This writing challenge has changed. Originally Jeff (A Word in Edgewise) started up this monthly challenge, derived from a previous challenge from R.E.H.'s "Picture Fiction Challenge", but Jeff has given it up and Dr. John (Dr. John's Fortress) and Thom (Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever) have taken over. The challenge is now every two weeks and you can get all the details here, where you can also pick up the links to read all the entries. Do pop over and read, you won't be disappointed.
I'm combining the POW challenge with my own competition where you get to write the end of the story and win the Great Imagination award, an award that is given by me and cannot be passed on.
Thom says this week's rules are:
1. Go to this link Hillbilly Name Generator. If you have been on my site and already have one, please use that name. If you don't have one, please get one as this will be your main character.
2. Please use at least four of the six pictures.
Taking out his camera Geoff quickly snapped the deer that was looking directly at him, it was so beautiful. Geoff was a photographer for National Geographic and was up here in the mountains taking photos for an assignment covering the County Fair.
He loved these assignments; he got to meet great people and got some fabulous photos. Wandering around the fair his camera was whirring taking in the livestock and baking competition. The place was heaving with folk trying to win prizes in the pie eating contest and betting on the pig race. There was a rodeo, where he took a full roll of film, pony rides for the children, a monster truck show and carnival rides.
By 1pm Geoff stopped at a food stall and bought his lunch, then he found a vacant hay bale to sit on whilst he ate it and watched the talent show, taking the occasional photo as he ate. There was live music and he even joined in the line dancing, following one particular pretty blonde young woman who laughed at his efforts and introduced herself as L’il Dolly Duke. Out of breath they left the dancing and went over to watch the mud wrestling, which Dolly said she definitely wouldn’t take part in.
“Too messy for me” she told him. Dolly wanted to know all about Geoff’s job and where he’d travelled, she desperately wanted to travel she confided.
“I’m just a poor country girl” Dolly told him. “I’m eighteen and live in a cabin in the hills with my parents, three brothers, two sisters and Dixie, the dog. I’m the eldest” she said proudly. She told him about her job at the diner and how hard life was but she was happy. Geoff was in town for three days and he told her he’d come over to the diner to eat and maybe she could spend some time with him after she finished work. Dolly said she’d love to see him. It was late as they sat and watched the fireworks at the end of the night, Geoff gave her a lift home, well as far as the road went, and was a perfect gentleman not even trying to kiss her. Dolly was impressed.
The following day Dolly was hard at work in the diner when the door opened and Geoff walked in. He looked even more handsome today than he had the previous day she thought. She quickly took his order but was unable to sit and talk because the diner was so busy with shouts of “L’il Dolly Duke will you get yourself over there and serve those people” from the owner.
Geoff slipped her a note saying “I’ll come back for you when you finish here, I have to go take some photos”. Dolly quickly tidied her hair and removed her apron after work then walked outside. True to his word Geoff was waiting for her and told her he’d arranged to stay in town for the rest of the week, which they spent together. Dolly took Geoff to all her favourite haunts and introduced him to her friends. By the end of the week love had blossomed and they had become lovers, inevitably the time came for Geoff to leave.
A lone eagle flew overhead as Geoff climbed into his car and waved goodbye to L’il Dolly Duke, promising it wouldn’t be long before he would be back. Dolly waved until he was out of site then made her way back to home.
OK here’s your chance again to finish off the story. What do you think happened to L’il Dolly Duke after Geoff left? Do you think Geoff came back? Tell me your ending in the comments and then everyone can vote for the ending they like best.
17 comments:
Oh, joyful mud. Ha-ha. LOL
Healthy Life & Marvelous world
jello ake i am just stopping by to say hello :) x
Excellent M'Dear. What a great story. I really enjoyed it. I hope you do share your ending. I would end it as follows:
Geoff goes back home. Three weeks later he gets his okay from National Geographic to be settle in the hills. After getting all his ends tied up a week later, off he goes. All his wordly possessions with him, he arrives in the mountains and goes driectly to the diner. L'il Dolly Duke is no where to be found.
A voice from behind says, "May I help you"
"I'm looking for L'il Dolly?"
"Why she done moved after she married her childhood sweetheart. His dad decided to pick up and start a new business in the mountains just east of here. Cow herding is better there." Betty Sue said.
Heartbroken, Geoff starts to saunter out. Betty Sue continues, "Well Sugar, I remember you. I was one of those mud wrestling girls you saw the day you met L'il Dolly."
Geoff eyes lit up. Well I'm here so why not. Off the two went and Geoff thought, the hills would come alive yet again.
Several days later L'il Dolly Duke pays the diner owner for letting her play hillbilly girl waitress. Takes the one taxi out to what passes as an airport and flys her plane back to New York where she ceases to be L'il Dolly Duke and become Maggie O'Toole the author. She starts work on her new book "Hillbilly Murder".
As she writes she wonders if she can get that Geoff guy to sell her some of his pictures for the book.
Woops. I forgot to mention I like the story.
