Well, after Jeff’s very cerebral guest yesterday, I’m sliding us back to a basics…a ‘finish the story’ prompt:
A few days after the huge windstorm has blown off the newly-laid roof shingles on her townhouse, she heard the roofers overhead, back on the job. The painters returned, as well, as she heard them climbing the ladders to finish the job they started before the storm.
And here she was, sprucing-up the inside of her house with paint, too. With her husband at work and her kids at school, she had three free days a week to indulge herself and make the house a home. Today she was not working, but she also needed to go grocery shopping.
As she walked through the front to get to her car, she noticed cigarette butts in her small but attractive garden. She hated cigarettes anyway, and the garden was always written up in the community’s monthly newsletter as a good example or even as an award-winner. She figured it was either the roofers, but more likely the painters, who greeted her in an all-too friendly manner. She complained, and nicely told them that it was probably the roofers, (trying to give them a graceful way out),but she let them know that she was upset about it.
When she came home, there were more butts and only the painters were there. She scowled. One young man said that his sister worked with her husband and insisted on carrying her groceries, despite her protests. He even insisted on carrying them into the house. She hurried to get some painting in in the few hours she had to herself. Darned ‘popcorn’ ceilings! It was all in her hair and she knew she’d better get cleaned up before the fellows all got home, She was in the shower, shampoo in her eyes, completely vulnerable, when the bathroom door suddenly pushed open….
What do you think happened? Is this a thriller? Is there a kidnapping? Does she defend herself? (If so, with what? )Was a supernatural power entering? Is it a mystery that may go on? Is there a comedic answer to the door opening?
Please play along!
The guy who helped her with groceries burst in with a handful of ciggie butts.
“I found your culprit, lady,” he said excitedly, before noticing she was nekkid. “Oops. Sorry. I thought you were painting in there.”
“Well, I’m not painting,” the lady responded urgently (with considerable fright). “Now get out!”
He did, though he kept his eyes on her the entire time.
Later, after getting dried off and completely dressed, the lady confronted the young painter.
“Why did you burst into the bathroom while I was inside it?”
“I already explained,” replied the young guy. “I knew you were all bent out of shape about the butts in your garden and I wanted to prove that I hadn’t put them there.”
“So prove it,” she demanded.
“Just watch …”
As both looked on, the lady’s yappy Yorkie trotted to the painter’s open truck, stood up on hind legs, and grabbed a cigarette but from the floor of the cab. Then the Yorkie trotted over to the garden and laid the butt in a spot next to the XYZ plant.
Slightly embarrassed that she may have over-reacted, the lady apologized to the young painter. Then she said, “So you weren’t trying to see me nekkid in the bathroom after all?”
After a long pause, the young man smiled slowly. “Well, it took me half a day to train your dog to tote the cigarette butts.”
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loved it 🙂
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I You really got into it.How funny! I had a couple of ‘likes’ but they didn’t play.You MADE the party.Jeff! I hope you don’t scare people off with your talent!
Join in, Gang!
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LOL. I can’t recall an occasion when my talent scared anybody …
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Only when you talk about zombies….
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well written one! will try the ending for sure!
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she wrapped the bathrobe around her body and quickly stepped out from behind the curtains; grabbing the heavy bottle of liquid soap in case….
the toilet door was wide open.
she thought she has locked it!
her heart missed a bit when she stepped out. there it was…lying right outside the door.. a cigarette butt still smoking.
she ran as fast as she could to the main door. it was bolted from inside. the boy was still painting outside she hollered for him after quickly slipping into a gown.
he came in, they checked every door and window… they all were locked from inside.
who was it?
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Scary, interesting, clever…but you left us hanging more!
Thanks for coming back and playing along;I really appreciate it.Please stop in and visit the others, or our upcoming posts.
By the way, this is a story from my life…would you People like to know what happened?
Jeff,I bet you can guess!
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Ooooh. I love it. Will have to mull this over but knowing me, there will be a body count.
Good job on this.
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Please come back;I’ll be waiting….
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Thanks, Jillian! That means a lot!
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