“Come on. It’s a beautiful blue day. Let’s have a picnic.”
“No I’m too busy. Let’s go tomorrow. I’ll enjoy myself then.”
Grey skies with unrelenting rain met them the next day. “Should’ve gone on that picnic yesterday love.”
“We’ll go as soon as it’s fine.”
Three days passed and there was still no sign of it abating.
Jack woke early the next day. A beautiful blue day. He prepared the picnic basket before taking in a cup of tea to Joan.
“Cuppa Joan” She stared back at him with unseeing eyes.
“Blue skies won’t wait for you.”
This is in response to Charli’s prompt: September 24, 2014 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) include a story where “blue skies won’t wait for you.” What is your character waiting for? Is it too late or does the impulse come in time? Maybe blue skies are a calling. Try not to think to deeply, and do a quick free-write. Invite your unconscious mind to the page and see what it makes of the phrase.
About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Great 99-word challenge response, Irene. The title immediately made me think of Blue Skies by Irving Berlin and sung by Ella Fitzgerald. Your story is not so upbeat! Think I’ll listen to Blue Skies later on this morning…
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I like that song also. We have an Ella Fitzgerald CD – time to get it out again.
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Don’t put off today….. Is that the message? 🙂
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That’s for sure Barbara, but hopefully without such dire consequences. 🙂
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I love Jack! He prepared a picnic basket and took his wife a cuppa in bed…now that’s what I call a good man. And I would say the same thing about my hubby when he made a picnic soon after we met…I do seem to remember blue skies waiting for us that day as it was glorious. A lovely memory, thank you Irene, great flash my friend 🙂
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Thanks Sherri. Definitely a good man. Tea and picnics – glad it gave you a good memory. 🙂
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😀
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I don’t mind that you saw the good (and got a beautiful memory from it). Sometimes it is nice just to see the nice things, there is enough misery we don’t need it all the time. XD
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We can get into a lifetime of that habit–too busy…later…I’ll enjoy it then. Also tragic in a relationship when one is ready to great the day and the other is not. Makes me feel that Jack will be the one left behind with the regret. Great flash!
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Thanks Charli. I think Jack will live to regret the waste of time doing the washing and cleaning the house. I’m glad I have a somewhat untidy house but do the things that I want to do. I just hope that most of the time it corresponds with what my husband wants as well.
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Think I saw the nice side – of Jack – and missed the sad message behind it. I suppose after having a husband for 22 years who never made me a cup of tea that’s what grabbed me…that Jack is so caring like my hubby.
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Hmmm…cleaning house? Well, I do cook, tidy the kitchen, ignore the rest! Hub? He’s a scattering whirlwind and I just toss his stuff in his gun room.
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Sounds like you have the right priorities too Charli.
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Great flash! Poor Joan. And Jack!!
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Thanks Amber. Yes poor Jack…..
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