This a very short and sweet story depicting how things might have gone if my father had been able to understand me when I was growing up and trying to figure myself out. It's exactly 100 words long. I remember there had been a specific name for stories this short, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it is now.
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My father pulled the lacy strap of the nightgown he had caught me wearing back onto my shoulder, then stroked the top of my head. "Son, it's okay. I understand how these kinds of things happen."
"If I don’t understand what’s going on with me,” I thought, “how could you? How could anyone?”
I wanted to ask so many questions, but the words caught in my throat. All I could do was hang my head and hope Dad wouldn't see my tears. It was then I noticed the frilly hem peeking out from the bottom of his old, threadbare robe.
Comments
Pretty Darned Good
That's the "specific name" for a story like this. (They are commonly known as drabble.)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Indeed!
Very interesting as Artie Johnson would say!
Hugs
grover
Nice
Short and sweet story, Heather.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
How long did it take to get exactly 100
Hi Heather,
I'm quite impressed with all the meaning and emotion you packed into such a short story.
Very nicely done.
Thanks.
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
Oh No!
Heather, the imagery you just made me gander at, for a moment, suggested that maybe being the way were are or at least crossdressing, is genetic! I hope not! If it is, I hope they never ever find the gene that does it. This may be off on the commenting but thats what went through my mind when you said "peeking out from the bottomj of his old, threadbare robe."
Its glorious to be different and stand up unique in a world that is slowly demanding uniformity and conformity.
Love
Sephrena Lynn Miller
Very nice image
...proving that length isn't the friend of clarity.
Common, or even similar, experience may not be necessary for understanding, but it sure helps.
I'm very happy to see you again, Heather; it's been too long (had me worried :) ).
Hugs;
Jan
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the feedback, everyone! Sorry I've been gone for so long. I had kinda burnt myself out and needed to pull back for a while. I'd been itching to start writing again recently, but I didn't want to burn myself out by taking on a huge project. That's why I decided to try my hand at creating a drabble.
The idea for the story had come to me that morning, and I thought about it off and on through the day. When I actually sat down at my computer, I tried writing the main parts in as few words as possible, then I started adding a bit here and taking away there until I had exactly 100 words. So, depending where you consider the creation process to start, you could say it took me from a couple of hours to all day to create this story.
I have no idea if any of the varieties of transgender are genetically based. I believe at least one of my cousins is transgendered, and I've sometimes wondered about my father as well. Whatever the case might be, I hope nobody tries to fix it. It'd be as silly as trying to fix left-handedness. It doesn't make you good or bad. It just makes you different.
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Heather Rose Brown
Author of Bobby's Rainy Day Adventure