Written to go with the writing challenge http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/barbed-wire-and-bulls/. A simple story in 100 words or less.
“Stretch that bob war taut, son!” the old man said. He wanted it inside the hog wire, low to the ground.”That ways them hawgs cain’t root out.”
The hammers thump on staples, secure wire to cedar posts.
A wooden gate, hand fashioned, completed the pen. The hogs stayed in! How well I remember!
Forty odd years later, I look back. The gate had decayed, the fence, ‘hog tight’, still stands where the posts had not rotted.
This year we set new metal posts, built a new gate, yes, we’ll raise a couple of hogs. Like the old man did.
Disclaimer: Since we live on my late father-in-law’s property and keep many of the old traditions alive, the photo prompt brought back a memory of a long ago day when Hubby and I helped to rebuild ‘hog fence’. I can hear the old man say just those words in the quote!
And yes, we are rebuilding it again, to feed a couple of pigs. They will have a home where others lived, at least for a time.
Love the memories! Great description. Here’s mine http://createrealitylivelife.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/flash-fiction-story/
Excellent dialogue. It put me write there in the middle of the conversation! Loved it.
–Jan
I really enjoyed your story. I could see and hear the characters. Nice.
http://www.rochelle-wisoff.blogspot.com
Enjoyed this. You got the old man’s slang,…twang just right, which made him a believable character. Just wish you had made the disclaimer a part of the story instead. Would have made it more interesting. Here’s mine:
http://www.triplemoonstar.blogspot.com
I would have, but was trying to stay in the 100 word limit. *sigh*
I think the fence building may have to resurface in something longer.
Nice memory. His voice sounded rough with a southern twang in my mind.
Here’s mine:
http://thebradleychronicles.wordpress.com/
and so it was! Raised in Arkinsaw as he would say, the old man was hardworking and illiterate. But quite a man. I’ve compiled some tales from stories he told, now perhaps I need to share them.
Ahh. The good ol’ days! Childhood memories from the farm. Well done!
Ahhhhh, another memoir-type–loved it! The old man’s dialect was charming. Well done.
Mine: http://www.vlgregory-circa1800.vpweb.com/blog.html
Mary-you are a natural story teller-I felt like I was there at the gate too!
I saw, heard and felt all of that as soon as the prompt was put up for the ‘story’.