A link to my neighbours/Community · Blogging · Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Short Stories Series

On The Prowl! Husband Wanted Urgently!…

Black couples

Tess sifted through dozens of photographs of possible date matches. It was a surprise to discover an entire World of supposed eligible bachelors out there.

Putting up her own profile was a task she hadn’t expected to be that demanding. Her attempt to make a headline grabber, the right smile, the right amount of information was not as simple as she had thought.

The increased pings of her messenger for her new dating account, increased her excited nerves even though she still had trepidation about the whole thing, especially with the list of do’s and don’ts Kate had mentioned to her.

It was almost beginning to sound like an espionage escapade.

”Make sure you have a pepper spray handy!”

”Set up a separate email account.”

”Don’t give out your address or house number.”

If need be, invest in a stun gun!” ”What? I don’t want to go shooting anyone!” She had shrieked.

”Only meet them at a public place.”

”Use spiked drink detector nail polish, so you don’t find yourself suddenly floating along with all his requests.”

”Don’t allow kisses on the first date.”

”No going to apartments for a night cafe etc, etc.”

”Make eye contacts as you talk to him.” ”If they are shifty, don’t trust him!”

Blah, yadda, blah, blah..

Whats a girl’s to do when she needs to do to find her prince in these tough times, she thought to herself?

These days, the competition was stiffer.

The good guys were all grabbed and even a lot of very delicious looking ones were into other dudes.

She still recalled her utmost disappointment when she had moved in and met the very polite handsome Latino hunk of a male specimen living downstairs, Steve; he was equally taken by another interesting looking bloke!

This one doesn’t look so bad, she mused to herself as she stared at the face on her laptop. He had such a sincere, earnest, open look and not too bad looking as well. His bio also read well.

”Nothing ventured, nothing gained”, she muttered to herself as she clicked the button to initiate a chat.

”I cannot afford to live through the debacle of another uncoupled birthday with my folks.”

”I’d rather buy a ticket to Mexico than go through that embarrassing episode again.”

How could Mama invite Deaconess Elfrida’s son, Humphrey to pair up with me?

He is such a sanctimonious and pompous ass!

Auntie Virginia had kept rattling on and on in her persnickety high-pitched voice on ”Tips of how to catch a guy.” A most mortifying moment.

”Time for hair touch-up girl”, She thought, as she idly fingered her locks.

To be continued. Husband wanted urgently Part 1

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

This was meant to go out last week Saturday, but I couldn’t bring myself to send it out in the light of recent activities and in that time, I have found more gems in my neighbours garden. Do take a peek with me.

10 ways to be grateful even on bad days, found in the yadadarcyyada’s front lawn.

Vital security information for the holidays, by Tasha.

Shrimp Po Boys, from What’s for Dinner Moms?

Some sweet and Delicious chocolate cookies, from Lynz Real Cooking.

A beautiful read, the boy who dared to be great, from MLou.

A poignant civil war letter- found, in a corner of Elusive Tropes troves.

The simple truth handed by The adventures and musings of an Arch Druidess through the auspices of Sepultura’s blog

This quote shared by Meg Sorick reminds me of someone I know 😉

10 easy ways you can make the world a better place, by Danny of Dream Big, Dream Often.

Good budgeting tips here at how to stuff your pig, especially during holiday seasons when overspending tends to happen more.

It’s a wrap my good people. Let’s have a calm weekend shall we. God Bless and take care.

Image credit: Pinterest.

Blogging · Fiction · The Daily Post

BOND Girl! Yeah Right!…

Pierce Brosnan

In my younger days, I had two major crushes on two male actors.

The first actor was Captain Von Trapp of Sounds of Music.

I simply wanted to be the singing Maria – Julie Andrews, but I was just too young and after a while he started looking too old for me 😉

My second movie crush moved to James Bond.

OOOh! I had a crush on most of the gentlemen who played James: Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. Not sure if it was the men or the character that I liked most.

I kinda liked Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig but for some reason my huge crush went down several notches with these two and I am glad to realize that maturity has fizzled away the crushiness especially when my young brain finally assimilated the fact that it was not real life.

Wouldn’t have minded being a Bond girl just once (the one that gets to keep sleek Brosnan to herself 😉 and get to go on those scary adventures.

It would have been nice to say:

Call me Mrs. Bond, Jackie Bond *wink, wink*

The Daily Post prompt It Builds Character.

Tell us about a favorite character from film, theater, or literature, with whom you’d like to have a heart-to-heart. What would you talk about?

Creative Writing · Fiction · Love · Short Stories

The Red Head and Her clunker….

Clunker

What! Pierre held from cursing himself blue in the face.

His bicycle was bent out of shape by the colourful clunker belonging to his new neighbour.

It was time to have a word with her.

He was intrigued more than he admitted. For reasons unidentified, her humming as she carried pots and bouquets of flowers back and forth got under his skin.

Endless aroma of baked goods which wafted constantly through her open french windows did not help matters.

