photo prompt @ Sandra Crook
He told me to meet him under the oak tree. Sit at one of the tables and wait. All the others were empty. I sat. I waited. How long did he expect me to wait? Inconsiderate: my time was also precious. Too often I’d waited. If the cafe had been open I might have waited longer. I wasn’t going to sit there like a dog waiting for my master to turn up. The oak tree looked like it was crying but perhaps it was reflecting my tears. I’d had enough. I was gone.
Lucky as “the tree fell and obliterated” the headlines read.
For more Friday Fictioneers visit Rochelle who kindly hosts.
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) 
The tree was not so lucky ….
LikeLiked by 1 person
True.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Being stood up is so irritating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely but I think he wanted her to stand down.
LikeLike
You always surprise me, Irene. This tale is terrific. Too bad the tree didn’t get the message – maybe it could have been proactive and prevented its fall.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I like the idea of a proactive tree. Watch out humans.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought the first part of the story was very moving. I hope the finally paragraph referred to the dastardly coward who stood her up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ambiguous but I was thinking more that the dastardly coward was trying to do her in but she foiled him. This time she didn’t wait.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Did the tree fall by accident, or was this his evil plot all along? Glad she decided not to wait any longer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes that is the way I would have taken the story. She foiled him, leaving when once she would have waited.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like she had a double lucky escape!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Waiting is one of the worst experiences, but being crushed would have topped that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL. Yes being crushed would have topped it. I left a comment on your beautiiful poem but you either received the comment numerous times or not at all. Glad you brought it out after 30 years somewhere.
LikeLike
Just in time! Nice tension here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hm, this one is mysterious…. My guess is that this was an internet romance, and she didn’t realize that the “man” who loved her was really a tree, who died of heartbreak after she wouldn’t even talk to him. Either that, or he used to be a man, but something horrible turned him into a tree, and he was hoping beyond hope that she would un-curse him, but she didn’t even recognize him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha. Reading your story of my story tells me I have met my match. My husband gets so cranky with me making up a scenario for everything I see – you and I could have fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I figure there is always at least *one* fanciful story to help explain any given scene. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
methinks it was a setup. she was lucky to survive. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely. Lucky she had given up on him first.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lucky escape it seems. Excellent.
Click to read my FriFic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very lucky escape. Good thing this was the occasion she became tired of waiting.
LikeLike
Keith I loved your story but I don’t know if my comment was posted.
LikeLike
I’m thinking he had it in for her and she escaped just in time?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. Lucky this was the time she had had enough herself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She was set up! To quote Admiral Ackbar: “It’s A Trap!” Well done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely. Thanks and thanks for admiral Ackbar’s quote.
LikeLike
Dear Irene,
It did sound like a set up. Glad she escaped both a crummy relationship and being crushed by a falling tree. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rochelle. Yes I think she is better off out of it. Cheers Irene
LikeLike
Have to agree with Sandra, the first part of the story is excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. 100 words is such a small amount to set up and conclude – I’ll have to work on my endings. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely her lucky day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely
LikeLike