After 30 minutes of stillness inside this steaming, stinky bus, I promised myself I won’t ride an ordinary bus again. I almost went off until I hear someone quietly sobbing.
The man beside me, a construction worker (I think) wearing dirty green chinos and old faded jeans silently cries as he clutches a plastic bag with his tired-looking hands.
I resisted asking him.
Five minutes passed…
I give up.
“Are you hungry? I have some biscuits here.”
He shakes his head.
I resisted talking.
But he suddenly speaks again.
“Today is my son’s seventh birthday.”
“We never celebrated birthdays.”
“We have no money.”
“But for the first time I was able to save enough to buy his dream ice cream.”
“Our house’s only 10 minutes away.”
“But in this traffic… my son’s ice cream is now turning into a soup.”
His eyes quietly welled up again.
Now so do mine.
—
Word count: 150
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer. All Rights Reserved.
Photo credit: Ellespeth’s friend
IMPORTANT NOTE: This story is inspired by a real incident I read on Facebook last year.
In response to Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) February 23, 2016.
Rules:
- a flash fiction challenge (stories in 100-175 words or less)
- each story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end
- no serial (continuation) stories
- include a pingback to the challenge post
Thank you for a thought-provoking photo prompt, Priceless Joy! ❤
Very nicely done ! and now you got me crying to 😦
Bah! I really didn’t need this today 😉 Well , I guess I’ll just have to go and find one of your hope and joy filled stories 😀
Turtle Hugs
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Oh no… I am so sorry my dear Turtlies. ❤ ❤ ❤
Here's some warm hugs for you! *hugsssss*
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Don’t be girl 🙂 It only means that you were able to make us “feel” the emotions of your characters , and that is something to be happy about , plus I’ve been reading some of your more uplifting ones now 😀
Turtle Hugs 🙂
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YAY! Do I have some uplifting ones? HAHA
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You do 🙂
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Oh. There are a few, I guess. 😀
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Very realistic take… I hope his son grows up into a rich man and their poverty ends.
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Thank you, Shivangi. 🙂 I do hope their life will get better. 🙂
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My goodness, that is so moving> beautifully and sensitively written.
Visit Keith’s Ramblings!
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Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
I just visited yours and I enjoyed reading it. 🙂
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Oh dear! It’s sad to know such things actually happened. So sad.
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Yes, Fun. It really happened. Not that the father (in true story) is really crying. But the incident of a construction worker dad wanting to give his kid an ice cream for his birthday truly happened.
I almost cried when I read the story. It’s just sad how traffic can actually affect one’s life.
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I bet he’s crying inside him, ‘cos he won’t be able to fulfil his kid’s birthday wish! 😦
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Yes… he is. 😦
Sorry for the sad opening of the day, Fun!
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No worries! 🙂 This is life story! 🙂
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That’s so true! Looking forward to reading yours. I noticed it was posted already!
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Yes. It was! I look forward to hear your feedback…good and bad. 🙂
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Always good! 😀 😀 😀
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Not always! I do run out of ideas and ended up writing crappy story…LOL! 😀
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REally??? 😀
I can’t remember reading a crappy story from you! 😀
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Really?! Not a single one?! (blushed) You are too kind to me, my dear. 🙂
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yes! Honestly. NONE! ❤
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I’m on cloud nine! Fly! Fly! Fly!
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Oops! Not too high! Please be back! 😀 😀 😀
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hahahaha 😀 😀 😀
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😘😘😘😘
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That is very sad that his son no longer has icecream but soup! Maybe he can freeze it again and make it back into icecream! This was so sad it almost made me cry! But then I thought, why didn’t he buy him a candy bar or something that wouldn’t have melted?? Wonderful story, Rosema!
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Oh they have no freezer. They are so poor that they live in a hut among the squatter’s area. He bought in ice cream because that is his son’s dream for several years now. 🙂
Thank you for your prompt, PJ, and for your kind touching words! ❤
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Oh, that really makes it sad!
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Yes… they are really really poor. 😦
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me too, I had the same initial reaction as you Priceless Joy and then I thought about it a realized they probably don’t have a freezer as Rosema said. Very sad indeed… 😦
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Oh yes, Mel. Hence they might not have electricity, too. Sorry if this story is really saddening. But it happens in real life, sadly it does.
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your story made me take a look at the things I take for granted and I’m grateful for that.
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Oh. Wow. Thank you! I am glad i did that. 🙂
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Me too 🙂
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Yay! ❤❤❤
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😀
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❤
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Yes, it is sad that they are so poor.
