In the mansion beyond the red brick wall fires crackled, tables groaned with food and servants fetched and carried. Daily, footmen prepared the master’s carriage for his visit to the factory where he walked between clanging machines, his loyal workers stooping as he passed.
Days were good back then.
Five scruffy urchins played in the dust whilst their mother prepared scraps of food. If her husband caught enough rats today, he’d earn a shilling with which to buy more food tomorrow. Soon their eldest son would be six and strong enough to sweep the chimneys of the mansion beyond the red brick wall.
Days were dark back then.
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers and to Ronda Del Boccio for the picture.
I liked what you saw beyond the red brick wall
Thank you Neil
Very interesting take on the prompt.
Thanks very much
Has it really changed much since then? I think that wall still exists, even if not so literally now.
There certainly are modern parallels. Cheers Iain.
It was ever thus, two sides of the same coin. Nicely done.
Such is life! Thanks Sandra.
Fabulous take on the photo prompt, Keith!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Delighted you liked it Susan
Excellent picture of “the good old days.” We need to appreciate the “mobility” choices we have today. Before 1900, where you were born was almost always where you lived and died.
Very true. Thank you, Christine.
A red brick wall separates have and have nots.
Yesterday, today and probably tomorrow too. Thanks so much.
Nice idea. One tiny wee crit, I think you need some commas in the first sentence i.e. perhaps something like “In the mansion, beyond the red brick wall, fires crackled”.
You have no idea how many times I added and deleted commas and semi-colons whilst writing this! In the end, I stuck to the version the Grammarly app approved of!
You make excellent use of the huge contrasts between rich and poor to give your story energy.
Thanks so much Penny
True then and true today. It is a divide which seems to be get worse,
That’s life – sadly. Cheers Michael
It seems as if nothing has changed. The divide is still there, only the places have changed.
Very true. Thanks so much
Excellent contrast.
Thanks Jennifer
Hi Keith – yes it’s interesting how life has changed, yet hasn’t … now there’s more opportunity for more rats, as well as for clambering out of the hell hole … equally there should be more opportunity for people with privilege, or with enough to consider and remember others. Great story telling though – really ‘impaled’ the values … cheers Hilary
Well put Hilary. Thanks so much for your thoughts.
“They were the best of times, they were the worst of times… “(tale of two cities, charles dickens. ). You are in good company on this theme!
Or is it “it was…”?
err…yes! Your comment is spot on, cheers.
Hi Keith! Very clever take on the prompt! I’ve come by to let you know WEP has joined with the Insecure Writers Support Group which will lead us to bigger and better things. If you’re interested in expanding your readership, please pop by the WEP site and see if the current prompt, CHANGE OF HEART gets your heart pumping!
Denise
I’ve been meaning to pop over to WEP again for some time. Thanks for the reminder, Denise.
Oh, how different life is on different sides of the tracks.
Indeed. Thanks Mimi.
A very realistic picture you drew with your words. I liked the contrast. The story sucked me right in.
Very kind of you, thanks.
Dear Keith,
I found this two-sides-of-the-brick wall story hauntingly well written. Good job.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks so much Rochelle
A Dickensian take. Great write.
Much appreciated YS
contrasting life.. beautiful take on the prompt.
Thanks so much.
My pleasure
The contrast is depicted beautifully. It is always the plight of children which saddens us.
I quite agree. Thanks Reena.
Hi Keith,
You’ve managed to describe a great deal in so few words.
A tale well-told giving us pause to think.
Isadora 😎
Very kind of you, thanks Isadora
All that from a pot of grass. Outstanding. I love the comparison/contrast.
Haha! We’ve all gone in different directions this week.
Good piece of social comment. My daughter’s cottage in Ireland has a chimney wide enough for a man, let alone a child!
Big enough for Father Christmas too! Cheers Elizabeth.
Hubby should cut out the middle man and just eat the rats 🙂
I like the two sides to your scene, the haves and have-nots.
Now that’s an idea!
wel I just so happened to write about darkness related to work – but more present day –
and how extra nice to red your take here. It really reminds us to be grateful (or can have that message)
Thanks for your kind words Prior
🙂
I enjoyed the way you portrayed two different perspectives of a single time period. It’s all about the person telling the story, isn’t it? A very nice thought-provoking piece. =)
Thank you so much Brenda
Really good stuff, i’m reading about coin clipping at the moment and the similarities are strikingly similar.
Thanks so much, I really enjoyed your original take too.
thanks
It’s an endless, eternal divide, across the world.
Such is life. Cheers Anurag
An unexpected take on the prompt. Loved the contrast of the two different worlds.
Thanks so much Fatima
Maybe it’s will have a Jane Eyre~/Cinderella~ish twist
You could be right! Cheers Larry
A well crafted tale Keith. Made me think of Tiny Tim and Scrooge – Humbug !!
Haha! Humbug indeed! Thanks, WWM
Very cool showing the two worlds in 100 words!
Thanks so much Dawn
Interesting take on the prompt. Dark tale… coal black
Sooty! Thanks, Laurie
Very nicely done dual perspectives Keith!
Thanks so much Dahlia
I think this is the message behind ‘Build the wall’. Well done.
Indeed it is. Cheers Susan
Oh wow I thought they were going to eat the rats. I’m so glad they are able to exchange them for money for food. Thanks, Keith, for allowing him to exchange the rats instead of cook them.