Letters came on a regular bases, with tales of Geoff's travels. One day a package arrived with a copy of the National Geographic. The Photo were beautiful of their little community.
Dolly had a jar where she put away a little each pay check, hoping for Geoff return. As the sum grew she put it in the bank.
A few years passed and the letters grew fewer and fewer. The bank account grew, and Dolly found she could attend college. College or Geoff? She still cared for Geoff but a college education would prepare her more for a life of travel.
Dolly left her family and the diner. Geoff became a memory but he was the inspiration for her.
While driving off Geoff thought of nothing but Dolly ... his mind focused solely on her and when he would be able to return.
So involved was he that he wasnt paying attention to the road and he lost control of the car, driving off a cliff .. his last words were Dolly, oh my Dolly.....
I've never fancied mud wrestling myself Skywind but a lot of people seem to like it! ;)
Hello Emmie x
Oh men are so fickle Thom! Thanks for playing along m'dear. x
Oooh she was incognito Dr. John! Glad you liked it and thanks for joining in the fun.
I'm so glad Dolly didn't pine away for Geogg in your ending Bettygram and got to better herself. :)
Oh good gracious me Daryl what a sad ending. :(
It has been awhile for me I didn't know that Jeff gave up the POW. The pitures he posted didn't do it for me and I just faded away. I'll be back to read; promise. Have a GREAT day :)
Well done Sistah!
Aloha-
Comfort Spiral
Geoff ran away with the next floosie he met on the street.
MEN!
(You can tell I gave a LOT of thought to that one.)
You are the writer of fiction here.
Not the Pencil Skirt. Great one!
You so deserve the Imagination Award. Perfect for you!
P.S. Do you think Skywind is a person or a computer generated thing?
The third photograph is so joyous!
TV Tower on Sinhagad - Going Inside Clouds
Geoff had kept all of his promises to Dolly. After the latest edition of National Geographic was printed, Dolly became a national treasure from all the exposure. She became an apprentice to Geoff and they traveled the world together taking photos of one adventure after another. Life was good. Dolly was happy and that was all that really mattered to Geoff because he was a man in love.
I loved your story. Have a great day! Pam
I hope you can get back into it again LU :)
Cheers Cloudia x
You are definitely a writer Mimi. I didn't get the imagination award honey I'm awarding it but thankyou. x
Skywind has a blog Mimi. :)
Thankyou Bhavesh :)
Oh that's a good one Pam x
I liked your story. It seemed very real, and I could picture it in my mind.
This is my version of the ending:
Dolly continued to work at the diner, waiting for Geoff to return. He sent her an occasional letter, which she cherished. She wrote him back, and sent letters much more frequently than she received them. He spoke about the strange places he was visiting, and about how much he missed her. She spoke about how nice it was to hear about such things, places and customs that she never dreamed existed, and told him about life there in the hills and about how much she missed him.
Although he had said he would be back in a short time, months passed and then years, and still she waited. The hill people were starting to feel sorry for her, she knew, but she still kept waiting. She even turned down the men who wanted to date her. As time passed, her brothers and sisters grew up and all got married. Still she waited. Finally a man came in, a stranger, who still looked somehow familiar. Then she realized it was Geoff, years older, his hair streaked with gray.
"I'm sorry it took so long," he said. "I meant to come back earlier, and almost did several times, but I was afraid that if I did I couldn't bear to leave again. I was trying to save up enough money so that I could retire and stay here with you. We could still travel sometimes, but then it would be for fun, and we could go wherever we wanted."
She looked at him, wanting to hug him, wanting to throw her arms around him and never let him go, but somehow reluctant to make any move toward him. She said, softly and with a little sadness, "Did it really have to be so long? Couldn't you have come back at least sometimes? You did get vacations, you know."
He looked back at her, then turned his face to the side. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to come back and then have to leave again. I thought of you almost constantly, though." He turned his head toward her again, fear and pain showing in his eyes. "There isn't someone else, is there? Someone who has taken my place?"
Several seconds of silence passed between them. She almost started to say something, but then stopped. Her face was unreadable.
Then she finally said, "There is someone else, but he has not taken your place. Come in Tommy, and meet your father." A little boy came in, who looked like both of them, and they all hugged each other, tears of happiness running down their faces. He had come home, and he would never leave them again.
Stephen from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
http://stephen-has-spoken.blogspot.com/
Dolly locked herself in her room and had a good cry. Her heart wanted to be with Geoff, but she knew he would never be happy with an uneducated eighteen year old girl. Oh, they would enjoy each other while the bloom of love was fresh, but what about when real life reared its ugly head?
The next morning, Dolly called her boss and asked for the morning off. She took the bus down to Creedmoor College, where she signed up for classes.
After several months of writing letters, Geoff finally came back. He was amazed to find the girl he had fallen in love with was still there, but the woman within had blossomed.
As the sun set in the west, Geoff took Dolly's hand in his. Both knew their future would be together. The End.
Loved the story. Better late than never, right?
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