Hello everyone and a warm welcome to Part 7) of the entries for my weekly: “Fiction in A Flash Challenge 2021” Week #40.
Today I’m featuring contribution Part 7) By Kirsten Nairn
Last week I set the following Challenge:
Hello everyone and welcome to my new “Fiction in A Flash Challenge!” Each week I’ll be featuring an image and inviting you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the image prompt and Kirsten’s contribution.
Mr. D Bruce.
Chairman of the Hillside Bowling Club
Hillside Bowling Club
29 Nairn Road
Newton Hillside
Dear Mr Bruce,
Re: Masked ball
Firstly, please accept my apologies for my non-attendance at the committee meeting last week. Unfortunately, I was called away to attend to old Mrs Duncan down the road, who had once again misplaced her reading glasses (all four sets), hence she could not locate her lower dentures, which turned out to be in her chest of drawers in the spare room; alongside her glasses.
Mr Bruce, I have to say I was utterly flabbergasted and left somewhat speechless when Mr Davidson relayed the news to me that, instead of this year’s annual fundraising afternoon tea, a decision was made to hold a masked ball instead. I actually found myself for one moment doubting whether Mr Davidson was in full control of his faculties, but unfortunately Mrs Cartwright confirmed the news.
I fear my suggestion to wear masks at the annual fundraiser in order to show solidarity for our NHS workers may been taken out of context.
A masked ball? And a venetian style one at that? I am not sure if you are aware Mr Bruce, of the flirtatious nature and sexual undertones of such balls? Undertones which I feel are entirely inappropriate for the bowling club members, most of whom are Octogenarians at the very least. I fear too much ‘excitement’ will be detrimental to their health and may unmask (if you pardon the pun) feelings which have lain dormant for many years.
And as for the masks themselves? Have you even considered how this will work? Most of our members require glasses, often several sets of varying prescriptions. Do they wear the glasses under or over the mask? Or God forbid, not at all?
Have you thought about the chaos this might cause? Our members wandering about aimlessly, bumping into the glass trophy cabinet, knocking over the bowling green diorama, and very probably unable to recognise each other. Many of them struggle to remember names as it is, referring to each other quite simply other ‘lad’ or ‘lass’. Lord knows what they will make of one another hidden behind peculiar, bejewelled, slightly horrifying looking masks which were originally produced to ward off disease.
Mrs Cartwright is already discussing making her own ball gown from a pair of heavy drape velvet curtains she has kept in the attic since 1954. She is planning on stitching it by hand. All it needs is one person to stand on the dress by accident, or for it to become snagged on a piece of furniture as she walks by, and the whole thing will unravel. Can you imagine? She is also planning on painting her toenails with No.7 Blood Lust Red. I am almost certain she has not bent down that far since she was in her late 60s and I very much doubt her ability to get back up again unaided.
I realise there has been an injection of young blood into the committee membership, by way of the recently retired Mr and Mrs Youngson, and with this young blood, comes new ideas. They are considered well-travelled and very bohemian in their ways. I believe they brought their own home-made gin to the committee meeting, which I fear may have strongly influenced the decisions made, almost invoking a devil-may-care attitude amongst some. I feel the committee have been swept away on this new wave of ideas.
I urge the committee to reconsider the decision on the basis of the;
Sexual undertones and possible resulting uncontrollable urges it might release.
Visual challenges
Additional levels of confusion amongst an already confused group.
Accidental exposure of Mrs Cartwright
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes, as always,
Mrs Boosomly-Smyth
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Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17042903.Kirsten_Nairn
Amazon: https://www.amazon A sorry Affair
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