Why is it so hard to write stories to my own pictures? Yes, my readers, it is Wednesday afternoon here in sunny (finally) Montreal. After a nice belated birthday brunch with my sister, I found myself staring at my picture trying to come up with something. For those who are curious, this is St-François-Xavier Street in Old Montreal, just across from the lovely Centaur Theatre. How cool that the buildings in back are all lit up and the rest in darkness, eh? Anyhoo. Thanks to Rochelle for “picking me!” this week.
If you care to join in on the 100-word challenge, do click on the frog below to add your link. G’head. It’s a great exercise in learning how to get rid of excess words and getting to the point without any detours. Not always easy and we all, at one time or another worry we don’t succeed, but hey, practice makes better!
Do Not Fear Me
“Come, step out from the shadows. Show yourself to me.”
She cowered further in the doorway, straining to listen for footsteps.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me.”
She trembled.
“I can feel your fear. It’s misplaced.”
His voice was calm, warm, and not a little seductive. And — familiar. Against her better judgment, she stepped forward.
“That’s right, come to me. You want to.”
“I don’t want—”
“Yes, you do.”
“No….,” but she took another step. “Bill? What the hell? You scared me half to death!”
“You said you wanted more excitement in our lives, babe.”
This is Bill .Bill knows how to keep women guessing. Be like Bill
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Ha ha! He did deliver… 😉
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Great story. Have you ever read the Trevanian novel The Main? It’s about a detective in Montreal. Definitely one of the best books about the city I’ve ever read.
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Thanks, Josh. No, I haven’t. I’ll definitely have to check it out!
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Thanks, Josh. For years I thought St. Lawrence Blvd. was really called The Main…
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That moody sky is incredible. The snow…not as much. Dear lord, does winter ever really go away up there? 😊As for Bill…WTH??
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Thank you. That’s why Rochelle “pilfered” it, with my blessings, as I did watermark it 😉
If it’s any consolation, this picture was taken February 14.
Bill… trying his bed to add some excitement in their lives (Think “True Lies” 😉 )
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Bill is a complete boob. Egad. Glad there has been some meltage since the evening in question. At least I hope there has been some. 😇
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Ah well, one woman’s boob is another’s dashing rogue 😉
Scads and scads of meltage!! I even have some tulips that have popped…
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Yay for tulips. A poke in the eye for rogues, even the dashing ones. They’re especially dangerous. Just ask me…I think I’ve dated (or known) them all! LOL
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ha ha ha! Guess you had your fill of romance novels, eh? 😉
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Blech, ppfftuie! Yeah, you could say that.
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Buahahahaah! Tell me what you REALLY think?
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Hey, I got the tire marks to substantiate it!
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I hear ya.
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Not that I’m bitter mind you. 🤣
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No, not in the least….
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Hahahaha. Oh, that Bill! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6bu5PK1TY0
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Oh I love that, Merril!
Count on you to give us a musical number.
I love Audra in “The Good Fight”
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I don’t have CBS access, so I haven’t seen that show–though I loved its first incarnation. I could listen to her sing anything. 🙂
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Isn’t it only on the CBC streaming service? I watch it on a channel called “W” I loved The Good Wife, too.
She has a beautiful voice and she has such character on this show!
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It’s on the CBS streaming service here that you have to pay extra for. I watched the very first episode that was on regular tv for free when it first started because I loved The Good Wife so much.
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Dang. It is so good. I guess I’m lucky I have the channel in my lineup! Eventually it’ll be on Netflix. Maybe…
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🙂
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And boy… do they have at it against Trump!
Yeah, it doesn’t play on regular network TV, not with the cussing…
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🙂
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I think I know this couple. They didn’t stop at lurking in the shadows!
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No? Just how far did they go? 😉
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They would have you believe, all the way to paradise!
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Ooh la la…
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Nice one, Dale.
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Thank you, Adele.
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You’re welcome, Dale 🙂 She certainly got the excitement she wanted, although it nearly scared her to death.
