Once again Wednesday, and a new picture to write a story on. This week it’s a wonderful picture from Janet Webb (who of course own all rights to the picture). In the theme of changing form, I have decided to do it in the form of a letter. If anyone else lack inspiration you are free to create a response. Maybe the beginning of a an epistolary…:-). Once again I hit the 100 word limit exactly.
Friday Fictioneers is a wonderful group of bloggers from around the world who every week gather to write a story of 100 words (more or less). If you want to know more, go to Rochelle-Wisoff’s page and check it out. If you only want to check out the great stories click the little blue guy at the bottom.
Copyrigth Janet Webb
Dearest John,
When you receive this letter it’ll be close to twenty years since I sent my last letter to you. I have to start by saying that Ralph was never the man I believed him to be. Since a few weeks ago I’m finally free, both from him and the prison system. I have moved back to our farm but the memory of you is always present here. There have been a lot of changes, and I’m working hard to make it homey again. The fence though, is white again as you always wanted.
Please come back
Yours,
Jennifer
—
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Unique and nicely done 🙂
Thank you 🙂
I liked the simple tone of the letter-writer. Very effective. Well done.
Thank you. I wanted it to sound matter of fact… probably a result after many changes before she sent it.
Wow. I really like this one. It drags me forward into longing. I must try the letter format. You made it work so well.
I have read so many that are written in letter format so I wanted to make a try.
Good job with it.
Brilliant, I think Jennifer is possibly a bit over optimistic – of course you might just continue and tell us otherwise 🙂
I think I want to leave it open… Maybe next week or someone else can write a response. 🙂
I don’t know what John should do. Any idea?
I don’t know either. I have no idea what John has done for the last 20 years.
Haha! Nice try Jennifer! Poor guy… (”it’ll be” maybe better than it’s) close to..
Very good and original use of tension there…
Thank you, yes it sounds much better, and I corrected… And found a way of still be on exactly 100 words.
Well it nice that she had some place to go back to. Wonder if John shows up. Great story idea.
Thank you. I wonder about John also.
Good luck to them both. Reminds me of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree”, but with a fence instead. It sounded the way a letter might after all this time, a little stilted but hopeful.
In my usual fashion–“I’m” rather than “I’am” and I think you want “homey” rather than “homely.” 🙂 That’s why you love me, right?
janet
I love corrections 🙂
Then I’m your woman. 🙂
Very good. Will he go back?
No idea, depends on how his 20 years has been…
I bet her last letter twenty years ago started with ‘Dear John’. Very nice reference, that!
Glad you caught that point, yes indeed it was on purpose I wrote Dearest John 🙂
will he…..??
No idea, what do you think?
probably not. i’m not really the kind to swallow my pride and beg someone to come back… but mostly coz i don’t think they will haha what’s done is done.
but you’re a romantic Björn. i could be so wrong ^^ maybe. maybe not ^^
Succinct but still capturing memories, the picket fence being white again..a lovely way to finish.
Thank you, I wanted to load it with well known symbols to be able to bring a longer story into those 100 words.
Dear Björn,
A story well told in the letter. Poor Jennifer made some unfortunate choices and landed in prison. How forgiving will John be? Did he maybe paint the fence? You left plenty of room for the reader to fill in the blanks. Nice work.
shalom,
Rochelle
Depending on the picture next week I might be able to complete the picture…. 🙂
What a story Jennifer has to tell, and you have told. This is one I’d iike to hear more about.
I have some ideas, a dear Jennifer letter is forming in my mind..
The longing from Jennifer is so clear. She obviously had mistakes that helped build out the twenty year seperation. One wonders if John is willing to forgive the reason and return. So good Bjorn.
I doubt John will come back…
The format of the letter works so well here!
Thank you 🙂
This is not your typical “Dear John” letter. Ironically, it’s an exact reverse. I doubt he’ll come back after being dumped 20 yrs before and the prison thing. Sounds like Jennifer has some baggage. I loved the letter format. Well done, Bjorn.
A dearest John letter is a reverse to a Dear John letter 🙂 I doubt he will come back
A fresh coat of paint and a fresh start.
