{This is a response to a prompt from Friday Fictioneers, run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The task is to write 100 words from the picture. Here’s mine! Thanks for the prompt, and for reading!}
Jane loved antiques.
Saturdays, she’d jump into Rustbucket, her gear-grinding, turquoise ’57 pickup.
Rattling along, she’d lick her dry lips. Oh, the bargains!
Wearing her ‘75 dungarees, she cut the same figure, only slacker, more hunched. Her face had changed, of course. No one her age turned heads.
Now, life was a covert operation. No one saw her coming.
Miles rushed by, like Time, blurred and colorful. Farms, fruit stands and boiled peanut shacks had given way to flashing billboards, flashy developments.
Her phone lay silent beside her, on the vinyl bench seat.
Not everyone appreciates old junk.
Poor Jane, someone should give her a ring! 🙂
Yes I think some (younger) people in her life may be neglecting her, as often happens.
Love this. She is such a characyer. Wily. What a driver!! Haha
My wife loves junkin’. She may be an antique, but I’m gonna keep her as long as I can.
Sweet!
like they say, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. 🙂
She sounds a lot like my mother… some day we need to clear out the house… shivers
Haha
Your descriptive writing brought Jane to life… I could see her in her dungarees, driving to town in her beloved Rustbucket! I’m torn between the old and the new, but Jane would ‘convert’ me to her side in no time, I suspect.
Got rid of your other comment since it was a duplicate. Thank you and I agree both old and new have an allure.
I love that she named her truck and she doesn’t seem to fussed that she’s now invisible, so to speak. I also love a good deal and old things, so much more meaningful. Lovely story!
Thank you Brenda! I think all old cars deserve names. 🙂
Your description painted a woman so many of us know. That is an accomplishment for only 100 words Well done
Thanks Jo Hawk!
Hits very close to home. I’m one of the invisibles myself…. Great write.
Invisible but not unimportant. Air for instance. ?
It’s enough to make an old lady feel unwanted.
True!
Really good descriptions in your story. And I recognised the kind of freedom that comes when nobody really notices her anymore. Well told.
Thank you Jilly! Flying under the radar can be fun!
I love Jane! She is her own woman living on her own terms. And bummer on the changes to the scenery… happens everywhere…
Its just a different kind of tacky, now. Thanks Dale!
Dear Andrea,
I could just picture Jane. She could be played by Helen Mirren in the movie. 😉 I’m still one who loves vintage artifacts. Maybe that’s because I’ve become one. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle I think our value improves every year after twenty. ?Love Helen Mirren for the part!
You brought Jane to vivid life in so few words. Loved this.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thanks Susan!
Great character.
Thanks Lisa!
Hey, now, I resemble that… ach, but I divulge too much… LOL! Lovely story! I call it “junqueing”… and it is FUN!
I am going to adopt that spelling from now on. Very classy!
In my home town, many years ago, we had an antique store called the Junque Boutique…it was a nasty little place, but I was able to buy back many family heirlooms that they “stole” from my Grandparent’s estate. I guess that’s where I get the term… I go ‘Jungueing’ looking for a ‘steal’. My latest was a designer bag large enough for my laptop, tags still on it from Macy’s for $120…I paid $4.
I could just picture the roadside scenery. Ugh!
I have noticed the transformation here–from quaint and humble and a bit rustic businesses on the side of the road, to concrete and locked gates and intrusive, changing commercial messages. To quote our great leader, Sad.
She sounds so contented – no need to impress, no need to have the latest fads. I like her.
Click to read my FriFic tale!
I am so pleased. I would not mind riding “shotgun” either.
I shuddered as the billboards and flashy developments appeared, so I think I would have stayed in the countryside. I bet she’s glad to get back after her antique hunt.
Glad it had that effect draliman. Sadly much of the US countryside is heading in this direction, at least in my state.
She sounds an interesting character, one that many writers like to meet, so many stories in her life I
Thanks Michael, i see other untold stories hinging on to this one too.
I think we aged elders just have a different perspective on what is truly valuable. Loved your character.
The correct perspective, I think…?Thank you!
Jane and I would be best pals. I would bring the snacks for the old-treasure-hunts (nothing is more exciting than a Saturday antiquing. Other heads can go and turned themselves!
I’ll be sure to have her look you up!
😀