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Deaf – Friday Fictioneers

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My goodness.  Had a little trouble getting myself going today.  The fun part about working in a seasonal job is I can have dinner parties on a Tuesday night.  Wednesday morning comes along, and, though I may feel a tad “fragile”, I can take it easy and recuperate from my excesses.  Not that I would ever dream of over-indulging in food and wine.  Nuh-unh, not me…

Rochelle nabbed her own picture this week and so, only one thank you is required this week 😉

Do join in on the fun by clicking on Monsieur Frogue below and adding your own 100-word story inspired by this lovely picture.

©Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

 

Get the Frogue for your Blogue

Deaf

Every anniversary, without fail, he arrived with a beautiful bouquet of fragrant roses; an extra rose for every year.  Every anniversary, she reminded him that she could not stand the smell of roses as they evoked the memory of her brother’s death.  There were so many flowers at his funeral, the stench was forever imprinted into her senses.

Did he listen?

Not for twenty-nine years.

Now, instead, she receives a beautiful glass rose to add to her scentless and everlasting bouquet.

She has never liked knickknacks and doohickeys.  Dust-collectors she calls them.  And she hates dusting.

Does he listen?

 

145 thoughts on “Deaf – Friday Fictioneers”

  3. Nice new pic Dale.
    This sounds a bit like my MIL, never happy. I remember taking flowers up for their 60th anniversary which she snatched out of my hands and dumped in the sink.
    ‘Not more flowers!’ she groaned. I never bought her any again, not even a cheap bunch of daffs.
    My Mum loved flowers, and just loved to be remembered. Everyone was given a rose at her funeral to say their goodbyes as we filed out. We’d already put four red roses in with Mum when I said goodbye at the funeral directors that morning. It was two from Bro in NZ and two from us. I was assured they wouldn’t be removed.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Q,

    You went BOTH routes! Cleverly cheeky surprise there lovely mistress of the 100 words!

    The tradition though, his insistence to not listen is a genuine part of the whole enchilada ain’t it not? The whole ‘compromise’ thing CAN be fun if the participants lend enough rope to each other without the need to use it for strangling. LOL. In this case, it can be sweetly ironic. Well, that’s my take anyways.

    You know your way around 100 words, tell you what!

    B

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Maybe he doesn’t listen well, but he does keep trying. Maybe she needs to tell him exactly what she would like. Then, if he gets it wrong again, ——-well, I don’t know. Feed him his least favorite food every night for a month 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Well, the question then is whether a dust-collecting fragrance-less rose is progress, stagnation, or regression … 😉 Me think the whole flower arrangement is indicative of some underlying issues … 😉
    Nicely done, my friend!
    Na’ama

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Dear Dale,

    Some people…men, it seems, in particular, only hear what they want. I can think of a few things to say but none of them are nice. 😉 But your story is well done as always. And as always, you take the road less traveled. Brava!

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Rochelle,

      It would seem. Though to be fair, I’m sure there are women who are guilty of the same… I’m sure…
      Glad you enjoyed my road!
      Shalom and Lotsa love,

      Dale

      Like

  14. But roses are -so- romantic! Everyone knows that! And glass doohickeys, thingamajigs, or whatchamacallits? Who doesn’t love those!?! Yeah, so he is patting himself on the back so hard for his thoughtlessness, I mean thoughtfulness, that he totally doesn’t hear her complain 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Sounds like my ex fiance. Everything I ever told him I didn’t like he gave me. Because he didn’t listen! There is nothing worse than being in a relationship and not being heard. Well there’s worse I suppose but you know what I mean. Very frustrating.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Sounds like your couple needs to sit down and hash this out. Some men give same-old because they think, “She’ll gripe no matter what I give her, so why not do the easiest thing.” And some just don’t care enough. Or maybe he likes to annoy her?
    I’d wonder if your FMC cares enough for her man to make the effort to get her message across. There are often undercurrents to people’s actions — or lack of — but where there’s genuine caring, surely there’s “hearing” on both sides. There’s a “Thank you, dear” even for the gift that’s soon packed off to Village de Valeurs. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Sometimes it’s just too late for the sit down and hash it out. Some men don’t listen and do what they want regardless.
      I think eventually the woman becomes totally nonchalant and doesn’t care anymore…
      Or, maybe all is no lost if both are willing to stop and listen!
      VV!!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. As someone who would love to receive flowers, but has married the wrong person for such a gesture, I’m not totally in her corner. Except for the second half – where I wouldn’t thank anyone for buying me ornaments or knick-knacks. And that, fortunately, is one area where the OH was happy to oblige. Good one, Dale. And thanks for helping me out last night. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Beautiful glass roses. This is an exquisite little story. I was just thinking today of how my son searched for and found the special roses his wife loves best to give her for Valentine’s. My first husband surprised me with yellow roses for no particular reason when I was in college before we even thought of getting married. And never again.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Aren’t they beautiful? They are real roses, dipped in some kind of lacquer and then tipped with gold.
      How lovely your son is!
      Funny how the “for no reason” ones are the best…

      Like

  30. It’s sad he doesn’t consider how the roses make her feel, the association with the loss of her brother. It would make her feel he simply doesn’t care, true or not. Well-written story.

    The too much food, wine, and friends evening sounds nice! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  37. What an idiot. He should stick to simple anniversary gifts like an iron, steam mop, vacuum cleaners and other items she can use and appreciate. Of course if he does that, there is a chance that the 30th won’t be coming around 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  40. I wonder if he thought she really wanted roses and didn’t want him to spend the money they couldn’t afford. I’d like to think he wasn’t being disrespectful. Are there men who live with a woman only to give them grief? GOSH … how sad that would be.!!!
    Thought provoking story, Dale. Nicely done …!!!
    Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

  41. Ha! I’m one of those “weird” women who don’t like getting flowers or presents (except for books), so I can really relate to the protagonist.
    You’ve brought up such a good point about flowers being associated with funerals. Flowers are also given to people in hospital, so they are associated with illness as well.
    Une histoire bien racontée. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  45. Ooh, the thought of this irritates me as I’m reading. The kind of person who gives a gift, not for the sake of the recipient, but to give themselves a pat on the back – irritating. I wonder what else he doesn’t listen to? Probably doesn’t listen to her at all, just buys her stuff she doesn’t want and tells himself he’s being a good husband.
    Well observed and wonderful writing Dale

    Liked by 1 person

  46. At the end, I wondered if there were two sides to this story because there is no mention as to what she does for their anniversary while she complains about his gifts. But perhaps this arises from knowing women who would be happy that their husbands *remembered* special days with any kind of token. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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