Week 50, but Julia has focussed on the weather instead of a golden anniversary, with her prompt, … the rain turned the road into a river…
and here is my entry. There will be more over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-50/ and maybe you would like to join in.
Bridge Memories
It could only be ugly, you only have to see how they built that block of flats over Whipton way. Eight stories high, where do they hang their washing?
‘Come on mum. Let’s join the crowd and walk across for the first time.’ I didn’t want to, horrid concrete.
‘Look Shirley, see how lovely it was, back when I was a girl. Your dad and me did our courting there, fifty years ago.’
‘Huh, every year in St Thomas, the rain turned the road into a river’ she said barely looking at my photo, ‘Now there’s the flood channel and this new bridge. I won’t be long then.’
Photo is from http://demolition-exeter.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/edwardian-exe-bridge.html where Wolfpaw has discussed the copyright.
I don’t think I know enough history to interpret all of this but it feels like the mom and child are close to one another…and sharing a new chapter…
Thanks Lorraine, I think they are close with a little conflict!
You evoked that push and pull of the generations well. When Shirley barely looked at her mother’s photo, it reminded me of times with my own daughter.
And I love that first paragraph.
Ah, the good old days. Or were they…?
I like the way you wove the challenge line into the story, Gilly. It fit right in.
You could feel a little push and pull between the Mother and daughter.
The memories of times past seemed very important to the Mother. I can see
this develop into a story abou the two of them. Very nice …
Toodles,
Issy
Very good writing, Gilly, and lovely photo. The age gap really shines through. I think we all experience this with both our children and our parents.
Thank you! I think we must have been reading each other at the same time 🙂
Intriguing piece. I love the mothers thoughts in the first sentence – “where do they do their washing” – loved this … she doen’t like the way things have changed! The difference in the generations is very well played!
I love the character development created by a simple bridge. Lovely piece.
Change comes hard, doesn’t it? Good story 🙂
Love this… and the black and white shot. 😉
Nice, quiet struggle between older and younger generation; there’s a lot of important relationship stuff left unsaid in that conversation, I think. We talk, but we don’t always communicate.
You manage to capture that generational gap so well, Gilly. It’s always a pleasure reading how you weave it into your stories. 🙂
So each generation prefers it’s own times. And in a way that’s lucky, isn’t it?
Lovely writing.
I feel that way every time I return home, and my daughter knows no better 🙂
Some just don’t appreciate history, and then will be surprised when their history gets the same treatment.
Great work!
Different generations see different things and stubbornly. Hmm. Nice touch.