C – Friday Fictioneers – Jetsetter
Hello everyone. My name is TRG and I am a FriFicaholic. It’s been a week since my last FriFic, and it’s been three and a half years since my first. Madison was my dealer in those days, but then Rochelle took over the global supply of prompt pics and has been pushing them into my inbox (and those of over 100 other addicts) since.
This week’s irresistible offering comes from Melanie Greenwood.
If you click here you can visit the world of the Blue Frog where FriFic addicts gather to share their stories. 100 words each, that’s all we get. I am also a member of the Concrit Subgroup – I crave your criticism and urge you to tell me exactly what you think of my tale, and why it didn’t work for you. Be honest, be brutal. I can take it.
Thanks for listening, I feel better for sharing. My 163rd FF follows.
See you all same time, same place, next week.
Richard appeared on my Skype screen, seated on a huge sofa and drinking straight from a champagne bottle. Two years into his latest tour, now growing rockstar hair and goatee, I hardly recognised my oldest friend.
“We’re playing Barcelona on Friday,” he said, “come out and see us.”
“I’ll book a flight,” I said, but Richard laughed the suggestion away. “I’ll get the management to sort the record company jet,” he said
As students we had marched against poverty and in support of the environment but now his life was hotels, champagne, private jets. I hardly recognised my oldest friend.
Age changes us all, priorities change! Ah for a rockstar life but I value my sleep too much. Good prompt!
Hi STF, yep very few of us are unchanged from two years ago, even without the lure of a rock n roll lifestyle!
Thanks for reading 🙂
Since you used the phrase “I hardly recognized my oldest friend” twice, seeing him like this must have really hit him hard.
Fame can turn anyone’s head.
Hi Miss T!
I think it was a big shock after two years apart!
Hello! (it’s good to be back).
Yes, I imagine it was!
(welcome back, we missed you!)
Thank you, I missed you all too. 🙂
Group Hug!
C – I liked the repetition of “I hardly recognized my oldest friend” although I had to read the piece twice for the impact. At first, I thought it was an overuse of the phrase.
Otherwise a wonderful contrast between “then” and “now.”
Thanks Alicia. I hoped the repeat would emphasise the change
Good story … I’m dying to know what answer the narrator gave. Did he go?
Hi JS and thanks for reading. I don’t know if he went or not, I’m only the writer 🙂 but the fact you are asking means I did my job well
Good point and, yes, you definitely did your job well.
I liked your story and your intro!
Are you English/Brittish? I noticed you used “sort” instead of “send”.
(PS I’m American)
Hi Symanntha, thanks for reading and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Yes I’m English 🙂
I hadn’t realised I had used an English phrase till you mentioned it – “sort” as in “sort out” as in “arrange”
I’m a frificoholic too! Good story.
Thanks FF 🙂
I’ve noticed my old friends are getting a lot older too. So much that I barely recognize them.
It’s unavoidable i think
I think it works very well with the repitition. First the change in appearance, then a friendly invitation (Richard doesn’t sound arrogant to me), then the personality change: great sequence and it really hits home. I wonder if the narrator can still talk heart to heart with his oldest friend and see how deep these changes really go.
Thanks for reading GAH. In my eyes there was no arrogance in Richard’s manner, more that his lifetstyle had changed to something his younger self wouldnt have approved of.
I’m not sure what the narrator’s next step is, you raise a good question.
Dear TRG,
I enjoyed the story. How things can change, However, I think I enjoyed your intro even more than your story. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle! I always try to write an interesting intro 🙂
Such a contrast between his earlier values and his present ones. Richard’s commitment to noble causes didn’t last when wealth and luxury came his way, it seems. Nicely told.
Thanks for reading Margaret and for commenting. Yes, his head was turned by the luxuries that fame offered him
It seems his friend has changed outwardly, but he still values the friendship. I’d go. We can’t expect people to stay the same. Good story RG and well written. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. It seems to have got people thinking whether the change was for good or bad