Every Friday writers from around the world contribute 100 word stories prompted by a photograph. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields co-ordinates Friday Fictioneers. Thank you, Rochelle. Here’s my story and you can check out the others on Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers blog.
Copyright – Bjorn Rudberg
Slippages Made in Dating Mary from Geophysics
1. Control film choice. Despite 27 being 33 = 3 × 3 × 3, a perfect cube, ‘27 Dresses’ disappoints.
2. Do not apprise Mary of safety risks in wearing heels where the foot forms the hypotenuse of a triangle of 40 degrees.
3. Prevaricate if asked for opinion on unattractive red dress.
4. Allow 5 minutes for return to locked house for tissues.
5. Do not reprove Mary for disrupting carefully orchestrated time schedule.
6. Allow 10 minutes for her justifications.
7. Do not permit Mary to compose time schedule for next date. 3 years. Still waiting.
The Writers' Life 
Dear Karen,
No. 3 is my favorite rule. It should be followed to the letter.
Shalom,
Rochelle
You’d think EVERYONE would know that rule by now. Obviously not our man, though. Thanks for you comment, Rochelle.
I am amazed at your idea and execution. Too funny!
I’m glad you liked it!
There’s something about Mary…
Randy
Ha ha. Thanks for coming by, Randy. I think the something is she has enough sense to stay right away from this guy now.
I have friends with these issues.. yes lists does help.. reminds me of reading “the curious incident of the dog in the night”…
You’re right, Bjorn, lists are essential to people with my character’s difficulties. I haven’t read the book you mention but it’s on my long list. There, I admit to liking a good list, too.
Oh dear.
What a fun way to introduce the main character!
I’m glad you enjoyed the character, Lynda. I enjoyed writing him.
Dear Karen,
I had fun reading the rules and the last one told the tale perfectly. A very imaginative take on the prompt. Should be required reading for all males. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
Doug, I’m glad you enjoyed the rules my character came up with after his disastrous date with Mary. He obviously has problems relating to women but you made me wonder whether most males would need to read them!? Do they?
Dear Karen,
Most men are idiots and no amount of rules being read or being read to them will ever help. You just roll the dice and hope you come up with a good one. If you don’t, you have to be ready to roll them again.
Aloha,
Doug
🙂 I’m guessing this relationship is over. Can’t for the life of me see why though…. Great take on the prompt.
Looks like it, Sandra. He can’t understand why either but he’s ready for next time. Thanks for coming by.
Such a clever take on the prompt, and an interesting writing form altogether. Loved how the last item tells the tale.
I really like list stories. Thanks so much for reading mine, Helena.
This is so very clever! I can see “the man” creating his list. Kudos
Thanks for that wonderful comment, Alicia.
Really cleverly done.
Thanks for reading.
Ah. Some autism here! Try reading the Rosie Project. I suspect its protagonist and yours will get on (or not) like a house on fire.
He’d certainly be on the autism spectrum. I have read The Rosie Project and absolutely loved it. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out in September.
Cute list, Karen. I agree wholeheartedly with number one. As to number, three, best make a note not to date women who ask such loaded questions.
Cheers!
Marie Gail
Good point. I’ll get him to put that on the list, Marie Gail. Thanks for your comments.
A wonderfully successful demonstration of a novel approach to conveying a story – a list within a list. Brilliantly executed, Karen.
Thanks so much for your comment, Di. I hadn’t realised it was a list within a list until you said.
I love this story Karen and your character. A unique preparation of everyday life and relationships through a list, that is vital for some. I like him!!
I have a soft spot for him, too, Maree. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Nice list! I prevaricated once, but the nice policeman told me I couldn’t do it in the front window of TCBY. 😉 😕
Ha. I don’t know what TCBY is but I can guess you meaning. Funny!
TCBY is a company called The Country’s Best Yogurt, similar to Baskin and Robbins, or Ben and Jerry’s, only selling flavored, frozen yogurt, rather than ice cream. It has 350+ stores across the USA and Canada – though, perhaps not one close to you.
I was going to just use “ice cream shop”, but wanted to be a little more specific. I considered Ben and Jerry’s, but felt that TCBY was a little more off-beat humorous. Sorry to have confused. Might I ask your (general) location? 😆 😕
I live in Australia and I’m fairly sure we don’t have those companies here. But specifics are much better than the general and even though I didn’t know the company, your meaning wasn’t lost and I enjoyed your joke. I could have googled TCBY if I needed.
A very clever take on the prompt. I think ‘nerd-boy’ will get over it, after all writing a list is better than an actual date.
You could be right, Subroto. The excitement he gets from making lists may be more than he got from the actual date. Thanks for reading.
should be a good top 10 list if you can come up with 3 more. or perhaps the remaining three are better left unsaid. 🙂
I’m sure this guy could come up with many more rules for his list. But the rule for FF stipulates 100 words and he’s a stickler for rules. Thanks for your comment, Plaridel.
Incredibly clever and witty, Karen! I love this “story.” I re-read it twice, each time wondering how you came up with such a creative approach. Bravo!
It’s amazing how the 100 word limit makes you wrack you brain for ways of fitting in what you want to say. It was first written as a normal narrative but came out at 200 words. The list was the solution to condensing it. I have a soft spot for list stories anyway. Thanks for your kind words, Dawn.
I’ve never tried one, but you have piqued my interest!
Amy Hempel, an American short story writer, is a master of the list story.
Wow. I’ll have to check that out.
Karen, That was hilarious. 😀 It deserves to be read out loud on a stage. The audience would roll in the aisles. I had to look up TCBY. It seems to mean “This Can’t Be Yogurt.” Creative and well written. 🙂 —Susan
You’ve made my day, Susan. Thank for that kind comment. Ah, so that’s the full name of the yoghurt place.
Amazing and inspired little story! I’m still grinning 🙂 Sounds like something Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory would do after a date.
Now you mention it I can see my character and Sheldon have much in common. I’m glad I made you grin.
Yes, number 3 is key. No wonder he’s still waiting. Like, duh! Karen, such an original take and well written.
He has a few problems knowing how to relate to women, or anyone for that matter. But he’s making a list and will have something to refer to if he ever gets another date. Thanks for reading and commenting, Amy.
I wonder if Mary would be interested in attending the nerd party?
I’ll get my narrator to ask her! How funny we wrote about the same kind of characters this week. What was interesting for me about Bjorn’s photo was the geology and the obvious slips in the formation. That led to me thinking about people who live on different tracks of life from the majority. How did you get there?
lol loved how you presented the story. 🙂 very original.
Thanks very much, K.Z.
Dear Karen, This must be a fantastic piece. However, I am so stupid I really don’t get it. Sorry – I’m old. Nan
Hi Nan. When my husband read it he didn’t get it either, but he hadn’t read the heading. It gives a clue to the story. The narrator made many “slippages” when he took Mary out for a date. The list is what he learned from these mistakes for next time. From it you can hopefully get a loose story of what happened on the date. Rereading it I can see I could have made it clearer.
I don’t believe for one minute your claims for why you didn’t get the story. Your comments are always insightful. The ‘list story’ is a different way of presenting a narrative and can cause confusion if you try to read it as a straight narrative. I’m so glad you left your comment. Thank you.
Thank you Karen – I love your writing, and you cleared it up! Have a good week! Nan 🙂
Ha! Made me LOL
Glad you enjoyed it, Dawn.