🙂 one can always hope
Takes guts to write a letter like that!
Good job!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/3797/
Thank you 🙂
A lot can change in twenty years. Will he even get the letter or will a wife intercept it? I wonder. Brave move to send the letter. I have to give her that. Bravo. Nicely done, Björn.
Thank you.. I guess it all depends
that letter asks a thousand questions. Nicely done!
Indeed, I would like to see the first letter. As well as some other info
written from the heart – simple and surrendering, like true love.
Very nice take on the prompt!
Thank you. It’s interstitial to see how many different interpretations this has.
Simplicity here works well.
Thank you.
I appreciate the fact that you leave many questions. My head went to prison system – did she kill the guy???
Nicely crafted my friend
I think she might have done that… And just maybe Ralph was John’s younger brother.
What a nice Dear John letter!
Indeed 🙂
There is always hope I suppose. But after 20 years? Maybe it is time she moved on too. I’m sure John has. Then again, some never seem to be able to. I liked this a lot, because it was well written and it left it open for our imaginations to conjure the finish.
The audience is quite divided here… But I think Jennifer is bad news.
Intriguing story, told in a very interesting way!
Thank you 🙂
sweet little story. I sort of hope he goes back to her – although he probably has a life of his own now.
I hope he has a good life and has not spent 20 years in misery… But who knows, a white picket fence is always a white picket fence.
I could not pass up the opportunity for a response letter… (exactly 100)
Dear Jennifer,
Twenty years is a long time between conversations. Where were we? Oh yeah, I remember! I had just proposed to you, and we bought that little piece of land, then you ran off with Ralph, saying something about needing to follow your heart. Did you think that I could sit on the sidelines and just wait for you? Paint your stupid fence any colour you want, I won’t be looking over it anytime soon. And please, do me a big favor Jennifer, and don’t contact me for at least another twenty years.
Never in a million years,
John
Just for the record… Ralph was John’s brother, and Jennifer ended up killing him. I think you are right, John will not return.
Don’t do it, John! Let’s hope things worked out for him after being dumped.
He was devastated for 19 years, and then he met someone… 🙂
I love the idea…It’s a backward Dear John Letter…Good stuff!
Tom
Sometimes a chick change her mind. Prison change folk I’ve heard.
This was a very nice story..Jennifer probably knows John very well, that’s why the optimism..John might go back:))
Optimism might be justified or not. Well we have to see….
So simple but so eloquent.. Beautifully executed…
Thank you.
great take on a “Dear John” letter.
Thank you 🙂
Hey, not just a dear John letter, but a great take on the prompt. A little bit of an inside story here. I like it.
There’s so much unsaid back-story here – a great idea from the prompt. The opposite of a dear john letter.
Rather an optimistic look on life to think John was still waiting–howsomever, he didn’t sell the farm. Looking forward to the Dear Jennifer letter –next week?
Hi Bjorn,
Excellent epistaly story, which leaves just enough to the imagination to let the reader fill in the blanks. Well done. Ron
I hope he did come back to her. I hope he helped make it their home….
My take on the story was that Ralph had been in prison. She’d stuck with him while he was doing time, but at some point realised he was not worth it. Now she’s ‘home’ again and trying to rebuild her life. I suspect she’s found out that John is unattached and … I’d better go or I’ll take over your story! Very entertaining. Thanks! Ann
I have written part two now. Suspense gone. 🙂
I hope I will get to read it. 🙂 Ann
I love what’s left unsaid here, and the letter format works very effectively. Really liked this, nice job 😀
Very nice. A very fresh start.
I had not noticed the title. Very clever!
I’m looking forward to John’s reply, but I think I want to know more about the decisions Jennifer made. Well done on drawing the reader in and leaving them wanting (lots) more.
hmm, twenty years with a past history that looks like wrong choices on her part…why, perhaps if Jennifer sincerely cared for John there could have been an apology somewhere in her letter. i love how you wrote this… 🙂
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I realized the full depth of this post after reading your current one! Stellar! 🙂
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