In the evenings, her tinkering with pots and pans and sound of music floated up to his apartment. He deliberately left his window open to hear her, telling himself that it was for the fresh air.

She opened her door at the very first rap.

Her sunny smile showed perfectly capped teeth, unruly red locks tumbled over freckled shoulders and shiny hazel eyes that crinkled with mischief gazed up at him.

As he calibrated his thoughts to reprimand mode…

Would you like some freshly baked brownies and coffee?” Offered her fruity voice.

An argument, he has just lost.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories · The Daily Post

Boomerang!…

smoking-gun-gold

The loud bang of the gun shot startled and sent Habiba racing in the direction of the sound, her Ferragamo slippers clattered as she rushed along.

In disbelief, her bulging eyes stared at Hamid’s body scattered at an odd angle. His gold plated hand gun on the floor beside his slackened hand.

Dead! Hamid died from a single well aimed shot to the temple; blowing parts of his crown to pieces.

In horror she screamed endlessly. The catastrophe before her eyes horrified her senses.

The ruckus alerted the maid’s and the children; who all came rushing to the scene.

Why? Why? Habiba sobbed and mumbled incoherently in Arabic.

She had noticed his withdrawn and restless attitude for days on end but his heated discussions over the telephone had not appeared any different from other days when he was brokering a deal.

She had paid no mind to it at all. Her days were consumed with the usual shopping sprees, yacht meet ups with friends, an occasional private party trip to the casinos in Monaco and the high-life of a pampered wife of  a stupendously wealthy industrial giant.

“No! Y’Allah!” she yelled at the Philippina nanny’s. ”Take them away from here.”

She didn’t want them to see the mind numbing horrifying sight. It would scar their psyche for the rest of their lives.

The note simply said: “I am sorry. It’s all gone. I lost it all.”

She frantically called her brother Majid on her gem-studded Vertu phone; he would know what to do.

Nothing made any sense to her befuddled mind.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

This story is total fiction conjured from an article in The National: online United Arab Emirates news about a major jewellery line owner who has been jailed for fraud.

The Daily Post prompt Ripped from the headlines.

Head to your favorite online news source. Pick an article with a headline that grabs you. Now, write a short story based on the article. 

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories Series · The Daily Post

The Mysterious Sender continued….

secret admirer 2

No I don’t think it is a jilted lover!”

“I don’t have any lover!” Sally declared with an embarrassed look flooding her cheeks.

Sheesh! I came here to make a report, not to have an autopsy of my celibacy, she thinks.

“No it’s not a mad, jealous wife out to scare the Bejesus out of me.” “I just said that I don’t have a lover.” She reiterated.

“Family? They are hundreds of miles away.”

“I doubt if my brother will leave his wife and kids and drive up hundreds of miles everyday to leave flowers at my door and disappear.”

My mum doesn’t get around that much due to her hip problem.” She wasn’t even sure that the officer was paying attention.

After the thousand and one questions and answers the officer said:

“Well Ma’am, we don’t have enough information to go out on.”

He tried to keep a straight face and not show his boredom. There were serious attacks all over the city and the little Miss here complains about an over zealous admirer sending her too many flowers and expecting a patrol to go out on a limb to catch the flower stalker and to hold her hands.

Just keep your eyes open and your doors safely locked, he advised.” His tone bearing a dismissal note.

Irritated at the condescending attitude of the police officer, Sally left and decided to take some precautions.

She purchased a can of mace, a bowl, some milk, tuna and a can of soup for dinner.

Her new stray cat would require a bowl.

Deep in thought she made her way home.

There he was yet again, the neighbour across the street. In his little shorts, bare chest and the beach towel slung around his neck, puffing away on the patio.

She pointedly kept a straight face and tried to ignore his low whistle of admiration.

Does he do something else with his life? She pondered to herself.

Up the apartments quiet flight of stairs and as sure as gold, there it was. Yet another bouquet, but no longer did the message sound like the previous ones.

This time around it’s cut out alphabets read:

Now I have got you! Now am gonna eat you!

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The link for the first part of this post is here

The Daily Post prompt An odd trio.

Today, you can write about whatever you what — but your post must include, in whatever role you see fit, a cat, a bowl of soup, and a beach towel.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories · The Daily Post

Who is this Mysterious Sender?…

Secret admirerA different bouquet arrived day after day with no indication of the sender.

Sally was uncomfortable with the whole scenario.

It had started without any card attached.

Then proceeded to an unsigned card with cut out words that simply said,

I saw you today. You look beautiful in white.

I saw you today. You look ravishing in red.

I saw you today. You look gorgeous in green.

All in reference to the colour she wore that day.

By day sixteen she was tired.

The notes had changed their tone. They now read:

I want you. To be mine.

I need you. You must be mine.

I will have you. You have no choice.

The stairwell to her apartment now scared her.

Her neighbours all looked like suspects in her eyes.

Could it be one of the three odd flatmates in the opposite flat?

Was it the shirtless guy who stood on his patio every evening smoking as she walked home from work?

