I've been meaning to jump back into Velvet Verbosity's 100 Word Challenge, but haven't in a long time. Also, I was declared 2nd place winner of Trifecta's first of three prompts this week, which earned me a place in the Write-Off this weekend. So I decided to fulfill the requirements of both prompts with one piece, because I'm lazy like that, and a sick kid all week kind of wore me out. Here's "Triumph" for Trifecta and "Swagger" for Velvet Verbosity, with a 100-word count:
Parenting teaches: do not plan; you will plan for the wrong
eventuality. I bought my son a balance bike at two. When he graduated to a
pedal bike, he wouldn’t need training wheels. But he did.
Imagining myself running beside him yelling encouragement, I
bought a handle for the back of his bike. We used it once before he demanded
his training wheels.
A friend rode two-wheeled; he borrowed that bike and took
off without me or my plans. It was a triumph. You should have seen his swagger.
He was proud, and it had nothing to do with me.
7 comments:
Well, dang. I was too late for Velvet Verbosity. Oh well.
Oh goodness, isn't this the truth?!
"you will plan for the wrong eventuality"
Love your ending:
"You should have seen his swagger. He was proud, and it had nothing to do with me."
Sad, but so true. Do not plan may be the best parenting advice ever...
This was a great piece, so much story in so few words!
Oh, I agree so wholeheartedly, too. Everything you plan for, you'll wish you had planned for something else. Wonderful piece.
I love the ending. The swagger is bigger than he is. LoL
Thanks, y'all. It's not my most emotional piece, but it's true at least. I'm having a hard time with his growing independence, though that's one of the things I want most for him, and especially his refusal to go along with any of my carefully considered plans.
I agree with the others, especially the "you will plan for the wrong eventuality." Congratulations!
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