Household Name – Friday Fictioneers

~ Amy Reese

It’s time for Friday Fictioneers, a writing community that is lead by our gracious host, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Every week, we are challenge to write a 100-word story based on a photo prompt.

I had fun with this prompt. Thanks to Marie Gail Stratford for providing the photo.

This weekend happens to my birthday when once again I am celebrating the magical age of 29! Oh, how I love that age. I may be delayed in reading and responding to stories, but I promise I will get to it. Enjoy your weekend!

mouse-on-the-prowl
PHOTO PROMPT – © Marie Gail Stratford

Genre: Skewed Historical Fiction (99 words)

Household Name

Blank stares and dark suits accessorized the boardroom table. Doug Englebart barely recognized his colleagues who slaved alongside him inventing this most revolutionary technology.

“Why mouse?”

“It rolls, has little balls, and can fit in your hand,” Doug said.

“I can think of other things that fit in your hand.” Bill smirked.

“What about “Master”? Ed shrugged.

“Besides it’s cute.” Doug studied his blueprints.

“We all know how important cute is,” Bill said, shaking his head.

After seven hours of deliberation, the board voted on their top three choices:

  1. Master
  2. Go Clicker
  3. Mouse

Now every house has a mouse.

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For more stories from the Fictioneers, click here.

87 thoughts on “Household Name – Friday Fictioneers”

      3. It is what matters. I stopped taking blood pressure meds 2 years ago (for the right reasons – my blood pressure is back to normal) and really do feel younger than I have since I was 29.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. If you have to take them, you have to take them – most of the time it beats the alternative. With the blood pressure meds, I didn’t realize how much they made me feel run down until I stopped taking them. As you said before, the important thing is how you feel, and if you feel young, you are. Of course, you are young, so there should be no argument there.

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  3. Fun story.
    Happy birthday. Christiane Northrup says to never mention our age. We are the age we feel we are (if you had no idea how old you are, how old would you say you are?)

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  5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMY!
    29? Okay…sounds good to me. 😉 I hope you have plans to celebrate mightily.
    I love this bit of history. I’m glad ‘mouse’ won. I’d hate to be pushing a ‘master’ around my pad. Well done.
    Shalom,
    Rochelle

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    1. Thank you, Rochelle!! I do have plans or rather someone has plans for me. I won’t be using my mouse this weekend! 29 is a fabulous number…I suppose.
      I knew you would appreciate my attempt at historical fiction. I always wondered where “Mouse” got its name. I envision it as something really random. Mouse has worked out pretty well, but it’s so odd. It could have been Moxy or Pumpkin just as easily. Pushing a master around the pad…yeah, that sounds like a lot of work. Ha ha. Thanks!

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    1. Sure, why not Honie?? That song has stood the test of time. 1999….oh, so long ago. I remember that song came out way before 1999 and then it seemed like 1999 was so far away. Right? That’s what I remember. Scratches head. Thanks so much!

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  9. Happy 29, great age, a few years ago I decided I was 25 again, so still a few years till 29 😉 the computer mouse had an interesting background.. It could have been a rat. Interestingly enough in Sweden, it was considered a problem because mouse has the same meaning in slang as beaver..

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    1. Oh, good for you, Bjorn! 25 is equally as good an age. 🙂 Oh, how confusing for you Swedes! Oh, my goodness. They should have consulted you. I’m sure you guys could have come up with something everyone could agree on and something cooler.

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  13. Next month, I’ll be celebrating the anniversary of my 29th birthday as well. I may even celebrate my 39th and 49th while I’m at it. I’m just glad they didn’t call it a turd. That would have been nasty.

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    1. That sounds like a plan, Russell. We can’t enough celebrating at all these various ages and stages of life. 😉 Ha! Yes, it’s a good thing they stopped at mouse.

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  15. Ah! So that’s how the mouse got it’s name. Very clever!!! Happy birthday Amy. I don’t know if you were born on the 2nd, that’s Gandhi’s birthdate. Watch out, you might get famous 🙂

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    1. Ah! That’s it, Jolly. At least according to me! My birthday is on the 4th. I didn’t know that about Gandhi. It makes sense he’s a Libra. I should have known. Maybe it will rub off on me. 🙂

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  18. “We all know important cute is.” Oops. Does this need a “how” or “We all know cute is important.” ?

    Anyway, fun take on the prompt. I, too, am a Libra and celebrate my 28th birthday all month long, year after year! Happy birthday.

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  20. Thanks Amy. I learned a bit of history. I never though about it. My son once had a little mouse cover for his mouse – all furry with eyes, ears and a tail. The cat got it. Happy birthday by the way. My husband and I have both had our birthdays this last week.

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    1. Thanks, Jenny and thanks so much for stopping by. This is, of course, my take on history. That mouse cover sounds delightful. I have a little kitty pad for the mouse. 🙂 Happy Birthday to you and your husband. I hope your birthdays were wonderful!

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    1. Thanks so much, Dianne. It gets better every time I celebrate my 29th. The mouse is quite the celebrated piece of equipment around here. Ha ha. Isn’t Björn silly?! I just love the Fictioneers! 😀

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  26. Happy 29th. Me, I’m 49, have been for years. 😉 I hope you have a great party.
    I actually read about the inventor of the mouse two years ago in that same wikipedia article, when he died. Such a shame that he never got any royalties. If it had been invented more recently, the little mouse would have been called the iClick. Great story.

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    1. Well, I’m 29. Again. It’s a favorite number of mine. I had a great birthday. I got away for over 24 hours! It’s such a shame that the inventor of the mouse didn’t get the credit or the money he deserved. Considering what a huge invention it is, it’s hard to believe. Ha! The iClick – I bet you’re absolutely right. Thanks, Gah!

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    1. No, I’ve never been kissed either, but I have two children. Ha ha. The world would be a different place if it were not called the mouse. I’m sure of it! Thanks, Randy.

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    1. Thanks, Diane. Glad you enjoyed it. I guess it’s why we have marketing departments, although mouse has worked out pretty well. We never forget what it’s called. 🙂

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    1. Thanks, David. Sorry for my delayed response. I’m trying to multitask again and it’s not working. Hey, why not do-hickey?! Go Clicker would probably turn into Do-Hickey. 🙂

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  31. I wouldn’t be spending so much time on the laptop today if the thing I was pushing around all day was a ‘Master’. Point of principle. Nice take Amy, and hope you had a lovely birthday.

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    1. Thanks, Suzanne! Things turned out for the best as far as the name went, however it happened. I think we’re all satisfied with mouse. Could it be anything else now?

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  33. Oddly enough, like the man who invented the Post-it note, Doug never made any money from his invention… sad, really. Oh, and happy birthday (belated and all).

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    1. I heard that Doug didn’t get money, Todd. It’s so tragic, because certainly he would have made a well-deserved fortune. I didn’t know that about the post-it note inventor, another household invention we take for granted. It’s so simple, but so useful! I wish I would have thought of that one. Thanks for the birthday wishes. 🙂

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  35. Happy 29th, Amy, a week late! See, I’m even more behind than you… and 31. 😉

    Loved this one! Clever and witty, and the dose of history was great! I figured Rochelle would have tackled that. Glad someone did, as I’ve never thought to look it up… but find it fascinating. Happy happy birthday!

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    1. Aww, thanks so much, Dawn! You’re not late, I celebrate my birthday all month. Well, not really, but I love the month of October. We’re in the prime of our lives, are we not?
      Thanks! Glad you enjoyed my version of history. Thanks for the bday wishes!

      Liked by 1 person

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