For Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #151, where we write about the image below from Darius Bashar at Unsplash.com.
20th April 1928
Dearest Aunt Dorothy,
I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write, but you can imagine how much effort it has taken to get this place into shape. I finally seem to have found the time to relax now, although it will not be for long, as I shall explain…
The journey here was rather eventful. I spent almost the first half of the voyage seasick – I am afraid I do not make a good traveller. Then, just as I found my sea legs, the ship sailed into a full-on typhoon as we navigated the Bay of Bengal. I feared for my life and your niece might well have ended up with the fishes.
But, either by luck or good judgement, we arrived in Burma. I have never been so relieved to set foot on dry land.
The embassy has been immensely helpful. They found us this colonial house, only ten minutes from the town centre, which allowed Charles to take up his post straight away.
It has taken incredible effort, however, to turn this place into a home, and Charles has been so busy… he is already complaining how short-handed the embassy are… that I have mostly had to fix our accommodation on my own.
Rangoon is a strange place. It is hot here, of course. We knew it would be. We have been warned about the rainy season, but we have not seen any rain yet.
The place is unmistakeably oriental, though, and frankly I miss London, although I will not allow myself to become one of those hysterical women who yearns for home. Fortunately, the embassy staff tend to stick together, and some of the women whose husbands have been here a while have been helpful. We play bridge sometimes when our men are at work, and somebody even lent me a Fortnum & Mason catalogue, so hopefully I can have a few luxuries shipped from home.
One of my first tasks was to hire some assistance. People here are happy to work for the English and, compared to home, they will work for nothing. She has a frightful Burmese name that I can’t pronounce, and so we agreed that I would just call her Anna.
In fact, Anna is due any minute so I will close in a moment.
I just wanted to tell you that the reason life might become hectic is because Charles and I are expecting. Mama knows, of course, but has been sworn to secrecy. But I am far enough along that I don’t mind close family knowing. And I consider you to be close, my dearest aunt. Charles is as proud as punch and I’m just hoping that I can present him with a son and heir. The baby will be born out here and is due in August. We have already made enquiries, and the hospital here, while nothing like home, comes highly recommended.
Anyway, with that news, I shall close. And not a moment too soon – I think I can hear Anna in the courtyard.
I can’t wait to hear how you are, my dearest aunt. Let me know soon.
Yours, as always,
Lyndsey
I’ve tried to write this “of the time”. Until 1948, Myanmar was a British colony known as Burma. It’s capital was Rangoon (now called Yangon). Yangon is still the largest city, although the capital has moved to Naypyidaw.
Mister Bump 
An enjoyable read, Pete. I really did feel as if I was reading a real letter from a niece Burma to her dear aunt back in London. Well done.
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yeah, that was pretty much what I was aiming for. Nothing much happens; if I’d have thought about it for longer I might have done something about that.
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Excellent. It was indeed a story that sounded from another time period.
A relative writing to someon close and filling them in on all the news since
moving away from England to one of the territories.
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yup, presumably that was the kind of nothing they talked about. I think George Orwell was born out there to civil servant parents.
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More then nothing you buried the lead ! Well done
There’s a movie called Beyond Rangoon but it has snakes in it so I can’t watch it
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Do they star?
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Who they? 😁
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the snakes?
I remember one called “snakes on a plane” once but the title kinda gave it away.
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Yeah not gonna watch that movie either
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same. Different reasons 🤣
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Ohh 😮 care to share 😁
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It sounds like total rubbish.
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I doubt that rubbish stubbish 😂😂
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This is great, you really caught the spirit of the period. An absolutely engaging read
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Thanks, I was a bit disappointed when I read it back but, you know, an experiment.
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It was great, you really captured the feel
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You have your story just the right touch. Loved it Pete
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Thanks Sadje.
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You’re welcome!
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Very good read. I don’t know where it was going but Bay of Bengal kept me till the end.
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I had an overall idea that it was going to be in a former colony, but I had to pull out a map 🤣
The Bay of Bengal looked like it was on its way to Burma rather than India. It has a lovely sound to it, don’t you think?
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Yeah it has. In history classes we were often confused as to what the teacher is referring to, as the maps we all had were labelled Vietnam. But once my confusion cleared, the sound of it stayed with me. 👌
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My knowledge is very fuzzy of the area. But I suppose that’s true of anyone, anywhere a long way away. I was fortunate to be able to look at Google as I wrote.
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