PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
The Memento
He kept it? After all these years? Yes, it’s unmistakable. On that shelf.
In the glass I see us again: Magic colors in the night sky, white steps that crack and crunch, snowflakes melting in our warm breath.
Oh, the wonderful power of memories, stored anywhere, hidden in plain sight, wrapped mysteriously around innocuous things—a sound; a color; a tower of silica sand, molten, cooled, frozen in time.
I lift the memento, cautiously, trying not to tremble. “This looks special.”
“Isn’t it pretty?” He shrugged. “I can’t for the life of me remember where I got it.”
As always, many thanks for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers! Stop over and read more 100-word-fiction pieces based on this photo prompt!
Angela Writes... 
The last line is a real killer!
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Neil, thank you! It’s always fascinated me how certain items can carry so many memories for one person and be completely meaningless to another person.
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Awww… That gave a little squeeze to my heart!
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Dale, thank you for reading! I don’t think they quite saw eye to eye on their time together. Good to get out in the open, I suppose, before anyone gets too attached…
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Oh. Here I was thinking it was years later and Alzheimer’s was a factor.
But now that I reread it… 🙂
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I guess there are a lot of ways to read it; I needed a lot more words! I just saw them as middle-aged adults who met up again and had had a memorable (or not so memorable, depending on who you ask) relationship when they were young…
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Yes, I can see that, too.
I don’t know for you, but I love when a reader reads something totally different than what I intended!
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I do too! It makes me realize how much our separate minds bring to the writing/reading experience. Writing isn’t just about what we want to say, it’s about how the other person perceives it. (But I also get a little frustrated that I didn’t convey the image in my head clearly, hehe!)
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Yes, for sure and yes, I know what you mean when what we try to convey does not come across…
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But there great part is there’s always another piece of blank paper waiting to be filled :).
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You’ve got that right!
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“I can’t for the life of me remember where I got it.”
What a great ending, Angela. I did a little lol! Very enjoyable write, telling and very believable.
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Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found it believable. Ah, the contrast between romantic and practical minds…
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What a sucker punch at the end, or was he joking?
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Oooooh, I hadn’t thought about that… The way I saw it, he was just being honest. He truly didn’t remember at all. But maybe there’s more to the story…
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Angela, beautiful prose and you have your finger on the pulse of human nature.
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Your comment made my heart skip! Thank you for such kind words :).
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You’re most welcome.
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This is great. What a letdown for her. I like the build-up of her expectation as she recognised the ‘memento’ and remembers all it suggests to her, and then his response. Oh dear.
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Margaret, thank you! That’s exactly what I was going for, and I’m so glad it came across!
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Deep and beautiful writing. Heart-wrenching end, though. Maybe it’s time for her to rekindle his memories.
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Thank you so much for your kind comment! Hmmmm. I had the feeling she was about to run out the door and brood over the things that never were, but maybe that will lead to a much-needing rekindle…
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Dear Angela,
That last line got me. All the sentiment and memories she has connected with it and he’s so…good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes…he doesn’t remember it at all. Sigh. It always fascinates me how certain memories stick so clearly with one person and are completely lost to another person who is also present. I suppose he might still have feelings for her, but the memento doesn’t seem to be the place where he goes to remember those emotions…
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This is so real, almost painful. Some people are like that. Her memories are beautifully written.
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I’m thrilled this piece moved you! Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Ooof. Ouch.
That last line.
Brilliantly set up with the trembling emotion and the question.
He’s in for a rough ride I reckon
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Laurie, thank you so much for your comment! Yes, I think things are about to crash and burn…
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