Worked an 11-hour shi(f)t and am a tad wired. It’s 1:00 a.m. and I can’t sleep. This story swam in my head on my way home. After some deliberation, this is what I came up with. 🙂
Thank you, always, to Rochelle for being the ultimate cat-herder with this unruly group! This week, she chose Liz Young‘s photo. Last time I checked, it was July and not October which makes this choice all the more fun and challenging. Smooth, Oh Purple One!
Care to join in on the fun? It is, you know… Fun that is. And when people read your stories and comment on yours, as you do theirs, well, the joy is multiplied. So, do not be shy, click on the Blue Frog below and add your link. Easy-peasy!
Sing Like a Caged Bird
“Send me off forever but I ask you please
Don’t fence me in…”
“Shut up!”
“No? Don’t like that one? How ’bout:
‘She’s in the jailhouse now…
Ah-di-o-dalee-eehee-dee-o-ti!'”
For Chrissakes… you are so not worth this agony. Stop!”
“What? You kidnap me, lock me up, hope to get who knows how much moolah from my folks and you want me to keep quiet? Screw you! I’m useless to you dead.
“I’m stuck in Folsom Prison
And time keeps draggin’ on….”
“Fine, Little Birdy, sing. You ain’t getting out ‘til your folks pay up.” He left, closing the door behind him.
Love it, how annoying. But I’m afraid that’s par for the course if you’re getting into kidnapping.
Isn’t it Thursday today? This is madness
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not all prisoners take it sitting down… 😉
It is! We get our picture on Wednesday and technically have two days to think about our story (well, up to a week, honestly) – but most of us like to write on Wednesday! Gives me a chance to read all of ’em when I do that…
LikeLike
How come I don’t get a picture? I’ll speak to my MP
LikeLiked by 1 person
All ya have to do, is take it from mine and run with it… or subscribe tp Rochelle’s blog and you too will get the photo of the week… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I feel slightly left out I’m going to investigate further, I’m sure I joined last week. Does she email?
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you subscribe to her blog (with the email option) you will get it in your inbox…
LikeLike
runtshell@gmail.com 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Great story! Keep singing little bird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Glad you liked….
LikeLike
Brilliant take, Dale, and I love the layout and the songs. Gave me my first laugh of the day. PS I assume the funny “Freudian” slip in your preamble is deliberate?:):)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Jilly… So very glad I did give you your first laugh of the day… and
as mentioned to a few readers… it was a Freudian slip that was corrected to shi(f)t 😉
LikeLike
If they keep singing they’ll either get released or murdered, I think 🙂
I’m hoping you didn’t really work “an 11-hour shit” 😦 I wouldn’t be able to sleep either after that 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Depends on how much she is worth 😉
And boy… when I make a Freudian slip, I make a big one!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely whimsy
LikeLiked by 1 person
So very glad you thought so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a very inventive take on the prompt, Dale. And funny as well. Now I look more closely at the prompt, there’s a distinct air of defiance about the caged person. You caught that well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Penny. I so like it when I go outside the box… so to speak 😉
Am glad you see that.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The victim fights back. Not sure now which way this will go. For me, I’d let the warbler go and hang the money. Especially when he gets round to the Johnny Cash collection…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, she does. I almost made it so that he let her go… but figured I’d leave it hanging a bit
As she already did… 😉
LikeLike
That little victory goes to her. Brilliant story, Dale. She better be careful not to get her mouth taped shut.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does, Gabi! Yes, I was considering that happening too… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale,
Not sure why but my, sufferin’ succotash, my mind went to Tweety Bird. Can just hear him singing Folsom Blues…Love it.
Shalom,
The Purple One
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Purple One,
Ha ha ha!!! Love it.. “I hear that train a-coming, coming ’round the bend….”
Lotsa love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tawt I taw too too twain. 🤪
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! You nut!
LikeLike
I can’t decide if this is helping her cause of making things worse for herself. She’s defiant at least.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That she is. And it may come to pass that he gets royally fed up…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great take on the prompt Dale, it’s an interesting strategy, let’s hope it works 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Andrea. I sure hope it does too! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
A new twist on The Ransom of Red Chief. I love it. I like the Johnny Cash, but wish you had time for “Let’s rock everybody, Let’s rock. Everybody in the whole cell block, Was dancing to the …” well, you know… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you did! I did consider adding Elvis but ran outta words… you know, that whole limit of 100 and all… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, that 100 word thing… I said something about running out of time, but I meant running out of words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I still got it 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love her spirit
BTW, re the 11-hour shit, I’m sure there’s something you can take for that 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too!
And I’m calling it a Freudian slip… I have changed it to shi(f)t 😁
LikeLike
And another smile …
LikeLiked by 1 person
… Yay! …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Q,
Not where I saw you going with this, but YES! Poetically dark humor, which is right up my alley. I’m just wondering how many songs it’s going to take before the prisoner is released without a ransom . . .
Peace and necessary melodies
LikeLiked by 1 person
B,
Glad I sent you off a different track! Love that you love my dark humour 😉
I’m thinking there are quite a few songs in that noggin of hers and if he really can’t take it… can go either way!