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HE did get her heartbeat up 😉
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He sure did 😀
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😳😁
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I might start hiding from my wife, problem is she’ d probably thump me! Good stuff Dale, lovely photo too
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Ha ha! Thank you, Shrawls. There are other ways to spice up a love life, I’m thinking…
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I’m really curious on what led up to this. Why was she hiding in the shadow? Anyway, I don’t know if he knows how to show a lady a good time, but he obviously knows how to elevate her heart rate 😉
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I have no idea how I ended up here, Trent. So NOT where I thought… then it became a sort of “True Lies” thing… the guy trying to give her some excitement 😉
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Could this be the ultimate ending
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I don’t think that was the excitement she had in mind, but hey, it’s a start. 🙂
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Probably not. 😉
I’m sure it got her heart a-palpitating…
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I’m not sure Bill is a keeper
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Maybe he just misunderstood what type of excitement she was hoping for. Think “True Lies”…😉
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Ha, good one! I was expecting a different twist and was actually holding my breath..whew.. Reminds me of someone (hubby) I know 😉 Great picture by the way, you always take good ones 🙂
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Tee hee! Glad you liked. See? He knows how to keep your heart palpitating!
Thanks. Sometimes I’m T the right place at the right time.
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Ha ha – she should be more careful about what she wishes for!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Exactly!! 😁
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ha ha – MORE exitement?! REALLY? I can’t handle all the exictement I’m having right now – without your stories 😉
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Haha Haha!! 😷😉
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I mean, there’s excitement Bill, and then just plain creepy! 🙂
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I know, right? He might have been a tad overzealous….
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Great photo and congrats on it being used for Friday Fictioneers. The story was a little tense. If I tried that I would be limping for a week. Good job.
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Thank you, John. I love when I am the chosen one. I can’t say I would not do Bill bodily harm myself!
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😁
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😉
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HAH! I had a good laugh from this one! Thank you for sharing
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Glad you did!
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OOooo who needs that much excitement LOL! Good story!
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Thanks, Tessa!!
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That sure was a nail-biter! So glad she’s ok.
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Yes. Her husband trying to spice up their love life…
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Every one can use a little more excitement in their life. Right? Good story.
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Absolutely! This became a sort of “True Lies” thing 😉
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I think she got a little more excitement than she bargained for.
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I think so too 😊
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Call me crazy. Call me LLLLLuice. A facade of fear. You strummed the strings just to edge.
In Everywhere, that’s how they roll. You know. Down there on the lower east side of Nowhere.
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And here I though I was pushing it…
Love that: “In Everywhere that’s how they roll. You know. Down there on the lower east side of Nowhere.” So good.
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Pushed it or rolled with it. When you only go a hundred word steps, you only kick the can do far.
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There is that. It is so constrictive and yet, in a weird way, liberating.
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If you stroke. One. Two. Three words. Till they purr. That’s the cats meow.
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Prrr Prrr Prrr
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Q,
There is a ghostly quality to that picture, yanno.
For someone who finds it quite difficult to write about her own photographs, you sure did a fine job of piecing the two together for this one. That alley, with all its shadows . . it’s a perfect spot if you’re looking to give someone a scare.
Bill knew what he was doing . . .
B
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B,
I definitely admit to liking this picture.
Glad you thought so…
Bill might have gone a tad over board…
Q
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It’s a good ‘un. And I did. And Bill has his wild seem, or so it would seem . . .
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You are too kind 😉
That Bill…
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Sly feller . . .
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That he is…
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😉
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My kinda guy… 😉
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You’re such the charmer.
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I do try…
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😘
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😘
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I like your micro-take story, Dale. But I have to add, were I her I’d buy him a dictionary. Only a man could equate a woman’s desire for excitement with scaring the life out of her. 🙂
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Thank you, Crispina. Honestly, some.men have no clue. 😉
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While I do agree, there’s a little nagging voice in my head that says, don’t tar all the men the same. Though in truth, I’ve come across precious few that don’t qualify. 🙂
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Right. We can’t put them all in the same basket.
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Indeed not. We might be tempted to make omelettes 🙂
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This is true. And the flavours would be come muddled and we couldn’t distinguish one from the other… 😉
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Heavens forbid. Though it does seem some people do do this 🙂
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Yes. Some will not bother to take the time to get to know and just add them to the pile. Unfair, really.
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Because we really ought to know the differentce between the speckled and the unspeckled, and those with double yokes, and those that are extra golden.
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Exackery!!
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Or eggsactly
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😀
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On the fun side, Bill likes to play practical jokes. Otherwise, I think he is bit creepy.
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I think he wanted to spice things up. He needs to work his game.
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Dear Dale,
She asked for excitement? Something tells me this isn’t what she had in mind. ROFL. Love this. And a great picture. Thank you for the loan. 😉
Shalom and lotsa hugs,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochellle,
I’m thinking she wanted some spice in her life. Bill might have gone a tad off the rails! 😁
Glad you liked my pic enough to use it 😉
Shalom and lotsa love,
Dale
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For a while I thought this would end in murder! Well done!
