Greetings and Salutations!
I’m submitting another 100 word photo prompt story for Friday Fictioneers
I really enjoy doing these and feel disappointed when life gets in the way of doing what I enjoy. It is a real challenge writing a story with only 100 words. Here’s mine and I’m proud to say it’s exactly 100 words.
image courtesy of Sean Fallon
Harold the Hoarder.
Going through Harold’s stuff has been both sentimental and difficult. The easy part was packing his clothes and shoes. As a hoarder who prescribed to the law that everything has a place and every place has a thing. Old newspaper clippings filed away chronologically, old 45’s and 33’s boxed separate from the 8 tracks and cassette tapes. Tools to fix the broken things that were never repaired. Books purchased but never read. Everything covered in dust and tucked away in its own place. What’s that? Oh only Harold would save a jar of useless batteries. Boy I miss him.
silentlyheardonce 
dear kim,
I think we all have some stuff stashed away that our children will wonder about when we’re gone. This was a very good use of the prompt and very well written.
Yes it’s true. Thanks for reading.
It’s funny what people save. As I read, I could picture my daughters going thru my stuff. I got the sense it was an old friend who had the task… nice story.
Thans for reading. It was his wife.
Dear Kimberly,
Harold lives in my head. Great story this week.
Aloha,
Doug
Yea in mine too. Not just because I wrote about him, but because I was once a hoarder.
I think we all have certain things we can’t get rid of ..even though we know we should…but Harold took it to another level. We can read decades of his life track in the things left behind and a serious collector would salivate over most of it. Well done.
Yes I was once a hoarder inherited from my mother. My grandmother disposed of some real treasures. Sigh*
we all know one of those harold types.
I almost took this same approach with this photo, but finally decided on another idea. The hoarder idea is a great one for this prompt! Ron
Yes I thought so. But there were a lot of variety.
Hoarding used batteries is on a par with saving snapped rubber bands–they’ll probably never come in handy, but then again, you never know.
🙂 We’ll never know until we miss them.
A sad, sweet tale; so glad Harold was missed. We all have value and it’s lovely to have that reflected in your words. 🙂
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. 🙂
So sentimental and beautifully told, Kim.
Thank you. You’re so kind with your words.
Seeing a bit of myself in Harold, let me jump to his (our) defence and say the batteries are not useless 🙂 you never know when you might need the little power left in some of them 🙂
Good story, and yes it is nice to be at 100 words. Well done!
I guess you may one day need the little energy left in those batteries. Thanks for reading and I’m happy you enjoyed the story. 🙂
Dear Kimberly,
Thanks for sharing such a tender tale. Loved the references to 45’s, 33’s and 8 tracks…all of which I remember. I love it that you were skillfully up to the 100 word challenge.
Thanks Rochelle, these exercises are helpful with learning to tweak my editing skills. I demand myself to stay at the exact count.
Man, now I miss Harold! This took me into the mind of a woman who loved. Well done.
Thanks. I wanted to breath life into them. 🙂
A sweet story.
I always enjoy your Friday Fictioneers creativity!
Thanks Rosym
When I saw the title, I thought I was reading my own story. 🙂 Great minds and all that. At least was a tidy hoarder!! As someone going through 27 years and 4 people’s worth of things, I can identify quite a lot. Well told.
I can also relate but I’ve learned to just throw and give away. Sigh* I learned this the hard way after losing my family house then my things in storage.
I’m so sorry to hear that. Was it a natural disaster or a breaking-up disaster?
A break-up disaster. I wrote about it. I need to tweek it. I write in present and past tenses but here’s a link to it if you are interested. I don’t think I will ever finish it. http://wp.me/p28tjX-1L
You made me feel Harold. Great work!
🙂 Thanks.
It’s good to know even those with strange habits have somebody miss them. Enjoyed the story Kim.
Thank you Anne.
I like this!
Thanks.
Very nice and sad story.
Thanks.
You are writing more and I love it you are very very talented my friend 🙂
Thank you and so are you. I need to get back to my novel though.
Very clever, Kim. It’s great to read another’s imagination… Good old Harold..! 🙂
Well done on the exact 100…
Thanks Carolyn all imagination. 🙂