The Remote

Posted on by areadingwriter

Copyright-Sean Fallon

Today’s dad’s 50th birthday and we, his four naughty kids (we’re adults now) have a very special surprise for him — made possible by our sneaky youthful moves and sincere decade-long siblings-secret pact.

“Happy birthday dad!” we sing in chorus as we give our heavy birthday present.

“Remember when you buy remote batteries almost everyday?”

“You blamed mom but we are the snatchers, Dad.”

“You switch channels often and we can’t watch cartoons so.. we took turns in hiding the remote batteries.”

“And…now’s your golden birthday so we’re giving them back!”

His eyes went wide.

His smile faded.

We ran.

—

Word count: 100 words

©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer. All Rights Reserved.

Photo credit: Sean Fallon

In response to Friday Fictioneers prompt for 04 March 2016.

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly writing challenge hosted by the generous Fairy Blog-Mother Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, where a photo is used as a prompt for a piece of fiction.

Read more great 100-word short stories here:

Published by areadingwriter

I read because I write. | I write because I read.

100 thoughts on “The Remote”

  2. Uh-uh! Someone’s getting punished after that! Haha. Sorrrry Daaaaaad! 😀 These kids are so adorable and sly. I’m guessing they were you and your siblings? Fun read, Rosema. I enjoyed it. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

      7. I just checked and it was in my unread notifs. :\ Sorry, I may have missed it because of the HIV/AIDS seminar during the day.

        I just replied and read your other senryu, too. 🙂 🙂 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      9. Haha. No. Not that being one is bad thing but no. 😀 It’s a seminar for all interested employees. It was actually interesting to listen to the guy (HIV +) conducting the seminar.

        Liked by 1 person

      14. And I hope you followed your heart. 🙂

        Oh..sadly. This sickness is more of a cause of the choices humans made. (except the kids who got it from their mothers and wives who are not aware of their husband’s infidelity.)

        Liked by 1 person

      15. Oh I did… 🙂 Although I know that deep inside they’d be happier if I have chosen needles instead of pen, and abroad instead of PH.
        True. Those choices… we couldn’t do anything about it I guess.

        Liked by 1 person

      16. Oh that is true. My dad also wants me to pursue another career. A career beyond writing. An office work. A goverment employee. Or an OFW. He wants money. But those cannot make me happy.

        Yes. We cannot do anything…

        Liked by 1 person

      17. I was actually obliged back then but I ended up shifting after my first year without them knowing. They weren’t mad (not that I know of) but they weren’t very happy about it. *sigh*

        Liked by 1 person

      23. No, sadly. I work as a QA for marketing materials in a self-publishing company. I feel envious most of the time when I read/check blurbs and press releases for upcoming books written by our writers (thinking I should have written those). *sigh*

        Liked by 1 person

      1. When I was a kid, tinatago lang nmin ung remote kaso pwede nman ilipat manually pero iba pala pag walang battery. Hehe. Indeed, we cant say no to our dads. They are the authority at home 🙂

        Like

  16. lol! wow, that’s awesome! My bro and I struggle to find a gift for our dad every year too. One year he told both my bro and I to buy him a saw. we each bought him a saw. he was so happy. Apparently he had wanted two saws. who could have guessed?

    Liked by 1 person

      3. He used them 🙂 My parents house has a wood stove for heat in the winter. So my dad uses the saws to cut wood for the fire. I used to stoke it and put wood on the fire when I got home from school. I tried to help him cut wood after his stroke but I couldn’t keep the saw in the groove I’d cut. It kept slipping! I would have been there all day and never made a dent in it so he took over. He was afraid the saw would slip and cut my hand off. Oh well. I tried. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Hahaha! Two saws for fire wood. Nice one, Dad!
        And yeah… I am not good on physical tasks either. (even opening a canned Coke is a struggle for me. Haha)
        So I understand. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

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