dreams also. Nice to see you writing at FF again, Lynn.
LikeLike
Thank you so much! Yes, vivid dreams about escaping the city, I suspect 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You describe the ugliness of the city vividly, and I can feel the MC straining to be free of it all – powerful last line.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Margaret 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor guy, imaginary wings as useless as those on that dead pigeon… Love the descriptive language.
LikeLike
Thank you very much Trent. Glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome back, my friend. Such easy and yet deep reading
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Crispina 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂🙂🙂
LikeLike
So descriptive, you took us right into your character’s mind then shook us free again. Brilliant.
Here’s mine!
LikeLike
Thank you, Keith. Glad you thought so 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Masterfully done, I can smell the smells, see the images and feel the wind. It’s great to see you back.
LikeLike
Hello Gabi! Nice to see you on here. Thank you. Glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
How lovely to have you back, Lynn! I really like the way you parallel the actual physical sensations with those of the MC’s daydream.
LikeLike
Aw, Penny! How lovely to see you. How have you been? Thank you. Glad you liked the story. Hope you’re well xx
LikeLike
Wonderfully done. I could feel so much from this short piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much Bill
LikeLiked by 1 person