Fish stink pervaded our walk on the pier. After our ice cream cones, we aired our secrets.
Katie had shared juicy morsels; first kiss, first lay, first fire, even though she told everyone she quit. My news dimmed in comparison, worthy of my mother’s Sunday knit club.
Today her expression was of such anguish, I feared she’d murdered someone.
“Is it true you are the ‘Mandi’s Secrets of the Pier’ blog?” she said.
I froze. I had been discreet, changed names.
“It’s a popular blog,” I cried.
“Remove it!”
My dream of a bestseller dissolved, carried away by sea salts.
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Genre: Fiction/Humor (100 words)
Photo copyright: The Reclining Gentleman
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A special thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, who has reached a new milestone with Friday Fictioneers, marking her second anniversary as our fearless leader. Thank you, truly. I am so grateful for her time and energy. Thank you to TRG for this week’s photo.
Click here for more stories from the talented Fictioneers.
AmyReeseWrites 
Ooh, the betrayal of confidence, even if he did change the names. She should chuck him off the pier.
Great story!
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It’s a bit silly this week. I’m looking forward to reading yours! Thanks, Alistair.
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Amy – do you own this ocean> this is a great story!
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Oh, I if owned an ocean, Mihran! I’d settle for an island. 🙂 Thank you!
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Oops…Busted!
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I guess it wasn’t a good idea after all!
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Ooops, she didn’t change enough! Good one.
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Right. Maybe secrets from the cove…or…from the cave. Ha ha. Thanks, Alicia.
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At least your narrator didn’t end up swimming with the fishes.
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I think she probably got off easy. This time.
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This could be the end of a beautiful relationship. Nicely done Amy.
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It would difficult to trust anyone after this. And it was going so well. Thanks, Sandra.
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Most excellent, Amy!
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Thanks, Honie!!
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Not nice blogging about a friend, at the end eveyone knows who is who!
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I bet they do, Elizabeth. There is no hiding behind a masked identity on the blogs! Judy was very cruel, and it was at the expense of a long friendship.
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Oh shoot and the stories were so delicious!
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She was caught, Dawn. Who knows how much longer she would have kept that up!
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Dear Amy, Too bad she got caught. However, it really is not nice to break the confidence of a friend – even for a story. Really neat idea Amy! Nan 🙂
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Nan, it’s terrible what she did. I hope she learns her lesson! Hopefully, she’s learned a little something about trust. Thanks, Nan. 🙂
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fish stink by any other name , like a rose, still smells… Randy
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Can’t you just smell it, Randy! Thanks.
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Amy, Good story and I don’t doubt it happens. A blog wouldn’t be the best place to print other’s secrets, especially if they read your blog all the time. If you want to write something you have to wait for some time, really disguise it, and mix up the facts or don’t write about it at all. Apparently Mandi made it too true to life and people recognized it. Although Katie’s secrets are probably better known than she realizes. She might have just began to realize that fact. Well written. 🙂 — Susan
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That’s a good point, Susan. Maybe Katie’s stories are the best gossip in town. I hope this doesn’t happen in true life, but it probably does, somewhere! This is why I prefer fiction. You can make up whatever stuff you like. Thanks, Susan! 🙂
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Dear Amy,
Oh snap! That’s one way to betray a trust and end a friendship. It’s also a way to write a most excellent flash fiction. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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No more trips to the pier with her! Man, she’s going to miss that. Aww, you’re sweet! Thanks, Rochelle! Congrats again on your anniversary. You do so much for us. Thanks again for all your hard work. 🙂
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‘It’s a popular blog’ – what a defence? I think your narrator needs to borrow more carefully in future, but one doesn’t have to borrow to write – maybe his/ her imagination will start to work now and create that bestseller. Loved the opening stink fish – so evocative in a real-life unpleasant way.
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I know, right? If it’s popular, then what else could possibly be more important anyway? Maybe she could learn to write with her imagination. Maybe there’s hope for her future, but probably not for her friendship. Piers always have that fish stink, that’s how I always experience them. I agree it’s unpleasant, but then there’s something comforting about it, just knowing it’s there. Thanks, Sarah!
