Written by John Davis Frain

A to Z Challenge: K

KNITTER

K

The family gathered on the front porch, their niece laughing at the stories Aunt Pearl spun, pleading for one more before bed, giggling the words out: “Tell the one where you guys first met.”

Pearl remembered the day twenty blissful years ago when she walked into the fabric store and spotted Kitty, the resident knitter.

“Do you remember our first date, Knit, when we saw Boys on the Side at the dollar theater and I caught you crying?”

Knit – everybody called Kitty by her nickname nowadays – leaned toward her niece shaking her head, “I wasn’t crying, your aunt threw buttered popcorn in my eye when Drew Barrymore came on screen.”

Pearl beamed at her best friend of twenty years and said, “Better than hitting the lottery when I won you that night, Knit.”

Her wife returned her smile and reminded her, “Knit won Pearl too.”

 

I know, I know, I know… THROW ME OUTTA HERE! Groooooaaaaan. Couldn’t pass on the opportunity, this story begged to come out. <— See what I did there, I’m full up with ’em today.

I have to thank Celia for suggesting Knitter yesterday because I wasn’t getting anywhere with Kindergarten Teacher. I also have to thank Ernest Hemingway whose six-word story (For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.) inspired me to try writing six-sentence stories for April. Letter K was brought to you by Kay Jewelers, every kiss begins with Kay. And by KFC, nobody does chicken like KFC. And by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, they’re g-r-r-r-eat.

Come back for tomorrow’s six-sentence story with L. Any of you Librarians want to suggest another job title to keep yourselves alive?

21 thoughts on “A to Z Challenge: K”

  1. Despite lack of deaths or dwarfs, I enjoyed this. Knitting seems to be a popular theme today. I am seeing a lot of it on the A to Z challenges. This was lovely. So when can I actually win a copy of your manuscript?

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    1. Oh, how I look forward to giving away a prize of my manuscript. Alas, it is spread all over my desk in front of me and I’m completely rewriting the ending. My manuscript, unlike your view on this story, is in a far place from “lovely” right now. If there were an editing room here on Earth, El, we’d be bumping into each other today I’m sure.

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      1. Endings! Ugh! Do not even get me started. No matter how much I revise, I can’t get my ending to stop feeling abrupt. I guess with this last rejection, I will try and make it sing instead of groan. See you in that editing room.

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  2. You took my idea! I feel like I won a contest almost as delightful as winning your manuscript. Thanks! It was worth the groan-able pun. Confession time – you can google “occupations starting with ___” and get a Llloooooonnnngg list of options. It might not have what you want, though – I don’t see Lion-Tamer under L, and you might want to go back and revisit the Saga of the Hidden Dwarf.

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    1. LOL, Celia. It still cracks me up that people are winning my manuscript at the reef. I’d need to send a complete set of red pens. And thank you for Knitter — NEVER woulda thought of that.

      I understand the long list of options at Google, but isn’t this part of the challenge — avoiding Google and stretching one’s mind? I am starting to like the circus though. So many stories lurking behind and under those tents.

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      1. I think the challenge is whatever you choose to challenge yourself with. I can’t imagine writing a six-sentence story, no matter how many ideas I get from anyplace, so that sounds like enough of a challenge for me!

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    1. Omigosh, how did I not think of lawyer?! Yes, yes, yes, they can be sacrificed. That’s what you meant, right? Are you a lawyer, Serena? You might want to avoid a visit tomorrow, but we’ll see. Thanks for the suggestion!

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    1. This is embarrassing to say, but every time I edit and re-read it, I actually laugh. And you know how editing is, I’ve read it sixteen times and on the seventeenth read, I laugh again. Mostly in shame, of course, that I took a pun and made an entire story around it but if I’m truthful it’s great fun. First the carpenter and now the knitter. I need to stop myself since nobody else will!

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    1. Okay, the challenge is on, Dena. I said earlier this month I’m taking requests, so I’ll stand behind my word. After a few commercials we’ll be back with a 90-minute music marathon featuring… Lawyer! Actually, I guess it’ll be a 270-minute marathon because Thursday doesn’t start till midnight and it’s only 8:30 in my part of the world. See if I can handle the pressure…

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  6. Groooooaaan! OK, so that pun was what my kids call “Dad humor,” so I can’t complain. But I must insist that “every kiss” actually begins with “e” not “k”. 🙂

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    1. Ha! I know all about Dad humor over here. Yessiree. I can’t speak for the Kay Jewelers folks (or their advertising agency), we only accept their sponsorship money. None of which has made it into our coffers, by the way, but we keep trying.

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  8. Love the idea for the six sentence stories. I get writing prompts for 6-word stories on FB, and I.Can’t.Even. However, these are really fun! Looking forward to reading more, and maybe even trying a few myself when this challenge is over.

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    1. A writing prompt for a six-word story? Sheesh, that sounds nigh impossible. I hope they don’t spot you two words and expect you to put together a six-word story, but even a photo seems pretty darn limiting for six words. I’m finding it incredibly difficult just getting spotted one letter! But I’m also finding it surprisingly fun, so it’s all good!

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