Another February Monday.
Streets are grey with slush and water seeping through my shoes. On the the subway I am sandwiched between an elderly lady with a flu so bad I imagine that her lungs will end up on the floor and a man shouting in his Iphone.
I’m nauseous from the scent of wet wool and check my calendar: meetings back to back with only 20 minutes left to grab my lunch.
The weekend has withered and my only focus is survival when suddenly my mobile vibrates.
“Can we meet tonight?”
I smile, a February Monday can also bloom.
The metaphor of the rose and a withered weekend came to me easily. For once I’m writing romance, which is a bit out my comfort zone. February I know well on the other hand.
Rochelle keep us together and gives us a new picture that we can write to. Hundred words is the only rule, together we are Friday Fictioneers.
—
February 21, 2018
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Well, you might be out of your comfort zone, but it’s a neat write!
Thank you.. at least it was enjoyable to write
😊😊
You might have found a new genre, Bjorn. You handled romance deftly
Ha… I must say I preferred writing about the bad part of winter in the city.
Glad there’s a rose in his life.
Glad that there was some light even at the darkest of times.
Your descriptions are so good that I was feeling utterly miserable, thank goodness for the hopeful ending! Well done 🙂
I felt miserable writing it, so I needed a happy end.
I like the upbeat ending very much and terribly relieved we got away from the horrific imagery of the LUNGS – and great to be reminded what a difference a message can make! Good story.
Thank you… to be on public transport with people coughing always make me shudder.
I know all about coughing, but writing romance is beyond me. I thought you turned the situation round lovely, you did great,
Ha… we all have to try don’t we?
well done
🙂 Thank you
Nothing like an after work rendezvous to make the work day go better! Nice one Bjorn.
Indeed… you need that little flowers to the joy
Dang, I think you’re on to something trying out that romance-thing. Sweet story!
Ah…. thank you. I do like to use my wings a bit
What do you mean romance is out of your comfort zone???? Who writes romantic poetry at the slightest provocation? I like the contrast in this between the ghastly subway journey and the promise of roses. By the way I found a comment of yours in my spam folder. I have released it but don’t know where it went. Apologies for not replying, but at least it has gone where it was intended 🙂
I know what you know… but romance is different for me than writing romantic poetry.. 🙂
True, but the emotions are the same 🙂
A good contrast. And a snapshot of what I feel when on the subway on Winter!
I felt the same… subway in winter is awful
The end of your story brought a smile to my face because it worked through wet wool and the possibility of catching the flu. Romance suits you, Bjorn.
Thank you, the extra warmth is really needed.
Lovely how that one short message can make life less unbearable.
Great take, Bjorn. Really liked your true to life story
It does not take much more than that to bring back the sun
Dear Björn,
You set the scene so well on the subway. The bleakness was tangible and I wanted to move away from the woman with the flu. Ugh. But the ending is a sweet payoff. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
To go with the subway at this time of the year is an invitation to be smitten.
You took me on quite a ride here; from bleakness to joy. You’re good at this 🙂
Thank you… glad that it worked
What a perfect — that is, perfectly dismal — portrayal of a February Monday! And how lovely that his was interrupted by a little unexpected sunshine. Nicely done!
I think it only takes a ray of sunshine to drive away darkness
Nice way of putting it. 🙂
So reminded me of when I was sick on the plane, trying so hard to keep my coughing to a minimum and into a tissue… the other passengers were surely not happy to have me there. What to do? You buy your vacation a year in advance, I was not going to miss it!
And I love your flip at the end… you closet romantic, you!
I hope the other passengers got some sweet letter to compensate.
Well. No. But I really did stifle as much as I could. Was not a pleasant flight for me either.
Ha.. I go to concerts sometimes and when I have a cough I always bring some kind of cough drops… it usually helps me through the concert… 🙂
This was a cough way beyond cough drops. My sister is convinced it was the H1N1 virus that broke out a couple of months later…
Aah, something to look forward to!
You need those little rewards to keep going sometimes.
After all that misery, it was great to see a happy ending 🙂
I really need some sunshine too.
That was great! The description of the disgruntled commuter, finishing with that text which totally turns his day around! Very true to life.
Monday’s can be miserable… but it only takes one simple bright thing to turn it well again
Yes, a well described journey and a lovely conclusion. I can just imagine the smile on your character’s face as he reads the message!
I actually smiled myself when I wrote it.
You certainly don’t seem to be out of your comfort zone Bjorn. What a cute romance 🙂
Ha.. but I really liked the bleak description better.
yes, sometimes, all it takes is a call to kill the blues away. 🙂
A few words is all it takes.
This made me smile.
I can so imagine the mood of the cold grey February Monday, smell the wet wool in the subway carriage. Good ending, a burst of hope and possibilities. Good one.
Ah, I wanted text can light up ones week! A great story Bjorn 😊
This is the sweetest, most uplifting story I’ve ever seen from you.
Suddenly, the wet shoes don’t feel so cold.
The smell of wet wool conjured up the atmosphere perfectly.
You handled romance well, Björn! Captured the way a single text with a promise of meeting the significant other, can raise one’s mood from thoughts of survival to a feeling of blooming.
That subway journey sounds horrendous. You pin down the mundane so well that the happy ending brings a smile to our faces. Love it.