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Oooo, throttle her. As for her attempt at self-justification. Drown her in the lake.
Well written. You made me dislike me almost as much as I disliked Amy in “Gone Girl”.
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She is quite despicable. I’ll take the “Gone Girl” reference as quite the compliment. Thanks so much, Sarah!
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Oops… there are secrets you cannot reveal.. but I guess there are reasons the blog was popular… 🙂
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She took advantage of her friend, all for blogging fame! This couldn’t possibly end well for her. Eventually, the truth catches up.
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I would tell Katie that anonymity is overrated. Take that for spilling secrets. Guess she couldn’t be trusted.
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I agree, Anka. You can never quite be you, right? Always trying to be the person you say you are, but you’re not really that person. Oh, I would be too confused. I’m sure I would blow my cover big time! She was never going to last.
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Anonymity is subject I’ve often wanted to explore. I don’t think it would work for me personally, or my blog. I love putting faces to a name.
How’s homeschooling going?
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I think it would be interesting to try, but ultimately, I don’t think anonymity would work for me either. Homeschooling is a challenge, Anka! So far, so good.
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More twists and turns in this story than a road through the mountains.
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Thanks, Frank. I’m just trying to keep you on your toes. 🙂
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Whoops! What a loses of a friend! But an excellent story, Amy.
janet
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Yes, it’s a pity. Thanks, Janet!
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Yeah, it’s probably best to ask your friend if you can use them as a subject, rather than risk losing them from the betrayal of finding out later.
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Yeah, Judy blew it all right! I don’t think she’ll be getting any second chances. Thanks, Melanie.
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This actually happened to me once. I gave no second chances either.
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I don’t blame you one bit! I’m sorry that happened to you. It’s got to hurt if a friend was behind it.
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The shock factor was pretty high. It was not an experience I want to repeat.
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So sorry, Melanie. That’s not fair. It would be quite a shock, especially if you spoke to someone in confidence and really trusted this person.
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The betrayal of trust was a big one, but I learned a lesson–be careful what you tell a blogger! It’s been a while, so I’m well over it. But it’s not something I’ll ever forget, and it’s shaped my own approach to writing. Anonymity only goes so far.
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I’m so sad to hear that. Those bloggers can’t be trusted. It’s such a cheap and selfish thing to do to someone. I hope this person saw the error in his/her ways. I wonder how it shaped your approach to your own writing. I’m just curious.
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It was an asshole move, though I don’t think it was intended to be such. My temper took over and I shot off a nasty email. He did end up taking it down, but the damage was done. He also wrote an apology, but it was total crap and a lie.
As far as my own approach to writing since, I talk to people if they are going to be my subject. I try to be as thoroughly descrete as possible and not only change names, but leave out identifying info like hair style, eye color, body descriptions etc. It’s not a perfect solution, but I find that communicating and letting the person read in advance helps avoid hurt feelings. That said, I really don’t write about real people all that often.
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This is why I like fiction, Melanie!
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I must confess–I chuckled (feel free to write about that if you wish) 🙂 Unfortunately, those kinds of things happen and writers are always looking for something to work into a story or blog. That’s the nice thing about humor, no one takes what you write seriously.
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I will be working you into my next post. 🙂 Definitely! That said, humor isn’t that easy to pull off either. So, if people are really laughing, then you, as a writer, you know what you’re doing! Like you, Russell. You always make me laugh.
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Ha! Always be sure to cite your source, or if you cant, disguise it well!
This is either a great tale, or a stern warning to us bloggers.
Cheers
KT
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Yeah, and disguise it well. Exactly! Oh, it’s just a tale. Thanks, KT. Cheers to you!
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Amy, how did I miss this story? Anyway, I loved it. I could feel her anguish as all her juicy material slipped away. Not that it was right for her to do that, but still, ouch. 🙂
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Oh, I don’t know! Maybe it’s due to your time change? Have things shifted a bit since you’re no longer ahead? I’m laughing. Thanks so much for coming back to read this and I’m glad you enjoyed it! The poor thing. Anguish, yes, whatever will she do?
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