Yesterday while reading through my Twitter news feed, I came across this photograph posted by the USS Hornet Museum @HornetMuseum. At first I thought this would be a great addition to my ancestry records as I thought that my dad would have experienced this Thanksgiving feast but in looking back at the muster rolls, my dad was transferred off on October 25, 1945. The war with Japan was over by this time so the transition to peacetime had already begun. Even though, he would not have been on board for this event, I thought it was a fitting posting for today, Thanksgiving 2015.
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below. My story today cannot be told in 200 words so I will tell it in more then one week of Sunday photo fiction.
Credit: Al Forbes
Could a Donkey Love An Elephant
Our story today is like many you’ve heard before. It has all the elements of a love story and all the elements of a Shakespearean tragedy. Two lovers faced by the great divide from the people in their lives. Sound familiar? It should because just like Romeo and Juliet or Tony and Maria, our lovers meet, fall in love and are torn apart by that great divide.
________
“Karl, I won’t be able to meet you and the guys this weekend. My dad and I are going to Philadelphia,” said Roger.
“The Republican rallies?”
“With any luck we’ll put a Republican in the White House again.”
________
On Saturday afternoon, after finding parking, Roger and his father walked to the hotel where a rally for one of the Republican candidates for President was being held. They had difficulty getting through because a crowd of protesters were blocking the entrance. As Roger reached the steps, the crowd swelled and a woman holding a placard was shoved. When she fell at his feet, Roger reached down and helped her up. She looked into his eyes and he into hers and the world around them fell away.
The New York Post, established on November 16, 1801 as the New-York Evening Post, describes itself as the nation’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper. Today, the newspaper is a tabloid format; however it has a rich history.
Alexander Hamilton
Founded by Alexander Hamilton with about $10,000 from a group of investors it became a well respected broadsheet in the 19th century. Hamilton and his group of investors were from the Federalist party. Hamilton chose William Coleman as his first editor.
William Coleman
The publication changed ownership many times over the year and in 1976, the infamous Rupert Murdoch bought it for $30.5 million. He adopted the tabloid format which is the journalism style of his other newspapers. The newspaper boast having six headlines in the “Greatest Tabloid Headlines” list. Here is one of its most infamous.
Federal regulations limiting media cross-ownership of certain media outlets (Fox Broadcasting Company), Murdoch was forced to sell the publication in 1988; however he acquired it again in 1993. The newspaper has received a lot of criticism since Murdoch’s ownership as it is labeled sensationalism, blatant advocacy,and conservative bias. It has had it’s share of controversies as well. The most sensational of these can be read here. Today, the Post is owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation and shares a building with Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.
As many of my readers know, my mother passed away this year. You may also know that my mother was from Ireland and her Irish heritage was a big part of her life. I’ve been enjoying a series of novels that I am sure my mother would have loved. I wish she was here today so that I could share them with her. With my commute to work, I often listen to books on CD. Oh how my mom would have enjoyed listening to these stories.
Often I go to my local public library and borrow books on CD and when I discover an author that is new to me, I devour every recording available. This is the case recently with the An Irish Country Doctor series of novels by Patrick Taylor. Here are just a few of the book covers from the series. There are currently 11 novels in the series and before long, I will enjoy them all.
My mom was raised on a farm in County Tipperary Ireland which is in the Republic of Ireland. Although the novels by Patrick Taylor take place for the most part in Northern Ireland in a village a short distance from Belfast, the description of the village and the folks that live there makes me think of my mom’s life in Ireland. In these novels the reader is transported to rural Ballybucklebo in County Down, Northern Ireland. No it is not a real village name but there are likely many villages like it and after reading these novels, I want to go there. County Down is a real place. It is one of six counties in Northern Ireland. Any one of the small villages in the county could be Ballybucklebo.
These aren’t ancient stories. The setting of the first novel, An Irish Country Doctor is 1964. Some of the novels flashback to an earlier time in one or more character’s lives but for the most part it is the mid 1960s. They are not stories in a vacuum either. While Patrick Taylor focuses on the people of this rural village, he also throws in a little Irish history as well as Irish and world current events happening at the time. Just a touch without turning the stories into political points of view.
Not being in the medical profession, I am fascinated by the way Patrick Taylor weaves the medical stories into his novels. You learn a few things without being overwhelmed and some of them are quite humorous.
My mom often referred to the Banshee but she never expounded too much about her. In An Irish Country Girl, I learned so much Irish folklore. This novel is 4th in the series and is one of the flashback stories I mentioned earlier. It takes place in County Cork, Ireland in the late 1920s.
If you are looking for stories that will thoroughly entertain you and you like to be transported when you read, I’ll use a phrase often used by one of the important characters. These stories will come on a treat for you.
Check out what Goodreads.com has to say about these novels. This link also lists them in order and I recommend reading them in order.
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below.
Credit: Al Forbes
Watch Out for the Potholes
“Shane I am sure you’ve heard your father and I talking about how the winter wreaks havoc on the roads. I only mention it again because you are a new driver. Watch out for the potholes.”
“Sure mom.” Shane hadn’t looked up when his mom was speaking. With his eyes glued to the television, he was achieving his highest score yet on Grand Theft Auto.
Frowning in frustration at her son, Virginia went to the kitchen when she heard the telephone ringing.
“Hello?”
“Hey Mrs. P. Is Shane at home?”
“Tanya? Sure just a minute.”
Virginia handed her son the receiver as he came into the kitchen and left to give him privacy. After a short while, Shane found her in the family room.
“Tanya is at the mall. Can I borrow the car to meet her.”
“Yes but remember what I said about the potholes.”
——
“9-1-1 What’s your emergency?”
“I’m not hurt but I do need help. I was warned to watch for potholes, but I didn’t expect a sinkhole larger than the car.”
