Written by John Davis Frain

A to Z Blogging Challenge – Day 7: G

GARDENER

Mary Cavanaugh brushed the red hair from hey eyes, glanced at the big blue circle on herG calendar, and allowed herself a smile. Only two more days.

It had been arduous with six kids, but she knew life was about to change dramatically. Seven years, the insurance company had told her, and if there’s still no sign of your husband, the life insurance money would be released.

Five-year-old Jimmy rushed inside breaking Mary’s silent celebration, words spilling out as he sprinted across the kitchen, “Mom, Mom, I found Dad’s watch, under the dirt in your garden, wanna see it?”

Mary Cavanaugh ran her hand through her disheveled hair, lost her smile, and knew she’d have to get the shovel out one more time.

 

Six-sentence stories all month, brought to you by Hemingway, creator of the first six-word story. And by General Electric, we bring good things to life. And by Gillette, the best a man can get. And by Grey Poupon; pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon.

Any similarity Mary Cavanaugh has to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. Unless you’re thinking Emily Bell, in which case you caught me!

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any requests for letters H through Z, send ’em my way!

 

20 thoughts on “A to Z Blogging Challenge – Day 7: G”

  3. John these are awesome buddy. Leep’em coming pal!!!

    Jeff Amato CEO

    BKKSUN Asia Co., Ltd.

    2/9 Sukhumvit 34 Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei Bangkok 10110 Thailand

    M: +66 92 701 0008 S: jeff.bkk E: jeff.a@BKKSUN.com

    GMT (+7) Bangkok.Hanoi.Jakarta

    >

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Haha. My wife has plenty of motive. I just have to keep dancing so she doesn’t have opportunity. That, and I try to stay out of her garden. And when I say “out of her garden” — well, now you know what I mean!

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  6. Oh, John. Organic tomatoes indeed. It was a great story, but, sheesh. Now, I’m having second thoughts about those home grown tomatoes for sale down at the farmer’s market. It could be worse I guess. The Unibomber used to take in tomatoes he raised to the ladies at the bank and the grocery store. They always told him they were the best tomatoes they’d ever eaten, and may have been. After they found out he fertilized his garden with his own poop, they weren’t so thrilled with his gifts.

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    1. Omigosh, is that a true story? Yecchh! I’d find it hard to eat another tomato after that experience. I have to erase that from my mind before it’s the only thing I think about when I see a tomato now.

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  7. I was wondering how you were going to manage that, after reading only 4 words in Sentence #2! But well done! šŸ™‚
    And having just read Julie’s comment above, I’m now going to be VERY suspicious of home-grown veges. I so did NOT know that about the Unibomber. That’s just vomit-inducing!

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    1. Yeah, good thing I don’t have to pay per comma or that sentence 5 woulda cost me my last paycheck. I tend to write terse sentences in my stories, so this is a good exercise for me. Not sure it’s good for you guys having to be my guinea pigs, but it’s helping me. So thanks!

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  8. You’re nailing these six line stories, John. Good stuff! šŸ™‚ As for H… hog farmer, helicopter pilot, hotel manager, horror writer, harpist, horticulturalist… I’m sure you’ll come up with something. šŸ˜€

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    1. Colin, thanks so much. It’s great of you to say. I did a word tally the other day, and they’ve ranged from 73 words to 122 words. Completely different having to stay within six sentences instead of 100 words. It’s been fun. Thanks for getting me into it.

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  10. John, I’m really enjoying these. One question, though. Her husband’s been gone for almost 7 years, and she has a 5 year old who recognizes Dad’s watch?

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    1. It’s a good question. I toyed with that for a long time. Might have been able to get it to work better with 100 words than I could with 6 sentences, we’ll never know.

      Here was the intent. I was attempting to show that Mary wasn’t some sweet little girl who missed her husband since a year later she’s having a kid. This isn’t the Virgin Mary. But that’s a lot to squeeze in with everything else in six sentences. Sometimes I bit off more than I can chew. But I’d rather have that problem versus missing an entire meal. Oh, for want of a good food analogy!

      Thanks for noticing. Even better, if you have a suggestion, my ears are always OPEN.

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      1. Ah, so the kid’s age makes perfect sense then! It was mostly the watch that threw me. Made me wonder if Dad was a zombie who kept resurfacing.

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