“Stanley, did you find it?”
A crash of plummeting objects clattered inside the storage shed. “@#$%@&.”
“Are you okay?” Iris hung out the upstairs bedroom window. The screen had disappeared two summers earlier. A black car pulled into the side drive and someone emerged.
“Hi Tommy. Can you check on your brother in there?”
morgueFile free photos
“What can’t he find this time?”
“A wrench. The kitchen sink is clogged.”
“You’re it for the job?”
Iris made a face and shrugged.
“My brother and his tools. Why does he buy so many?”
She compressed her lips. “Whatever I need vanishes…shows up later—rusted.”
***
The Winter Quarter of Flash in the Pan has begun. The new theme: Boys and Their Toys. To join and for the rules, click: http://mommasmoneymatters.com/flash-fiction/
The word limit for Tools is 100 words. I used all 100.
How the Cookie Crumbles 
January 14, 2014 at 5:26 pm
Oh the tools I’ve found in the dirt, in buckets, tossed in the basement in unknown areas for unknown reasons. It’s how the tool companies make money!
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January 14, 2014 at 11:22 pm
Tools are BIG and sometimes h.e.a.v.y. Earring and diamond rings, or dinner rings or wedding rings are small. Do we lose those? Uh-uh. 😀
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January 15, 2014 at 5:57 am
I guess there isn’t value in the weight of things! 😉
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January 15, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Sigh. 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 8:47 pm
😀
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January 16, 2014 at 3:32 pm
😛
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January 14, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Rusted tools, huh? Perhaps he’s making a swimming pool…
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January 14, 2014 at 11:19 pm
I think he’s throwing them out the back window. Seems to be some competition here. Maybe his ego has been bruised. 😉
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January 15, 2014 at 8:27 am
Well, those egos can be fragile…
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January 15, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Sigh. That’s the biggest problem in a relationship, I tink. 😦
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January 14, 2014 at 5:37 pm
So true of boys. My husband can never find any of his things when he wants them. Not my fault, I’m organized 🙂 LOL
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January 14, 2014 at 11:17 pm
Go figure. Let’s see: a whole house of ‘things’ and a work shed of things. Hmm. Which is more? 😀 😀
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January 14, 2014 at 5:38 pm
I think I know that garage. Good one, Tess. 🙂
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January 14, 2014 at 11:15 pm
I’ve heard of a few of them. Ha ha. Thanks so much for continuing to visit. Love hearing from you, Paulette.
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January 14, 2014 at 6:19 pm
wrench + sink + weekend plumber = Niagara Falls.
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January 14, 2014 at 11:12 pm
Sounds like a plan. 😀
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January 14, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Missing tools? That never happens in my house…and the unicorn just ran by:)
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January 14, 2014 at 11:11 pm
Ha ha ha. Ain’t THAT the truth! 😀
With all the technology around us, tools must be vying for attention and learning some smarts…
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January 14, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Yes they likely have secret meetings to plan their escape 🙂
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January 14, 2014 at 11:43 pm
😀 😀 😀
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January 14, 2014 at 6:24 pm
We think tools are inanimate objects but that is what they want us to think. They love to hide and listen to people as they try to find them. It’s a popular game of tools.
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January 14, 2014 at 11:10 pm
Yep. For people, it a game of thrones, for tools, well…you described it very well, Patricia. 😀
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January 14, 2014 at 6:28 pm
I think all garages and basements have a black hole. 🙂
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January 14, 2014 at 11:09 pm
Some more than others. Teehee. 😛
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January 14, 2014 at 7:59 pm
Awesome job describing everyone’s basement or garage.
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January 14, 2014 at 11:04 pm
I figure it happens. Right? Things go missing…
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January 15, 2014 at 12:44 am
But oddly they always turn up a day later!
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January 15, 2014 at 4:06 pm
After the job is done? Ha ha.
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January 15, 2014 at 1:42 am
Ah we never lose our girly tools do we ? 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Nope. We value things and look after them. 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 5:46 am
I think he’s hiding them so he gets out of being the handy man round the house? 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 3:59 pm
She’s the one doing the repairs. Sounds there’s some competition going on. I wonder why? 😛
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January 15, 2014 at 10:17 pm
Ahh nothing like a bit of competition – but yes why? 😉
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January 16, 2014 at 3:30 pm
I believe he likes the hardware store. Makes him feel manly and like talking with the clerk there but he’s useless with tools and hates his wife bests him?
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January 16, 2014 at 3:58 pm
Ooer you are involved in this aren’t you lol x
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January 16, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Always have a backstory…
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January 16, 2014 at 6:02 pm
lol bless ya socks 🙂 x
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January 16, 2014 at 7:50 pm
😉
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January 15, 2014 at 6:14 am
I can never find our hammer, which is why I haven’t hung my pictures since moving to our new flat.
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January 15, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Unpacking is a scavenger hunt. Good luck. 😀
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January 15, 2014 at 10:50 am
Isn’t that a sentiment we can all relate to. I’ve taken to hiding what I really don’t want misplaced.
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January 15, 2014 at 3:51 pm
😀 :-D. I do that too but then can’t remember where that hiding place is. Ha ha.
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January 15, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Oh those rusted tools turning up months, years later. The trouble that caused growing up…I can see Iris now, hanging out of her screenless window…it’s the little details like that that make the story so darn good 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Sherri, you are so sweet. Thank YOU. I’m ticked you enjoyed my little piece. 😀
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January 15, 2014 at 4:20 pm
I always do, so very much 🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 7:35 pm
I am a typo psycho. I MEANT I’m Tickled…tickled…tickled not what came before. UGH. 😦 My apologies although you seem to have caught the meaning.
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January 16, 2014 at 6:36 am
Ha Ha! I knew what you meant Tess! I do that all the time so I’m glad I’m not the only one . Typo psychos unite lol 🙂
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January 16, 2014 at 3:25 pm
🙂
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January 15, 2014 at 3:59 pm
I’m hopeless with tools, Tess. I’m sure mine rust as soon as I touch them. They don’t work as they should, anyway… hammers, for instance, always catch my thumbs for some reason.
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January 15, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Hammers ARE nasty tools, for sure. 😦
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January 16, 2014 at 2:12 am
kinda big and heavy tool :p
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January 16, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Must be hard to lose too. 😀
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January 16, 2014 at 11:56 am
Always good, Tess! 🙂
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January 16, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Gee. I’m truly pleased you enjoy my little scenarios. 😀
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January 16, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Boy, does this sound familiar. 🙂 Happens all the time around her.
Also, you are a winner on my blog!
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January 16, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Thank YOU. You have made my day. Always nice to hear you like my place. 🙂
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January 16, 2014 at 7:49 pm
Thank you. Thank you. 😀 😀 😀 😀
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January 18, 2014 at 3:16 am
But it’s not his fault! There are tool-borrowing monsters, right along with the key-hiding and sock-eating variety.
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January 18, 2014 at 10:03 am
Hee-hee-hee. Whew. I knew there had to be a good explanation. 😀
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