Progress

Prompt image for the Fandango's Flash Fiction prompt

For Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #177, based on the image below from bogitw at Pixabay.

“Hurry, Izzy, or we shall start without you”, cried the excited girl.

“Wait a moment. I just need to finish something.” But Bea was gone, enthusiastically off to round up the others.

Even Grandmama condescended to make an appearance. “If you insist, child”, she agreed, although she was secretly thrilled to see for herself whether this new-fangled contraption would ever replace a string quartet.

The five were seated in the Ballroom. Bea, Izzy, mama, papa, and grandmama.

“Are we ready?”. The animated girl checked with Cartwright, the second footman whose help she had enlisted.

“Okay, everybody, I ordered something during my trip to town last week. It arrived yesterday and Cartwright, here, generously agreed to help me install it. Are you all ready? The man smiled awkwardly, unsure whether to bow.

The family murmured approval, and Bea nodded at the man, who began winding. Setting down the needle, through the crackles the family heard Strauss’s unmistakeable Blue Danube.

While Grandmama, unimpressed, concluded, “It’ll never catch on”, papa silently stood and addressed his daughter. “Dance, darling?”


In the UK, we generally refer to London as “town”, although I’ve heard the word used to refer to any nearby city.

And we go “up” there. Because it’s the capital, I suppose. Leaving the city, we come down. Regardless of elevation! Weird, huh?

11 comments

    • I wanted a light, fluffy piece that everyone would know. Wagner was out!
      I couldn’t help thinking that at the period I was thinking for this, start of C20, Grandmama would have had direct memories of Blue Danube being “released”. It was only written mid-C19 iirc.

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment