It’s time for Friday Fictioneers. Once again, a big thank you to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for her dedication and leadership. Thank you, Bjorn, for the photo.
If are interested in this prompt, head on over to Friday Fictioneers for instructions.
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Humor (100 words)
Isolation Fail
“It smells. A dead animal?” Becky shuddered.
Tad pried open the windows. Becky swept filth from the floors outside into more dirt and scrubbed the floors. They cleaned plot #27 until their hands cracked.
Becky collapsed on the couch, emitting particles into the air, while Tad opened a beer. Vinegar and lavender wafted between them. Becky wanted bleach.
Each time Tad moaned and hummed in the quiet, Becky cringed.
“I miss television,” Becky blurted.
“My phone,” Tad said.
“The Internet,” they cried.
They bolted for the door and jumped in their car, leaving the chickens clucking in a cloud of dust.
AmyReeseWrites 
Well, so much for country living. Ha-ha! Good one Amy. 🙂
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At least they gave it a go! Thanks, Jackie.
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You never fail to surprise me Amy with the content of your stories. Excelelnt as always and again you have me thinking about what you have written.
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Thank you, Michael! Thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot to me. You’re very encouraging.
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Great little piece, reality doesn’t always match the dream, lol 🙂
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This seems to be true for a lot of things. Thanks, Helen!
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Great story, Amy. I liked the lavender and vinegar. It’s hard to imagine actual isolation…. although I’m sure it would be a similar experience. 🙂
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I’m not sure how I’d react to it. At first, you think it would be the best thing ever. But I know I love all the modern conveniences of life. It would be hard to let them go. Thanks, La La!
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amazing!
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Why, thank you! Thanks for reading.
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“Becky wanted bleach.” This is one of my favorites, Amy! Worth the wait to Friday. xo
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Ha ha, Dawn. Sometimes, bleach is the ONLY thing that will really work. Have you ever cleaned a place and then thought…it’s clean, but it doesn’t feel clean. Thank you so much. You’re so kind. xo
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I have some wonderful cleaning products with essential oils… and i just want to sleep on my clean floors, they smell so good! Um, that sounds a little pathetic… but really! xo
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No, not pathetic. I can appreciate a fresh, clean floor! With essential oils…sounds very welcoming. I would have to clean my floors every day if I were to sleep on them!
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Me too… that was very optimistic of me! 😉
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I can always put housework on the back burner! Shame, shame on me. It’s not going anywhere after all…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEzQV75LDL0 😉
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Love it Dawn!! What a fun pick me up. I was grovin’. Thanks!
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I do my best. 😉
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“You are my wife!
Good bye, City Life!”
I always hated that male chauvinist pig Eddie Albert played in Green Acres. I only hope that’s actually him getting his comeuppance in your story!
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“Darling, I love you, but give me Park Avenue…and the Internet!”
Ha ha. My sister used to sing the Green Acres song all the time. Yes, this is his comeuppance! Serves him right.
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Haha, nice. Guess they just aren’t cut out for being separated from the modern world. Nice story!
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Thank, Tiffany! I guess they gave it their best shot.
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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If only they’d taken the time to crack a few more beers, they might have just settled in – for a night at least.
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Ha ha ha! Yeah, right. Becky was a little too uptight for that. I think no matter where they are they are not that happy with each other.
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Again, beer might have helped with that as well 🙂
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Ha ha! If you only they had your wisdom, Denmother.
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So much for living “off the grid”. Poor chickens. How will they get by without Becky and Tad?
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Well, at the very least, they have a clean place to crash. I think they’re better off without them. Thanks, Honie.
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Unplugging ways seems like a good idea… Haaa. Good one.
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It always seems like a good idea in theory, Audra. I have a friend who wants to live off the grid, but is pretty addicted to his smart phone! I don’t think he’d really last. Thanks!
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You’re very good at these short stories Amy 🙂
Have an awesome evening and weekend also
Andro xxxx
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Thank you, Andro. As always, thanks for being so kind. You have an awesome weekend, too! – Amy xox
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Thank you my sweet friend 🙂
Andro xxxx
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Sigh! If only they had broadband…….
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That might do the trick! Thanks for reading.
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I could see this happening!
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Thanks, Patti!
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Great story, and I think a realistic one, too!
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Thank you, Jan, It could happen to me!
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You know, kids, if you really want to experience the outdoors, there’s an app for that.
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I suspect you right, Guap! Why didn’t they think of that? Duh!
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Well they didn’t last very long, did they? Can’t say I blame them 🙂
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Indeed, no! They didn’t. I’d say half a day if that!
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“Each time Tad moaned and hummed in the quiet, Becky cringed.” This was the humor for me. Good thing they left or it might have turned into a murder. 🙂
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Ha ha ha! Yes, Maddie!! I think so too! It’s so funny you thought of that! You know what I’m talking about though, don’t you?
