My sisters and I were gathered around an open trunk from our family home. Angelina took out a piece of yellow fabric that was shaped like a small Christmas tree skirt but only had a tiny center hole and snaps along the open edge. I asked, “What’s that?”
“Do you remember the yellow canary we had when you were little?”
“Yeah, it sang when we ran water and louder when anyone whistled.”
“Mother made this from a tablecloth to cover its cage at night after Dad put the umpteenth cigarette burn in it. I wonder why she kept it?”
In response to Charli Mills August 2, 2018, prompt from Carrot Ranch Literary: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes a yellow tent. Where is it and who does it belong to? Think of how the color adds to the story. Go where the prompt leads.
August 2: Flash Fiction Challenge
08/06/2018 at 12:06
This is a lovely take on the prompt, Susan.
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08/06/2018 at 14:47
Nice story! 🙂
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08/07/2018 at 01:38
I like the story, Susan. Now you keep me thinking “why?”
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08/07/2018 at 12:36
A day later I’m thinking it should have been titled the Birdcage Tent. We had multiple yellow canaries when I was young that did sing when water was running or anyone was whistling, and Dad did burn cigarette holes in the tablecloth, but those are the only true parts so I can’t answer the “why.”
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08/09/2018 at 01:43
Sue, you did a lovely job of pulling those elements together. Sometimes we don’t know why such items are kept. Likely it had a connection to a memory or a time.
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