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Mushrooms

Gaston was a terrible gardener and equally appalling cook. The latter of these annoyed him the most. With a name like Gaston he felt sure that his lot in life was becoming a head chef in a French bistro or some swanky London hotel.

He had all the tools. Expensive japanese knives, copper-bottomed pots and pans, specialist slicers for bananas, garlic, carrots and eggs. He even started his own allotment to encourage creativity and healthy eating. Alas, it was to no avail. After 5 full seasons all he had managed to grow was impatient, a ginger beard and five mushrooms.

– – – –

Catch up with the rest of the Friday Fiction stories over at Rochelle’s blog. 1 photo. 100 words. Endless possibilities.

erin-leary

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49 responses to “Mushrooms”

  1. rochellewisoff

    Dear Peter,

    Perhaps it would be easier for Gaston to change his name and seek another career, one that he truly enjoys. 😉 Fun story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      🙂 A wise move. Thanks for reading.

      Reply
  2. dmmacilroy

    Dear Mr. Binks,

    Great last line, for a number of reasons. Well done. (An order to a chef?)

    Aloha,

    Doug

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thanks for reading, Doug. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  3. Jessie Ansons

    Hehe poor Gaston! Cute story 🙂

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      He’s rubbish 😉

      Reply
  4. J Hardy Carroll

    I don’t know. A guy named Gaston should be able to cook. So what if he kills a few people? That was what Typhoid Mary did!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      She sounds like a nightmare at dinner parties.

      Reply
  5. lingeringvisions by Dawn

    I’m sitting here trying to figure out what other profession a man named Gaston could succeed in. I got nothing. We’re all doomed.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      My point exactly!

      Reply
  6. sustainabilitea

    Love your last line. At least he hasn’t, at least so far, cooked the wrong sort of mushroom and killed his guests and himself.

    janet

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thank you, very kind.

      Reply
  7. Sandra

    Really snappy last line – loved it. I’m with the others, changing the name would be a better bet.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thanks Sandra!

      Reply
  8. David Stewart

    I like that: grow impatient and a ginger beard. 🙂 Hopefully the mushrooms aren’t poison or that really would be the final nail in the coffin.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Cheers, David.

      Reply
  9. Snow’s Fissures and Fractures

    What a great story and that last line was to die for. 🙂

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Sounds like you liked it? 🙂

      Reply
  10. Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

    I think the ginger beard will at least give an everlasting value.. Gaston there’s a hair in my soup!!!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Eewwww.

      Reply
  11. patrickprinsloo

    Fun last line. He DOES need to change jobs. Japanese knives do not a chef make!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      All the gear and no idea!

      Reply
  12. Loco mente

    That was a simple story… Smoothly conveyed!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      That’s me. Simple and smooooooth.

      Reply
  13. Claire Fuller

    I love that one of the things he could grow was a ginger beard – great last line.
    Claire

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      This was in no way a story about me. Nah ah. Nope.

      Ahem.

      Reply
  14. hafong

    I guess the name doesn’t make the man!

    Lily

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Indeed. Unless your name is, Man Manninson.

      Reply
  15. Jan Brown

    Poor Gaston! I loved the conclusion of the story: all he had grown was impatient…. Well done, Peter!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thanks Jan.

      Reply
  16. Tracey@WhatsforDinnerDoc.com

    Alas, I too am a frustrated gardener and part time chef. I liked Gaston.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      🙂 Thanks for reading.

      Reply
  17. Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

    The last line said it all – impatient, a ginger beard and 5 mushrooms. If however, it took him 5 seasons to become impatient I would say he was a highly patient man. Nice tale.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Ooh, that’s a very good point actually! Am I allowed to change it?

      Reply
      1. Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

        I’ve no idea – too new. Perhaps the impatient referred to getting old (which the person has done waiting out 5 seasons) and most men become increasingly impatient. Not being sexist just honest and factual. 🙂

  18. gahlearner

    Poor Gaston. Good story, made me chuckle. 🙂

    Reply
  19. erinleary

    What a fun story – I loved the last line! Well done!

    Reply
  20. keithsramblings

    Reminds me of me! Great little tale.

    Reply
  21. Priceless Joy

    At least he was able to grow mushrooms in that poop garden. 😀

    Reply
  22. Dave

    Could be worse, Gaston could be poisoning his customers with toadstools that he thought were mushrooms…

    Reply
  23. Weltchysnotebook

    With a name like that, he was always setup to fail

    Reply
  24. Margaret

    Very entertaining. I feel sorry for Gaston – at least he keeps trying.

    Reply
  25. aliciajamtaas

    Just goes to show it’s not the tools it’s how you use them.

    Reply
  26. storydivamg

    Peter,
    Especially nice use of those mushrooms in the photo.

    All my best,
    Marie Gail

    Reply
  27. penshift

    I saw Gaston and instantly thought of the character from Beauty and the beast. Gaston is good at everything, but cooking. That’s what Belle is for.

    Reply
  28. Inside the Mind of Isadora

    I guess you can’t be good at everything. Perhaps, a restaurant owner with hired chefs would work for him. I liked your interpretation of the story very much. : )

    Reply
  29. i b arora

    we often try being what we are not destined to be

    Reply
  30. mscwhite

    Fantastic last line!

    Reply
  31. AnnIsikArts

    The best laid plans of mice and men, eh? I’ve just taken on an allotment. I was born impatient, the allotment has lots of ‘mushrooms’ already. All I have to do is not shave, though my beard will undoubtedly be white, rather than ginger. Pity.

    Reply

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