Me. You. Coffee.

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A 100 word story by

MrBinks

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Mary and the wagon

Births, deaths and marriages. They said that those would be the hardest.
Mary fingered the token buried deep in her pocket before removing it and placing it next to the bottle on the kitchen table.

She rocked back in the rickety chair as “births, deaths and marriages” span around her head like children on a merry-go-round.

Births and deaths. Why did they have to be so fucking close.

The chair gave up. The balance left her and she lurched forward to steady herself.
One hand grabbed the reassuring token, the other found the cold, smooth bottle.

Hey, Listen

Read some more

Written as part of Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle and enjoyed by many great writers. Find their contributions to this week’s picture prompt here. Thank you to Alicia Jamtaas for this week’s image.

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Responses to “Mary and the wagon”

  1. neilmacdon

    But a short time to live

    Reply
  2. rochellewisoff

    Dear Mr. B.

    Triumph and tragedy, all at once. Nicely done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Reply
  3. elmowrites

    I have so many questions – what’s the token, who gave her that advice? This whole story feels like a tragedy, that “Why did they have to be so close” line is just perfect.

    You left me wanting more, Mr B, just as I like it!

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      The token was representative of an AA meeting in my mind. The advice, a sponsor. The rest, I’ll leave up to you…

      Reply
  4. Iain Kelly

    Agree with the consensus, this has a tragic feel that leaves the reader imagining the worst when filling in the back story. Well done.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thanks Iain.

      Reply
  5. Sandra

    She needs to call her sponsor … fast. But I don’t suppose she will, and who can blame her? Good one.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  6. granonine

    Mary seems to have a lonely life. Life was hard for pioneers, especially hard for a woman on her own.

    Reply
  7. Angela

    Interesting reading the comments! I thought the bottle was a baby bottle, with the line about birth and death being close together… -Angela

    Reply
  8. athling2001

    It was a hard life for a woman as Mary seems to show. Well done.

    Reply
  9. Alicia Jamtaas

    I read your story twice, trying to get a grip on what was happening then listened to you telling the story. I’m left with a feeling that Mary is filled with regret? remorse? Also, you left the “field open” timewise. This tale could be set in the wagon train days or yesterday. Well, done.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thanks for reading (twice). Appreciate the comments.

      Reply
  10. Margaret

    I admire how you’ve told so much without spelling it out. What matters is her struggle, her ‘balancing act’ to cope. Very good.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      I really appreciate this comment, thank you. I tried not to say too much but I feel there are enough clues to what I was saying.

      Reply
  11. James McEwan

    Just a little drink to steady the chair, we can’t be falling over too often. A battle with the bottle. Who wins?

    Reply
  12. Keith’s Ramblings

    She’s clearly in a very bad place.

    Reply
  13. msjadeli

    So much story in so few words. The reappearance of the bottle at the end, emerging from shadow, is a masterful touch. 

    Reply
  14. Dawn M. Miller

    Sometimes that is just the way it goes.

    Reply
  15. thisobscurelife

    oh. This hit very powerfully. Sounds like Mary needs some grief counseling.

    Reply
    1. MrBinks

      Thank you for reading.

      Reply

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