Photo by Dan FelsteadWood and Pixels Narratives - http://www.woodandpixels.blogspot.com/
ETSY Shop: Wood andPixels - http://www.woodandpixels.etsy.com/
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Suggested Prompt...
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He set the steaming cup of coffee down on the table, and then went back for the sweet roll. He placed it lovingly next to the coffee and took a seat across from it.
He looked around the little coffee shop that used to bustle with the sounds of talk and laughter, and sometimes held the seriousness of a couple deep in conversation.
Since he’d lost her that day, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to come here. It was all he could do to drag out of bed in the mornings. Two months. Two months of loss and tears, of emptiness, of a lock on the door of their lives.
He wasn’t sure when he turned the key in that lock this morning if he would be able to stand it. As he walked in, old habits unconsciously took over. Mindlessly, he mixed the flour, sugar, fresh fruit, and put it in the oven. As the coffee brewed, he unpacked the satchel he’d brought from home. Those things she loved; her things. Gently he placed them in the window where the light of day could shine on them.
The shop smelled of sweetness, and the deep roast of strong coffee. As he sat across from his offering to her, he thought he just might make it after all. Tomorrow he might even be able to turn the sign to open.
~shabby girl
Wow!!! Some wonderful and emotional writing for this evocative photograph. This has been on of my favorite prompts to date. Thank you to all who wrote here and to Dan as always for allowing me to share his talent.
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14 comments:
Presenting Candid Camera's:
Who will be the first to sip this free cup of coffee (er...with salt)?
Let's watch, after the break...
She saw him coming up the walk way and scurried to get a coffee for him, the one that he always orders. She was going to surprise him today; maybe revealing her secret admiration of him this time.
She walked from the counter, watching him approach the door. Her heart began pounding. She'd never really spoken to him, but admired him from afar; listening to his conversations. She knew in her heart that she'd love him.
Thinking she'd take a leap into the unknown, she made her way toward the door. She thought she would wait just inside as he came in. Someone called out to her and she had to attend. Only for that moment, she sat the coffee down upon the table.
As she hurried through her service, she watched him out the window. Someone had stopped him to talk. Finally, it looked as though timing would be perfect and just as she reached for the coffee, she saw her. A woman came running from across the street and she saw the look on his face. It was then that she knew. There would be no room in his heart for her love.
~ and that is why the coffee remains on the table.
SSQuo...the coffee is tempting but from now on...I am looking around for cameras!
Heather...great story about the coffee. I love to hear the different interpretations.
Dan
She saw the Lincoln approaching and watched as it slid carefully down her block, hoping silently that they would pass her house. The driver stopped inches from her mailbox.
The back window lowered, a graying head peeked out and nodded to the driver. The window rose once more and she watched as the door slowly opened.
His uniform was crisp, green and glaring in the morning sun. His eyes were red and wore the weight of too many years.
Too many crying wives and mothers.
He handed her the triangle cloth of their nation and a letter he himself had signed just hours before. He talked to her softly and let her hug him, wrinkling his jacket, misaligning his medals. He let her collapse against him, spftly punching the brass buttons and his polished shoes until her fists were too weak to lift. He sat with her on the porch until she stoppped shaking.
Her coffee cold and forgotten watched from the table, wondering if life would ever be as sweet as it had been at sunrise.
Ever since her Joey left her, Meg had been going to the coffee shop in the mornings. She hated sitting at 'their' breakfast table alone, reading the morning news ... no one there to grab the sports section anymore.
Even though this had been her morning routine for months, today she had forgotten to grab her paper. Setting her coffee and muffin on the table, she headed towards the door to buy a paper at the stand outside.
She was almost at the door when it swung open. Her sister walked through the door, smiling, laughing. And holding Joey's hand.
Meg knew at that moment that she would never drink coffee again.
He set the steaming cup of coffee down on the table, and then went back for the sweet roll. He placed it lovingly next to the coffee and took a seat across from it.
He looked around the little coffee shop that used to bustle with the sounds of talk and laughter, and sometimes held the seriousness of a couple deep in conversation.
Since he’d lost her that day, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to come here. It was all he could do to drag out of bed in the mornings. Two months. Two months of loss and tears, of emptiness, of a lock on the door of their lives.
He wasn’t sure when he turned the key in that lock this morning if he would be able to stand it. As he walked in, old habits unconsciously took over. Mindlessly, he mixed the flour, sugar, fresh fruit, and put it in the oven. As the coffee brewed, he unpacked the satchel he’d brought from home. Those things she loved; her things. Gently he placed them in the window where the light of day could shine on them.
The shop smelled of sweetness, and the deep roast of strong coffee. As he sat across from his offering to her, he thought he just might make it after all. Tomorrow he might even be able to turn the sign to open.
wonderful, shabby girl!!!
Thanks, Faith! Isn't that picture incredible?!? It evokes so many emotions.
Thank you Dan for sharing!
Glistening cheeks cradle
eyes of red
A young woman out of
tears to shed
Blankly stare at the key
turn the knob
Dehydrated and starved
break down, sob
He called when he clocked in
one more week
Until Wedding, Honeymoon
on the beach
Made some coffee; drink, sit,
plan the day
She turned on the tv and
saw the plane
Grabbing her shoes, forgot
her hot drink
Didn't know where to go,
what to think
Stepping inside now to
see this morn
Sunrise so hopeful, but
sunset torn
Never ever forget
why he died
Why you are now alone
not a Bride
Because war needs a push,
not a win,
Till the Federal Reserve's
profits come in...
Wow...so many well thought out creative ideas! I will cherish your thoughts on my photo and truly appreciate the effort you put into your interpretations. I have had some questions on my blog as well about why the coffee was left behind...so I emailed the owner and she was kind enough to get back to me and gave her permission to post her response to the abandoned coffee:
thanks Dan, your blog is beautiful. Thanks for making us a part of it. I've worked on this place - allowing it to simply evolve over time and I am often taken back by a photo captured such as yours...a moment frozen in time but I remember that day and even the abandoned cup of coffee left by a musician called out by a cell phone conversation....shameful isn't it? This was fun.
Laura
Dan
Dan - that WOULD be it these days, wouldn't it - a cell phone. *ha* I like the imagined versions above better. :) heehee
SOS
Abandoned coffee and treat sitting alone at the table. Where did the owner go in such a hurry? Let us ponder this? She left in such a hurry because she found out that she was late and couldn't take a few minutes of serenity for herself. She is a modern day superwoman on the go forgetting what is most important.
She received a call that she had to take and than made a mad dash out forgetting her quick getway - her coffee and treat. She discarded them and will berate herself after the fact when she realizes that THEY really didn't need her as they said. They just wanted her there.
Can't a superwoman take a break?!!!
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