This post is submitted to Friday Fictioneers.
The challenge is to write a complete story in 100 words or less with a beginning, middle and end using the picture prompt below.
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
He lived in his white van. A van he purchased when times were good. His shuttered little sea food restaurant last year was a tourist hot spot. Usually this time of year is when he made almost all of his money. The empty strip-mall behind him was a constant reminder of the virus lurking all around him. The virus that killed his hopes for living.
Yesterday his van stopped running. Even if he could get it repaired, which he could not afford, where would he go. The coming winter would be hard on his seventy-four-year-old body.
Oh Danny Boy! 
A scary reality for far too many… Well done, sir!
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Poor guy, he has even tougher times ahead.
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A tale many businesses can relate to. Fortunately, in my little seaside town they’re doing pretty well thanks to staycationers, but who knows what will happen come winter?
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a reminder not to put all your eggs in one basket – an unfortunate case for many people these days.
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So many are suffering from the effects of the virus, never mind whether they’ve even caught it or not. Such a sad story and all too believable.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Totally agree. Thanks for stopping by.
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A perfect snapshot of what small business owners are going through.
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And way too many of them. Not all of them will return.
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I heard on NPR yesterday that over 100,000 US businesses have shut down so far because of COVID-19 and that many still-open businesses are saving a bundle by having their workforces work from home. I don’t think there is any person that hasn’t been impacted in some way by the virus, many greatly. My heart goes out to your MC. I pray deliverance comes to him.
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Ouch. It is getting to the stage where you wonder what jobs will be left for people to do after this. It will be a hard winter for many.
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Indeed. And it’s not getting any better.
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I got it! 70+ hubby and I have camper, enjoy travel, but yes, if anything fails, that’s where we will ‘spend the winter”
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Yanked from reality, straight to your heart. Great write. I imagine that there are far too many in just this type of situation right now. Praying and feeling thankful that i have a home at the moment, and that at least one of us still employed,
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Yes, a lot of us are extremely lucky.
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Our little town has had a bigger influx of visitors this year, partly due to people being uneasy about taking their holidays overseas. But you hear sad tales from the small business on the continent, who have always relied on visitors from other countries. Very sad.
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Our international travel expenses this year is $0.00 Five trips cancelled!!
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Hopefully this is not a prophetic tale
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True story for many because of the virus.
Hope things are better soon.
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I’m not that optimistic.
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