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Now the chickens can move into a clean roost. Great story – I would miss electronic stuff after 4 or 5 days. So I can relate.
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Me, too. Sometimes I think I really should try to do without for a day or two. It would probably do me good, Nan.
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This is pretty much one of my worst nightmares come true – thanks a lot! Nicely written, though.
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Oh, I’m terribly sorry I wrote your worst nightmare. Ha! Thank you!
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Nothing like the simple rural life to inspire! Great story!
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Thank you, Jim!
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The good life isn’t for everyone, and better that they realised it now. Nicely done!
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True, at least they didn’t waste any time. Thanks, Sandra!
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They should have thought it through first.
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Sometimes you don’t know until you try it! I guess they are not as strong as they think!
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this definitely made me laugh. and wonder whether or not i’d react the same way 🙂
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Thanks, kz! Glad I could make you laugh.
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You nailed it, Amy. We’re all pretty addicted to electronics and other modern conveniences like electricity and running water–not to mention toilet paper.
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Thank you, Russell. Yeah, what did we used to do before electronics, hmm? I bet I could live without them for a short time! But running water, must have!! And toilet paper!
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Too funny, Amy. That marriage would definitely not last the night!
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Thanks, Cathy! I think technology is not their only obstacle.
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Ha.. once you sit down.. you start to miss those gadgets… imagine that they might have to talk to each other… great story (and a little unsettling)
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I guess they don’t like talking to each other. Sadly, I think this may happen to a lot of people. It’s so easy to resort to your phone for company. Thanks, Bjorn. Great photo, too!
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Tad + Becky = My wife and I. We no likee nature. We don’t camp. We don’t sleep in tents. I work my ass of so that we don’t HAVE TO sleep in a tent. If my family is ever sleeping in a tent, something went horribly, horribly wrong.
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I’m not much of a camper myself, but I always thought I would like short spurts of it. My husband won’t do it. We tried it once and didn’t get past putting up the tent! Oh man! It was bad. Needless to say, the kids were disappointed. I haven’t tried it since. I know I couldn’t do without the modern conveniences for very long. Me, too!
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I would be like Eva Gabor on “Green Acres”. We would have to rewrite the lyrics to the song to include television, phone and internet.
Green acres is the place for me.
Farm livin’ is the life for me.
Land spreadin’ out so far and wide
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.
New York is where I’d rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue.
…The chores.
…The stores.
…Fresh air.
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That was wonderful, Michelle!! Thank you for that. We would have to update the song for sure. I bet you sang this while you wrote it, didn’t you? Ha ha. I’ve been conditioned to the modern ways of life. I’m sure I wouldn’t last very long.
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You know me too well. I sang it while I wrote it and at least for another hour afterward. He-who wasn’t impressed.
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In your defense, Michelle…it’s a real tough one NOT to sing! I sang it while I read it!!
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This is wonderful, Amy! 😀
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Thank you, Dianne!
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This is awesome. At least they gave it a try for a bit. I guess the Internet was the clinching factor. Even when I was out hiking in the mountains, I still had Internet on my phone. 🙂
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Thanks, David. That’s very nice! The Internet is like religion to some people. Ok, I’m guilty and addicted. It’s hard to get away from it though when it’s so available, even in the mountains! 😉
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Dear Amy,
So much for living off the land. I’d be right behind them. I’m such a techno geek these days. Well done. I really enjoyed this one.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Me, too. I’d be lucky to go a few days without gadgets. Help me! Thank you so much, Rochelle!
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Oh the simple life – so appealing until it becomes 24 hours 7 days a week!
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It’s hard to simply be and to simply be content. Thanks!
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Haha! No doubt this would eventually be me, for sure.
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Me too, Aussa! Thanks for reading.
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At least they gave it a go, yes indeed. Lol
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They tried! Thanks, Dawn.
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I don’t think I could just give everything up to have a go at that life. Though I should probably try to get away from technology a bit more than I currently do.
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I guess the Great Outdoors aren’t so great after all…
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Guess not for these guys! Thanks, Robert.
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Ha!ha!I would be definitely with these two-running away I mean but ah for all that hard work-wasted time ;-)Loved this Amy:-)
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I know, all that cleaning! Oh, thank you so much.
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😀
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Yes, very Green Acres (which was hilarious.) Perhaps a compromise? After all, they don’t have to live in the chicken coop. 🙂 That was fun, Amy. I’m getting towards the end of the stories and hoping I make it before it all begins again tomorrow. Serendipitously, my post today is about unplugging!
janet
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Janet, I admire your dedication! I can’t say I read them all, so I must miss out on some goodies! Thanks for reading mine. Unplugging…it’s a constant struggle for balance, isn’t it? I’d be interested in reading it. Do you offer tips?! Thanks!
Amy
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did they leave the rooster behind, too?
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Most certainly yes! Thanks for reading.
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