From tiny pods of peas to his massive orange pumpkins, he always won prizes at the annual produce show. Even after his marriage ended in acrimonious circumstances, he carried on, seemingly unbothered.
At least, so we thought.
One winter’s night he stood before a bonfire with a handful of photographs. He gazed at one then threw it into the flames. Another, then another until none remained. Then he retired to bed and fell asleep, never again to wake.
Next year there’ll be a special award at the produce show in honour of the man none of us really knew.
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers and to Connie Gayer for her photo of Russell!
Wow. That’s an awfully big hole he is digging. I would never have gone in your direction. More like something criminal. Unless, of course, he was digging his own grave?
My initial thought was to write something sinister but I always dismiss first thoughts on the basis that others might take the same direction! Cheers Denise
Good thinking!
Dear Keith,
That last line just tugs at the heartstrings. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks so much Rochelle
I agree with Rochelle Keith.
Thank you very much.
Well done and definitely a heart-touching piece of writing. We can really feel for the poor old guy and the guilt of the minding-our-own-business neighbours.
Makes me recall a classmate, tall, blond, handsome, school football hero, fought over by two girls. Did he feel no one really cared, or why dd he commit suicide at 18?
That’s terrible and so sad. Who knows what actually goes on in peoples minds? Thanks Christine.
As the neighbours in your story learned too late, it needs getting out of ourselves and taking the time to know someone else. Teens are especially bad in that area. 🙁
That was heartbreaking… and well done.
Thank you Dale
How many people do we really know? Great and original take.
I often wonder. Cheers Jilly
Interesting, Keith.
I guess he felt relieved for having being burnt pics of his “his marriage (that) ended in acrimonious circumstances”…
Awards are special, even posthumous ones…
They certainly are Anita, thank you.
So very sad.
Indeed. Thank you Sandra.
I try to keep an eye out for people close to me who are struggling and also hope to reach battlers through my blog. However, people keep slipping through the net. It’s so tragic.
Hope you’re having a better week yourself.
Best wishes,
Rowena
At least you try. I am having a great week thank you, Rowena!
Rowena – you sound like you have a heart of gold. and sadly, the world can be so cruel to where people stay way too private – hmmm and this story grabbed that
Thank you very much, Prior.
🙂
That’s so sad. A man who everyone knew by sight but that no one really knew. A little tragedy well told Keith
It’s probably more common than we realise. Thank you Lynn
Lots of unreported tragedies, I’m sure. Thank you Keith
Like the tenderness in your story, and it gave me food for thought about quiet people.
That’s very kind of you WWM. It’s just too easy to ignore them.
Indeed… do we ever know the depth of human being, sometimes you have to ask I think
We should, but invariably we don’t. Cheers Bjorn
I agree Bjorn… well said
Beware of the “quiet types” they say. Great job, Keith.
I quite agree with that Russell. Thanks so much
Now, that left me wondering! Brilliantly hinted at, Keith.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Mission accomplished! Thanks very much, Susan.
It was only photographs. It will be a massive effort now to erase online presence of a life.
I guess that was a start, but things are so different these days.
We pass by so many people each day, and each carries a secret hurt or burden, don’t they?
So often they’ll carry it to the grave. Thanks Mimi
somebody took notice. he didn’t live in vain.
Better late than never. Thanks Plaridel
A tragic tale, beautifully written. It can be difficult to know who people really are, or know what they’re dealing with.
So true. Thanks so much.
The last line was so sad. But at least they decided to honour him.
That they did. Thanks for dropping by.
That was heart breaking. I’m glad he found solace in gardening after his wife died. Even for some time.
Indeed he did. Thanks Shivamt
Heartbreaking, no one really knows what goes on in someone’s head
I’m not always sure I know what’s going on in mine! Thanks Bettina
Sad story, he is smiling on the outside but may be in trauma inside. Breakups can be hard and probably for some people harder than most.
I’m sure that’s the way for some. Thanks for reading my tale.
Perhaps he spent too much time gardening and not enough talking to his wife?
I guess that’s quite possible. Thanks Liz
I was going to make a snarky comment about “How big were his melons?”, but then the ending came.
Thnks for a bit of light relief – I was getting quite depressed! Cheers Stuhn.
How old was he? Did he die of natural causes, a broken heart, or suicide?
I couldn’t decide so I left it to the reader. On balance I’d go with the broken heart. Thanks, Alice
Pretty deep. Poor chap, it’s a shame no-one noticed until it was too late.
That’s how it is for some I’m sure. Thanks so much.
Oh, I can see him standing before the fire, tossing one photo after another into the flames. You got a lot of emotion into 100-words. Nicely done.
Very kind of you Alicia, thank you.
A poignant write.
Thank you YS
so sad
and rich little story here
alos – very realistic
reminded me of the time I heard that Jackie O (Kennedy’s wife) burned all her journals and pics before she died – never wanting anyone to glance inside.
makes ya wonder what was behind the veil.
I wasn’t aware of that. Interesting. Thanks so much for your generous words Prior
🙂
Nice one! There’s a similar theme to your FF story last week – a man with a somewhat blighted life who keeps his pain under wraps. Maybe you could weave them together somehow?
You have given me an idea! Thanks Kirst
I look forward reading it sometime!
A bitter sweet tale, knowing he will be remembered for his achievements in death. Sad to be so unknown by those around him though.
It’s the way that some are. Cheers Sarah.
I had no idea you were still blogging. Your writing is better than ever.
KB, fancy meeting you here! Yep, still blogging 12 years on, and loving it more than ever. I’m going to check up on you now. I expect to find you still at it – don’t let me down!
A sad tale. It’s true we never know what someone else is truly thinking or feeling. Sometimes life gets too difficult to bear for some. Nicely written!
Who knows what’s behind the mask? Thanks Brenda
So tragic.
Indeed. Thank you.
Incredibly sad.
Such a sad tale. We never realize how others may be suffering while they’re going through the motions of normal.
You use the very powerful image of burning each photograph separately. Burning is such a final, irreversible act and, done the way you describe, nothing remains but ash. Was there deep anger in his heart, I wonder? Or despair? Or even a ‘coming to terms’ with his excruciating loss? You probe the depths with this story, Keith.