The plain truth is that these days, in the UK at least, a phone box rarely has a phone within. They have become so iconic that many remain in situ. They’re often re-purposed as community book exchanges (Grrr. No photo!), or as a community planters – spotted in Bath with Becky herself, and Anabel, aka The Glasgow Gallivanter, who wants her own photo of it.
My featured photo is of the colourful (but poisonous) fly agaric. And as we all know, elves like to sit on them. I have no photos of elves, but I can do fairies.
I offer you a fairy collecting the secret wishes of children at Ripon Theatre Festival this year; another spotted on a fence; and a warning on a London front door.
Finally, here’s a genuine letter written by the tooth fairy who visits the children in our family when they lose their baby teeth. She’s a grumpy soul. She writes messages on tiny pieces of paper the size of a postage stamp and tucks them under the pillow as she leaves her silver coin. A Red Letter Day for the lucky recipient.
Last Saturday, I threw down a challenge, because Jude, featured below, was one of those who suggested it: to write a story, up to 100 words long, that addressed the question posed here:
Here’s mine: But hang on. Before you read Jude’s, or Dawn’s, or mine, make yourself comfortable on this bench. It is after all Sunday, and the day for Jude’s Bench Challenge.
What if she said ‘yes’?
Nell sat slumped against the stairs, leaning into the comfort of her neighbour. ‘He always drank too much, your dad.’ Her father lay twisted at the bottom—eyes open, unmoving. The investigators stepped gently round the body and its ooze of blood. ‘He fell’, Nell said. Only she knew about the bruises beneath her sweater, her sore and aching thighs. Only she knew whether what had happened just an hour ago was an accident or an escape. Only she knew what she’d say when at last they ask her: ‘Or …did you push him?’ What if she says ‘yes’?
PS. A late, great addition to the clutch of flash fiction, from Rebecca of Fake Flamenco:
What if She Says Yes?
When the wallpaper in the downstairs hall began to peel in the heat, I didn’t think it odd. Our house needs repair often after a century of Tiverstons. I bought a bottle of papering adhesive. As I sanded the wall before re-glueing, newsprint appeared in the lower corner. Using an exacto knife, I liberated the sheet. The headline about an Edna Swargle chilled my blood and I stopped breathing a moment. The woman in the photo looked just like mom as a teenager, but her name is Nancy. I walked upstairs where she was reading. “Mom, were you ever, Edna?”
The featured photo is not my own, but squared from an unattributed image found in Pexels, a great source of Royalty free images.
British readers will recognise the allusion to the Flanders and Swann ‘A Transport of Delight’, celebrating the good old London bus. These specimens aren’t from London, but to be found transporting visitors round the vast site which is the museum at Beamish. This is a marvellous place celebrating the day-to-day life of working men and women in the North East of England, mainly from 1900 to the 1950s, but with glances back to earlier times too.
By the way, this is the last day for sending your 100 word story: ‘But What if She Says Yes?’ suggested in my post last Saturday. Only two of you (well, three, counting me) have been brave enough so far.
My turn to host Leanne’s Monochrome Madness this week. I thought it would be fun to explore those shots which, by accident, design, or clever editing, are monochrome in any colour but black and white. Let’s go…
Winter scenes can often offer opportunities. The camera often seems to re-register those – to our eyes -crisp white snowy scenes to muted greens and blues.
Some years ago, this church in Bamberg took my eye, its doorway saints ravaged by the weather, and presenting to the world as olde-worlde sepia.
Sepia again. It was a sepia-ish sort of day when I spotted this young herring gull in Newcastle.
And this cherry blossom? I had an afternoon of blameless fun playing with the special effects on my camera.
One day – quite a few years ago now – my grandson and I enjoyed ourselves at the Horniman Museum, where a tent was in place bathing us in a range of different colours. Here William is in blue – and inevitably- red, because who knew that eventually, the shot would find its way into Becky’s Squares challenge #SimplyRed?
We’ll finish off in the natural world again.
I think this final shot just about squeezes under the wire as monochrome. What can you show us?
There you are. It’s just behind that house, getting ready to go. Fabulous views of the Yorkshire Dales this morning. We’ll be back in time for lunch at the pub.
When I posted a version of the image above as part of Becky’s #SimplyRed challenge, no fewer than three readers suggested I issue a challenge of my own: to produce a piece of micro fiction based on that intriguing piece of graffiti. Who’s up for it? You three who suggested it? (You know who you are). I supppose I’ll have to too. 100 words maximum. I gather that this form of story telling is called a drabble. If you’re up for it – by this time next week, please….
As you can see, squared, it was impossible to display the entire cri de coeur in a single image.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
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