Peace and singin’ the blues
LikeLiked by 1 person
My prediction? The get out of jail free card is in the mail! Hahaha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woot!
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
goodie, she has time to practice. once the ransom is paid she can audition at america got talent competition. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Buahahaha!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only saw your 11 hour shift….. shxt indeed!!!! You poor lamb. I bet you felt kinda caged too – and maybe you thought of all those children in their cages, separated from their parents…. who knows?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL… I tell ya…. I am too old for that kind of shizzle… my body ain’t liking it one bit.
I think it was a definite Freudian slip… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t relating to your Freudian slip – but to the endlessly long and tiresome 11h shift! One shouldn’t have to do that anymore at a certain age – I couldn’t even stand on my feet for a fraction of the time…. You are a hero! Bisous (kisses) K
LikeLiked by 1 person
I could not agree more… and I’ve reached that certain age! Bisous ma chère! D
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a delightfully different take on the prompt. LOVE it!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So very glad you liked my little silliness 😉
LikeLike
SMILING … LOLOL – ing … and can’t begin to say anything more.
You are something else, girl.
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOLOing, eh? I’ll take that as a very good sign…
I am 😉
xoxo
LikeLike
I hope she’s right that he won’t risk killing her. Some songs will drive even normal people to do crazy things, and this guy is clearly already halfway there! I guess as long as she says away from “Never gonna give you up…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
So do I…
Well… for now, they are all “prison” songs… but who knows? She may change her tune!
LikeLiked by 1 person
keep singing – and this was a fun metered piece!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Yvette! So glad you enjoyed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hee-hee, hee 🙂 Well, Dale, I think that captive is living dangerously. If I was into taking people hostage and they kept up that singing (especially if she was tone deaf), I might end up doing something drastic to silence her. There speaks a singer who, at times, could gladly have throttled her fellow singers, but never has … yet!
LikeLiked by 1 person
She is taking a chance, to be sure… one does what one can 😉
Glad I got a hee-hee, hee out of you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This reads so real from here …….
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad it does!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t stop singing little bird . Great read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked Piyali!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This guy does with first.half.of.twentieth.century songs what I do with ’60’s songs. When all else fails, keep singing
LikeLiked by 1 person
There ya go! Do what you must, I say 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great picks for lines of songs. Your good imagination at it again. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ina! I dunno where that one came from 😉
LikeLike
And they don’t beat him up? What nice kidnappers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe she needs to be kept unharmed…
LikeLike
An 11-hour shift is insane, so sorry! A very creative take on the prompt with a nice twist. I admire the spunk of the girl held captive. Hope it doesn’t come back to bite her. =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is. Too much!
Thank you, Brenda. I hope it doesn’t either!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such an inventive take on the prompt Dale – so witty to build in the songs. Get a sense that the hostage is quite feisty — think she’ll be ok.?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I truly like to think so, Francine!
Maybe the hostage guy is a neophyte…and at a loss on how to deal with her!
LikeLike
Ha ha ha, something tells me that the kidnapper’s resolve, and sanity, will not remain this strong for too long 🙂 Around an year ago, I wrote a story (in three parts) about a kidnapping. Lots of Indian cultural references in it, but you might find it fun 🙂 https://jagahdilmein.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/taan-se-taal-mila-in-which-two-legends-come-face-to-face-and-one-of-them-plans-a-coup-against-a-third-legend/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad this made you laugh, Anurag. I don’t know! He might start singing with her 😉
Will check it out.
LikeLike
A kidnapper’s job isn’t easy 😀 Enjoyed this piece and the comments Dale 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So very glad you did!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Singing, unless you are good at it, is a good way to irritate anyone cooped up with you. So unless shes really a songbird, i think her strategy is risky.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But worth a try… she’s not willing to just sit there and be a victim…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope it worked. A lady with oomph.
Lovely take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Patrick. She has oomph to spare!
LikeLike
Hopefully the kidnapper does not resort to more violent methods of keeping her quiet. Though I get the feeling he is not cut out for crime.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you’re right, Fatima. I don’t think he could do anything to hurt her.
LikeLike
If she always sings like that, the kidnapper may have to PAY HER FAMILY to get them to take her back. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right on!!
LikeLike
I like her (his?) feistiness! Love your take on the prompt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Elle!!
Merci mon amie!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Avec plaisir! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trapped! But seems to still have stong will. I wonder if she will escape 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like to think she’ll be let go! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Than you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well at least now we know why the caged bird sings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
To drive her captor nuts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Persistent little bird, she might escape her cage in the end. Loved the spirit in this story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I like to think so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I like your “caged bird’s” attitude! I hope she sings as out of tune as I do. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I dunno if that would hinder or help her… but it sure would be satisfying rather than just sitting there.
LikeLike
That is one feisty little kidnapped person. She definitely ain’t a victim. Great attitude. She needs to find the most annoying ear worm and sing it on repeat, then maybe the kidnapper will let her go to save his sanity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like to think so! Now that you say that, it makes me think of a story line on Walking Dead where they torment a prisoner with a song that plays on a loop….
LikeLiked by 1 person