Photo courtesy of Kent Bonham
The picture is a snapshot of life, a snippet of a street where people live their lives and change creeps in gradually. I set my story in Israel, although I’m not sure this is where the picture is from. I tried to see things through Marian’s eyes, dimmed a little by time, but full of joy nonetheless.
Word count: 100
Garlic and Joy
Nothing looked as it used to. Marian adjusted her shopping bags as she shuffled toward home. Her world was being replaced little by little; in her mind, the town was held in time. Words assaulted her eyes – signs for everything, some offering products she’d never heard of.
Garlic wafted by on the warm evening breeze, reminding her of their newly married days – shopping for Ayal, cooking their dinner, the bliss of their early times together. Shifting her bags again to relieve the pain in her shoulders, Marian smiled, her joyful memories held safe from time’s changes in her heart.
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Change–amazing how very ubiquitous it is.
MG
It may have been set in Israel and it may have been Marian’s story but it could be any of us any where.
I thought it was in Paris – but I haven’t been to Israel so it very well could of been there! Great memories for her and that makes this story super poignant! Love it! Nan
Everything changes except memories.
Rosey Pinkerton’s blog
A nice reflective piece Erin, good work.
Memories can be powerful 🙂 I liked the take.
You captured how it feels, looks, and smells – going home to an every changing scene.
No matter what anyone says about how stinky garlic is, I love it. And the smell of it evokes wonderful memories of dishes my mom cooked. Lovely story!
That’s lovely. Odours so often send us back in time, don’t they? MWhat a happy memory to be reminded of her first married days. Great story.
Nice evocative piece, food memories are generally happy ones too.
Dear Erin,
Olfactory is such a memory trigger. Nice use of the prompt. BTW, the shop is a shoe store in Israel. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
Oh! this captures “the life that was” so well. From newlyweds to the regular life.
The aged never like change.
Well observed.
Your story has a warm and nostalgic mood – lovely.