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It’s sad. Wish there was a way to alleviate such poverty
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There is. 🙂 the father is determined to work so I guess his kids has a chance for a better future. 🙂
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There’s always a chance
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That’s true. 🙂
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😀
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❤
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I wish there was too.
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Maybe someday we’ll find a way
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I sure hope so!
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Where there’s hope there’s a way
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Amen!:)
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😀
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❤
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Yes. I think so. 🙂
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Me too 🙂
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🙂
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Me, too.
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I agree. The worst part is that it really happens in real life.
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Yes, poverty does happen in real life. That is sad.
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Yes. But with the father’s hardwork, I believe his kids will have a chance for a better future
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Yes, and as long as the children get their education, especially higher learning education.
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Yes. I agree. As long as the kids are determined as their father. 🙂
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Yes! Absolutely! 🙂 🙂
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True!
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Aww…okay that does tug at my heartstrings just a little…but bright side, ice cream soup can always be frozen back into ice cream ;D!
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Oh yeah you’re right. 🙂 Though they live in a shack with no freezer hence neither electricity.
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Oh…that changes things…now I’m even more sad 😦
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Sorry if that made you sad. But these are the realities in my country. Saddening and real stories.
Thank you for reading, Jade!
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Wow creative Rosema, and heart wrenching. I can picture this happening for real. He was able to save just to buy his son ice cream and it seems like the world has turned on him because the ice cream has melted. You feel bad for the kid, but also for the Dad because he was excited to give his son something, to see his reaction. I’d cry too, I can relate to how your speaker empathizes with this man. I wish I could actually be there and be like here, here you go here is the $40.00 I was going to use for dinner out with a friend, you need it much more….
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Oh thank you so much, Mandi! That is so kind of you to do. But I would also do the same (though I seldom have extra money. I only bring my fare no more no less, everyday).
I am glad it has touched you the same way that I want my readers to see this story. I wanted to show how traffic can actually have that kind of big effect on someone.
Thanks, Mandi!
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Beautiful writing, Rosema! You really stung a note with this one 🙂
BTW, I’ve nominated you for the 3 Day Quotes Challenge. Here’s my post: http://heenarathorep.com/2016/02/24/quotes-challenge-1/
I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
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Thank you for the beautiful generous words. 😉 Coming from a great writer like you… *smiling sigh*.
Thank you for the nomination, too!
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You’re really sweet. And I do mean all these words. You’re writing is really powerful 🙂
You’re welcome. Looking forward to reading your quotes!
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Awww. Thank you so much, Heena! ❤❤❤
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Awwee.. let’s freeze that ice cream! Now! I’m sure he will always find his son smiling at him with or without ice cream because he’s a such a great father. I love your story, Rosema. 😀
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Yes, Maria! You found the positive side on this sad tale. It is true. He is a great dad!
Thanks, Maria!
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He is! This reminds me of some Thai or Malaysian inspiring short films/ads. Have you seen them? 🙂
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No… 🙂 I haven’t. 🙂 But I read the same kind of story in Facebook which happened last year in EDSA. 🙂
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Aww! Oh dear. How sad and touching.
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Thank you, Jacq. This happened is real life, sadly.
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Oh pooor man!
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Yes. Sadly. 😢
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😢 sad…
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Yes. It is.
Thank you for reading my dear Marquessa!
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The details get through. And we are moved. Championing a bus to move faster. Knowing all too well that will not happen.
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Yes. It will not. This incident happened in real life. The rraffic was unexpecteed as it was a mid-week night. But a big religion hold a humongous rally in a major thoroughfare thus paralyzing the highway. It’s just sad.
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“Liked” because I agree. Sad.
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Truly. 😔😔😔
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Aww, now that’s just awful! The worst part is the narrator can’t actually do a single thing to make it better. Nice work creating a lot of emotion in this piece!
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Oh thank you, Amy! 🙂 we don’t know. 🙂 The narrator might hand him some money to buy another gallon of ice cream. 🙂
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True, I just figured with his luck, the second gallon wouldn’t make it either. Maybe this time he should try cupcakes!
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Yes. Maybe. But his son wants ice cream. 😉
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This was so sad but I have a feeling he’ll have someone looking out for him from now on! Great story! 🙂
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I think so too. And i believe with agreat dad that he is, life will be kinder to him. 🙂
Thank you!
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That is so poignant! A lovely story.
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Thank you, Sam!:) I truly appreciate your words.
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That was sad! Nicely told!
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Yes. Sadder that it happens in real life.
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