This post is submitted to Friday Fictioneers.
The rules are simple. Write a COMPLETE STORY in 100 words or less with a beginning, middle and end.
“I beginning to hate these people,” said Helen. “I just about lost my temper at dinner. Are we so afraid of Erick that we can’t talk about current events without the fear of offending him? How long can we talk about ocean cruises? Neighborhood gossip? I would like to talk about the necessity of wearing masks. Vote by mail? Racial equality? Black Lives Matter? The feeling that this nation is being divided by the very one who should be uniting us? Let’s not have another Civil War!”
“So that’s why you spent the final thirty minutes doing dishes?” said Tom.
Oh Danny Boy! 
An intriguing article. Many folks these days are facing this same free speech dilemma at the supper table. Talking about COVID 19, wearing masks, social distancing raises a red flag immediately. Praising Trump is a sure winner for the offer of another slice of mom’s apple pie. What a farce and what a divisive world we live in. Sometimes I am tempted to bring plastic knives and forks and paper plates to a family dinner and place them by the sink in case the topics of conversation happen to raise the hackles of the guests. Jeez!
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Wouldn’t it be lovely to be able to speak your thoughts without being cancelled? Nicely done and topical too.
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I think free speech is being muffled.
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It’s the mindless tasks that can really work to feed the mind….well, you know what I mean!
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A great way to calm down, doing dishes!
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My wife’s answer to stress.
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I’d have done exactly the same thing, then changed the bedsheets, then mown the lawn …!
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I liked how you incorporated every rising social issue into a picture prompt! Well done:)
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Thanks for the kind comment and stopping by and visiting.
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It is tricky thing, especially with family members. I remember being taught ‘if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all.’ But, there are times to speak up even if doing so causes disagreement. I struggle with this and have done my share of before dinner is over dish washing! I loved the way you created the story in dialogue form. So much said and unsaid.
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I had forgot all about that saying. I have heard that many times myself.
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Funny… I often go to the dishes when I can’t stand the conversation anymore…
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Exactly what my wife does! Sometimes we have very, very, very clean dishes.
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I totally get it!!
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Well it is a touchy subject
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You end up walking a tight rope.
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We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The silence, where nothing is said, is the rock. Screaming or violence is the hard place. I wish there was a productive middle, but….
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Me too!
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Conversations that are needed, but Helen and Tom aren’t the only ones to avoid starting them when most needed… (guilty as charged)
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Close to home story here. Well done. At least no dishes were broken. 🙂
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Who knows what will break the next time.
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You have woven the necessity for meaningful conversations into a great story. I love this piece!
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Thanks for the nice comment!
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Good point Danny. The lack of people being able to talk on a civil manner about these things is tearing society apart.
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Even amongst formerly close friends.
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Danny, I’ve walked away from more than a few friends since 2016.
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Same here. Can only be silent for so long!
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You can only wash dishes for so long. A reckoning is coming
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And it isn’t going to be pretty.
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For peace between family and friends, some topics are best avoided.
I’m sure those dishes are really really clean. 😀
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No need for a dishwasher.
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Ah. The old, “No, I don’t need any help in the kitchen.” Works every time for every Erick there is.
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