Stanley shook out the newspaper at the breakfast table Saturday. Lori opened her mouth and closed it. She squinted at her husband for a second and left the room.
“More coffee, honey?” She held out the pot. He grunted. She topped up his mug anyway, slammed down the pot, and tossed the monster telephone directory on the table.
Her husband gaped as his wife flipped the pages with a vengeance.
He cleared his throat. “What’re you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“No, really.”
“Just looking for a carpenter.”
“What for?”
The laundry-room door keeps scraping the floor.”
Microsoft Clipart
“I’ll buy a new one.”
“Don’t worry. I know you’re too busy.”
“I’ll do it.”
“It’s okay. I’ll hire a professional and the job’s done.”
“I’ll fix the damn door.”
“When?”
“I said…”
“You’ll need to plane it. Do you have one?”
Stanley blinked.
“Uh-huh. Like you put the screen on the front door last September.”
~ * ~
This is for the Winter Quarter of Flash in the Pan. The theme: Boys and Their Toys. For rules and how to join, click: http://mommasmoneymatters.com/flash-fiction/
The word limit for Plane is 150 words. I used all of them.
How the Cookie Crumbles 
March 18, 2014 at 11:31 pm
I am SO grateful that Mr. S is a handy man, floorboards, new toilets installed, tiling and yes planing the doors! Good story..some men just aren’t Mr. Fix. It’s 🙂
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March 19, 2014 at 12:07 am
I can feel her resentment and impatience through your words. Here’s hoping the handyman can come to the rescue!
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March 19, 2014 at 1:03 am
I think out loud and my husband responds without me asking. I am a very lucky lady. Except sometimes, he acts before I have decided.
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March 19, 2014 at 3:05 am
I think there are many women who can relate! 🙂
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March 19, 2014 at 5:29 am
Poor Lori. I think my husband could give lessons to Stanley, I’m pretty lucky in this regard.
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March 19, 2014 at 10:17 am
Typical male response, lol.
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March 19, 2014 at 11:18 am
Great use of the word and conversation between married people.
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March 19, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Oh Gawd, does that sound familiar. I can’t let me husband see this.
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March 19, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Marvelous Tess. If we weren’t pinching pennies to the point where they squeal, I’d be doing what Lori did.
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March 19, 2014 at 12:56 pm
What? People still use phone books? (Perhaps she’ll use it on his head…)
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March 19, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Oh, Stanley, you are such a doofus. Hire a pro. Then if things don’t turn out well, it is not your fault.
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March 19, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Stanley. Stanley. Stanley! I think I know you, lol. We’ve a pot of coffee brewing in the other room which made me laugh as I read this just now with the coffee in it. I always want to know more about your stories.
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March 19, 2014 at 8:48 pm
You are a sweetie to say this, Paulette and I thank you for your kind comments. Maybe this piece works because its universal. 🙂
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March 19, 2014 at 4:14 pm
I used to be married to one like that, very capable but always otherwise engaged!
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March 19, 2014 at 8:46 pm
My father did lots of things he knew nothing about to begin with. He put in a separate bathroom in the basement because he was outnumbered by females 6:1 and hated waiting for the washroom.
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March 19, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Okay Tess, this is getting spooky because I had this exact same conversation with my ex – in fact, numerous conversations. And I’m still waiting for that damn door to get fixed… 😉
Just fab…if I could write fiction like you I’d be a millionaire. Is that your secret? 🙂
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March 19, 2014 at 8:39 pm
This is probably a universal situation
I’m not in the money at all but a guy from N.Y. contacted me once to write for his magazine but I turned it down. Something didn’t sit right. Maybe I could have become a millionaire. Nah. Don’t want the worry of money. 🙂
My mom had a way of getting Dad to do things but he wasn’t a tough sell and always did a great job.
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March 20, 2014 at 4:53 pm
Ha ha! You are spot on Tess, very much a universal situation, although your dad sounds perfect 🙂
Well, you listened to your ‘gut’ feeling and so it was the right decision to make. You’re a millionaire to me, rich as you are in the ways that matter… 🙂 🙂 🙂
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March 21, 2014 at 11:10 am
I try to instill in my grand kids that money isn’t everything. I did the same with my daughter but somehow she decided it was just for spending and fast.
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March 19, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Ah, Tess. DIY’s not my bag… get the professionals in! 😉
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March 19, 2014 at 7:10 pm
Oo… new smileys… 🙂
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March 19, 2014 at 8:32 pm
So glad my efforts to cheer you haven’t gone unnoticed. 😎
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March 19, 2014 at 8:34 pm
It happens. Some things I used to manage, now I just don’t have the energy…or t.i.m.e. Too busy having a good time.
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March 20, 2014 at 2:08 am
Lol. We Men always want to do it. Lol
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March 20, 2014 at 9:17 am
I know it’s not easy to be expected to know everything. 😉
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March 20, 2014 at 10:41 am
Out of the park, Tess. Truly out of the park. Love this one, how many of us have had this discussion?
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March 20, 2014 at 4:18 pm
*nods and grins*
Thank you Valentine. I always appreciate your comments.
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March 20, 2014 at 11:58 am
I’ve done my share of “man-nagging” when it came to chores, over the years. I better leave it at that. 😉 Fun story Tess, happy Thursday!
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March 20, 2014 at 4:12 pm
Offering a challenge(r) sometimes works. 😀
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March 20, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Tess, I think I was married to Stanley. I could leave a bag of garbage in front of the only exit and I believe he flew over it to avoid it. Well done!
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March 21, 2014 at 11:03 am
The Stanleys of the world make for good stories. My ex was like that too. 😛
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March 21, 2014 at 4:20 am
ha! I’ve had conversations similar to this one 😉
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March 21, 2014 at 11:00 am
Ha. Universal, right? Yep.:-P
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March 22, 2014 at 4:32 am
Talk about hitting it on the nail!
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March 22, 2014 at 5:37 am
Oh that is so true . no doubt the scene has been enacted a thousand times with slight changes to the scenario. 😀
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