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Good! A little misdirection doesn’t hurt noe and again….
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The brightness of the street at the back of the picture echos the ending of your story. Good choice artfully done.
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Thank you, dear Ina. Glad it worked for you.
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Nothin’ like a little honest to goodness role play.. Excellent, dale!
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I thought so! 😉
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Ohhh, that was a bit of a scare indeed. Great story. sent shivers through me.
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Thank you, Bear! Glad it did!
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Laughing, but at the same time wanting to punch him in the nose! That a great surprise ending 🙂
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Ha ha ha! Good! Glad you reacted.
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Wow, I was stressed and then very relieved when it was her husband. You built the tension so well!
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So glad I managed that!
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I think Bill needs a bit of a talking to about spicing up marriages…
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He just might at that!
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lovely, what a game they play. i wonder what’s next? 🙂
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We can only imagine…
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This is no excitement, this is fear. May be you should explain it to him, what exactly you mean.
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He didn’t succeed in his attempt.
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I remember that gorgeous photo, very atmospheric, as is this piece of prose – though I’m not sure Bill will be applauded for his efforts…
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Ha ha! Thank you Andrea. Let us just say his plan needed some work…
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Bill sure knows how to up the excitement quotient, Dale! 🙂
Phew! Sigh of relief!
Out Of Sight & Out Of This World – Anita
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That he does!
Good thing it wasn’t some nefarious dude!
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Thumbs up to Bill … and Hi Dale!
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Hey there! Nice to see you!
What up, Frank?
I saw you started following me this morning. Had you flushed me? 😉
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Of course not … one of the WP quirks. I turned off email notifications, so turning them on acts like a new following. Weird because still showed following at this end. Meanwhile, just working my way back into the flow. Moving is on?
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Dontcha just love WP? It has decided that for certain posts, I can no longer “like” them with my phone. Rather annoying.
Hope you enjoyed your time away.
Move is for June 1 and I have a good dang cold (accumulated stress, I’m blaming). So much to do and everything at once. Trying to breathe deeply and just go one job at a time.
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Moving is so stressful … so blaming it for the cold is understandable! … at least the move is still on! … and yes, the WP mobile app is also quirky. Otherwise, life good?
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It is. And and, and…
Life is ok. Inlikento think come July, I’ll be enjoying it
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That might be too much excitement. I gotta wonder what he did before.
Thanks for the extra info on the picture. I always wonder.
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Just might be! Probably an accountant 😏
Most welcome. So do I!
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I’m not so sure that this is the excitement she wanted. Bill will have to turn down the creep factor and think of other things that might be exciting. Fun story.
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I think he was trying to get all “True Lies” on her…
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I’m glad it was only Bill. I was getting a bit worried. Fun story.
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Glad you enjoyed…even if you were worried too.
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Is Bill still alive? I fear for his life now.
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She might give him another chance. His heart was in the right place.
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That was great, Dale. I thought for sure he was a psychopath. It would have scared me too. Well written. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you, Suzanne. I did want people to worry 😉
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You succeeded. 🙂 — Suzanne
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😁
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Hahaha! More than just a little funny…. and warm! 😀 😀 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShTJ90fC34I got that from Frank once!
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Haha!
Glad you liked.
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👍⚡️💥
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🧚♀️👗
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Bill must have done a heck of a job disguising his voice, otherwise she would’ve recognized him right away. I thought the story would turn sinister… glad it was only Bill’s misguided attempt at being “exciting”! J’aime bien cette photo, ma chère. 🙂
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Merci Magarisa. Oui. I’m thinking he did something to try to sound different. 😉
Un gars s’essaye…
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Joyeuses Pâques, mon amie! 🙂
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Merci et à toi et les tiens aussi!
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💙
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🧡💐
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The photo looks like a movie set! Ha! I’m not sure that’s the spicing-up a relationship needs.
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Haha! It does, doesn’t it? Not so sure he went about it just right…
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Pingback: A Better Plan – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #23 | A Dalectable Life
Fun story!
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Glad you thought so!
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Dog house for Bill!
Thanks for the prompt Dale!
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Dog house big time (though I redeemed him in another post! LOL)
Most welcome Tannille!
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Bravo! You surprised me! I thought she would be a cat or something… and then he might be a killer… but now I’m wondering, if she didn’t know it was Bill, why did she step out? Wonder if he’s wondering the same thing! Nicely done, Dale!
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Yay!! So glad I did…
She might have thought it might be but wasn’t that sure. Living on the edge…
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