Friday Fictioneers

Keith's Ramblings

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He was hoping for a watch. A carriage clock would have been nice. But no, he was given a glass bowl.

Forty-nine years, three months and six days he worked for the bank. Almost fifty years and all he got as a retirement gift was a bowl. Too big for his corn flakes, too small for his apples and pears. So he stuck a plant in it.

A few days later he accidentally stepped under a bus.

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His daughter took some of his bits and pieces to an auction.

‘Lot six, a very rare and sought after Lalique crystal bowl. We’ll start the bidding at £11,900’

 

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bowl-and-leavesFriday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle who also provided this weeks photograph.

 

84 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers”

  1. rochellewisoff May 23, 2018 / 11:27

    Dear Keith,

    Sounds like he was run over by speeding Karma. At least he left a nice inheritance. Nicely done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  2. Denise May 23, 2018 / 11:48

    I’ve told my sons not to have a garage sale when I am gone but to take the china cabinet items to a local auctioneer. Some men do not appreciate fine art of any kind, lol. BTW, when I retired I got a suitcase cause they knew I planned to travel.

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  3. pennygadd51 May 23, 2018 / 11:57

    You tell the story very neatly and clearly, and the reveal is great! I do hope he wasn’t distracted thinking about the bowl when he accidentally stepped under the bus…

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  7. Iain Kelly May 23, 2018 / 14:17

    I’ll be amazed if I get so much as a bowl, never mind an expensive one. Poor guy…

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  8. Mike May 23, 2018 / 15:03

    At least his kids will have enough to pay for a good send off!
    Nice writing Keith.

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  9. Christine Goodnough May 23, 2018 / 15:07

    Tsk, tsk — he worked for them all those years and didn’t know they’d buy only the good stuff? At least the auctioneer wasn’t as clueless. 🙂
    Well done as always.

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    • Keith's Ramblings May 24, 2018 / 00:33

      If only he’d known! At least his daughter discovered how much he was appreciated by his colleagues.

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  10. granonine May 23, 2018 / 16:44

    Good one, Keith. He must not have learned much in all those years he worked for them.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Lynn Love May 23, 2018 / 18:08

    If he’d known the value of the bowl, do you think he would have been more careful crossing the road? Lovely twist there Keith

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  12. kirstwrites May 23, 2018 / 19:29

    I love this Keith! A bitter old man, dying not knowing how much he was appreciated or that he was sitting on a small fortune. I feel like I can imagine his whole frustrated life from just a few lines. Brilliant writing.

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  13. Alicia Jamtaas May 23, 2018 / 19:42

    I hope you don’t mind if this made me laugh. Sometimes we just don’t appreciate things. Fun tale, Keith

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  15. Mike May 23, 2018 / 22:37

    I enjoyed this take on the glass bowl.

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  18. kasturi May 24, 2018 / 04:39

    Dear Keith, you managed to span an entire story with a great twist in these few words! I loved it. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  22. Alice Audrey May 24, 2018 / 14:46

    Looks like he was more valued than he realized. Such a pity that he couldn’t live to see this.

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  23. J. E. Kennedy May 24, 2018 / 15:03

    I love the straight-forward tone in this. Shame he didn’t get to see what the bowl was worth.

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  24. subroto May 24, 2018 / 15:40

    If only had he got a crystal ball instead 😉 Nice one, loved the understated humour in it.

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  25. syncwithdeep May 24, 2018 / 15:46

    late to realize but good the daughter made a fortune of his bits and pieces. amazing story!

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  26. Dale May 24, 2018 / 17:42

    Karma… really is a bitch. And seriously, after 50 years was he so clueless about gifts given before him?

    Liked by 1 person

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  27. Vivian Zems May 24, 2018 / 19:37

    What a thrilling twist! If only he’d calmed down…he’d have been cruising in a limo!

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  29. plaridel May 24, 2018 / 23:04

    too bad he didn’t live long enough to appreciated. at least his daughter did.

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  30. subroto May 25, 2018 / 01:58

    Poor guy he got clean bowled at the end. A little bit of dark humour in there. Nicely done.

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    • Keith's Ramblings May 25, 2018 / 07:49

      There’s a little humour in most things if you know where to look! Cheers

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  31. liz young May 25, 2018 / 17:01

    Oh dear – an untimely end. He wouldn’t have fared any better if he’d been wearing that gold watch.

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    • Keith's Ramblings May 26, 2018 / 09:12

      Perhaps he thought he was late so he rushed across the road rather than waiting for the bus to pass which he wouldn’t have done if he was wearing a watch because he would have known he wasn’t late and would have waited! No? Ok. Cheers Liz.

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  32. James McEwan May 26, 2018 / 09:30

    This short piece made me wonder about value. The value of fifty years plus service being recognised with a token gesture – after all I assume he was well paid and had a pension – so his frustration was borne out on an expectation of more, yet he did not recognise the value of the gift. I understand his feelings, I worked where over 250 personnel were asked to make a donation towards a gift for the top boss who was leaving, he decided what he wanted and we paid – more fool us.

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    • Keith's Ramblings May 26, 2018 / 11:19

      It’s surely not the cost but the thought that counts. As for the boss deciding what he wants – that’s a no-no! Cheers James.

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  33. Dahlia May 26, 2018 / 13:10

    I can’t help but feel sorry for him – nicely layered write Keith

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  34. Russell Gayer May 26, 2018 / 20:00

    I feel his disappointment. My employer discontinued my position (or so they said) and escorted me out the front door. They boxed up my personal belongs and let me pick them up later. It was a sad way to end a 31 year career. I didn’t even get a damned bowl. So far, I’ve been fortunate to stay out of the path of buses. Let’s hope my luck continues.

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    • Keith's Ramblings May 27, 2018 / 15:06

      Are you sure the box they used wasn’t an antique chest worth fortunes? At least I got a coffee mug when I left my last job. Actually, I stole it, but that’s our secret! Cheers Russell

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  35. Anna Rymer May 26, 2018 / 22:25

    Love it! So simple and yet very effective 🙂
    So he stuck a plant in it – brilliant! Not such a bad present after all though

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  37. Inside the Mind of Isadora May 27, 2018 / 22:31

    It looks like he didn’t have much retirement time.
    I suppose had he been around a bit longer he may have found out the value of the bowl or not.
    His dislike may have had other endings. I’m happy the duaghter got to have a little something for it. How much would that be in American dollars? Good write …
    Isadora 😎

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      • Inside the Mind of Isadora May 28, 2018 / 21:27

        WOW … not bad is right. It’s always a good idea to check the value of something before you throw it away or donate. Thank you for letting me know the money conversion.
        Have a nice week … Isadora 😎

        Liked by 1 person

  39. Jan Vanek May 29, 2018 / 11:09

    Very creative take on the prompt–from his disappointment at his retirement gift, to your wording of “he stepped under a bus” to the bowl’s unexpected and unknown value at the end. Well done!

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