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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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Getting Ready

by Vivien Jones

Flash fiction Nostalgic, Playful

Lock the doors, close the curtains. Check next door is at work. Nip upstairs.  Make-up, hair and clothes. Apply a little tangerine lipstick, mascara from the spiral brush, backcomb the top, spray the lacquer from the thick plastic bottle, poke with the tail of the steel comb. Open the walnut wardrobe, flick through the hangers, take out the orange and pink print dress with three layers of frills, find the tights and the white smoked shoes.  Look in the mirror. Yea. Downstairs to the kitchen, grab a finger roll, pick out a hotdog from the saucepan, a swirl of mustard, a curl of onion, a bottle of Coke from the fridge, with a straw.  Into the lounge, heels clacking on the bare floor, open the radiogram, find the six 45s, fix them on the changer, lean towards the Play lever. The letter-box slaps. Expecting something important, pick up the brown envelope, run a thumb along the flap, take out the white paper, read it. Good. Back to the lounge, push the Play lever, listen for the crackle until the needle finds the groove. With the drum intro, start moving. When Chubby starts singing already halfway to the floor, arms in opposition.  ‘Come on, Baby, let’s do The Twist‘.

Good that the pension’s going up even by so little.  With the price of mascara these days you need every penny you can get.

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About Vivien Jones

Vivien writes short stories, poetry and theatre pieces, many of which have been published or performed. She is one of three editors of 'Southlight' literary magazine for the south of Scotland and beyond. When not writing she is a performing early musician on viols and recorders and other wind instruments.
Visit Vivien Jones on the web

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Sending

3 responses to “Getting Ready”

  • Sarah Dhesi says:
    February 14, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    Well, I didn’t expect that! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

    Reply
  • Hazel Lowther says:
    February 14, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    Glad to be showing our age and yeah! It brings it all back.

    Reply
  • Amanda Hunter says:
    February 14, 2017 at 1:41 pm

    Loved it! Vivien Jones sure knows how to twist out a story.

    Reply

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News

New Flash Fiction for March

Coming in March a new flash fiction by Fanni Suto  ‘Night Wait’ a restless and melancholic little tale.  In the meantime why not check out  some of Fanni's earlier Flash Fiction published on The Casket of Fictional Delights ‘Fires of Autumn', ' The Girl with Pearls in her Eyes', 'Rain of Thought', 'Summers End' and 'Darkest before Dawn'.

Fanni Suto's Flash Fiction stories

Competition

2018 Competition Winners Announced

The 2018 Flash Fiction Competition - WINNERS ANNOUNCED

This year’s winner is Rosie Garland with her story ‘Speaking in Tongues’  ** CONGRATULATIONS**

2nd Sync by Mark Farley; 3rd Floating by Mark Farley; 4th 1-2-5 by Gina Headden

Bikini by Sherri Turner; The Plughole Picker by Susan Carey; Serendipity by Sandra Purdy; Bombs, Lilies by Jason Jackson

Competition Results

Tweetings

  • New #FlashFiction for Friday by #Writer @rebeccapeyton 'The Unbiddable Hand' an optimistic and reflective tale #reading https://t.co/Hh6aXIy36D https://t.co/t8uAGN21M9, 14 hours ago
  • Arrived today from America ~ exhibition catalogue from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Chanel exhibition in 2005 by the late great Karl Lagerfeld #Chanel #karllagerfeld… https://t.co/rdhDc1Zqgn, Feb 20
  • Song Bird brooch/pendant by Carlo Giuliano after Burne Jones #beautiful #brooch #art #jewellery #wanttoown @ Tate Britain https://t.co/EqntgqCgEV, Feb 19
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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2019
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
Maintained by Brighton WebTech
Brooch photography by Mark Colliton