Was it the old geezer who always passed her on the street with his dog?

She didn’t know what to think anymore.

This was no longer funny.

It is time to report to the police.

The Daily Post prompt Secret Admirers

You return home to discover a huge flower bouquet waiting for you, no card attached. Who is it from — and why did they send it to you.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story

Out of The Deep…a short story

Statue

He wanted to nestle in the snug, cocoon of floating senselessness, the insistent voice wouldn’t let him be.

It kept pulling at him; nudging him back from sinking into the deep abyss which beckoned with it’s twinkle of light that beamed at the end.

The nagging voice grew stronger and stronger and his unconscious state was reluctantly dragged to the fore.

His struggle to rise was weighed down by heaviness. Beeps of machines, his mothers anxious voice and the drone of uniformed voices brought it all rushing back.

He remembered. That single minute of distraction checking his tweets; the tumultuous collision, rushing pain and weightlessness.

He remembered floating through the sea of pain, the sweet calming voice of the fair lady who came to his rescue and cradled his head.

He wondered why one of the Saints his mother honoured daily had cradled his head?

He stopped believing those things for a long time, but humored his mother when she dragged him along.

Now he didn’t know what to believe. All he knew was that somehow, she had saved him.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Sonya and Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

 

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story

Love In A Hopeless Place….a short story

The scented candles are down to a nub. His favorite casserole is cold and the soufflé has fallen flat.

She looks at the phone for the umpteenth time. Not a buzz. As the minutes tick slowly, the wait becomes unbearable. She knows that it would be another no-show. Another empty promise broken, another lie told and a birthday ruined.

She feels angry frustration for falling in love in a hopeless place. He has been stringing her along all these past year with his sweet tongue.

If she is honest to herself, she knows that he is a consummate liar.

He claims not be in love with his Missus any longer yet Fiorina’s recent findings is that Missus is heavy with the 3rd child.

Enough! I am worth more than this! Emptying the wine glass, she adjusts the zip of the gorgeous red evening gown; a gift from him.

NO more! She said as she slashed it into jagged strips!

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story · The Daily Post

Just One of Jane’s Days…

staying up lateIt wasn’t a good idea to turn off the alarm clock for a few more seconds of snooze, Jane chastises herself as she huffs and puffs downhill in a haste to catch the bus. The few seconds of snatched snooze turned into a lost hour of precious time.

Her pencil skirt is not designed for hurried steps and neither are the heeled pumps made for sprinting, but hurry she must.

An attempt to hike the skirt up her thighs for more leg room yields a rip at the slit and it is not a joyful sound to hear.

”This is simply dreadful!” ”Not today of all days.” ”I can’t afford to be late.”

The tail light of the bus leaving as she arrives leaves her gaping unhappily and hoping the next one will keep to it’s fifteen minutes interval schedule.

As the next bus runs late, her plan to arrive for her interview looking composed and capable dwindles by the seconds and to top it all, it starts to sprinkle.

Rummaging in her bag for her pocket umbrella – which she stores for days like this, when the showers come unannounced, she discovers she has the wrong bag in the first place.

Whoever, created this nonsense of carrying different bags in the first place? She sighs in frustration.

Out of habit and in her haste, she had grabbed her usual every day carry on, leaving behind the nice office tote containing her file, purse and umbrella.

With a sinking feeling in her stomach and her sensible bun fast turning to loose tendrils like limp noodles in the rain shower, she trudges back uphill to her tiny apartment but she cannot get in because her door is a jam-lock and the key is inside in her purse.

What a fine morning and why do these things happen to me?” She mutters in exasperation, forgetting that she stays up late to watch all the reality shows on television.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

In response to The Daily Post prompt Comedy of errors and bonus assignment

Murphy’s Law says, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Write about a time everything did — fiction encouraged here, too!

Bonus assignment: do you keep a notebook next to your bed? Good. Tomorrow morning, jot down the first thought you have upon waking, whether or not it’s coherent.

Fiction · Short story

Her Tiger Butterfly… a short story

Intense look from his eyes caused Brigitte to peek over her shoulders. No one there, except the wall.

“The gentleman from the symposium.” “Of course, it couldn’t be me that he is admiring.”  “No one notices wallflowers or do they?”

Mama despairs that she would be left on the shelf.

”Don’t slouch Brigitte!” ”Wear a smile, you shouldn’t scowl so much!”

Auntie Agatha tut-tutted at her bumbling attempts at playing the piano, violin or knitting.

”Don’t frighten off possibilities with too much knowledge of tomes, ruins, horses and butterflies.”
”Men do not appreciate too much intelligence her sage counsel.”

Tired of no dance, a breath of fresh air is required. A flitting moth of unusual colour catches her eyes and she ventures to discover; new addition to my glossary she thinks.

Over voluminous skirts she trips into the Rose bush.

Strong arms encircle to help her up as she mouths her thanks into intense gray eyes.

Unwittingly, she has captured her own Tiger butterfly.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you TJParis for the photo and Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.