Friday Fictioneers – Three’s a Crowd

Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, based on a photoprompt, with a beginning, middle and end, in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz (the blue frog) on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!

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PHOTO PROMPT © Renee Heath

Three’s a crowd

I guess it’s easy when you know how. Jack, Joe and I didn’t. However, eventually the tepee was up, and only a little lopsided.

“Burgers, Abe? Jack?”

Joe was our cook that evening, and burgers was all he knew. Jack and I drank Bud and yarned, while Joe got smoke in his eyes and cussed when he burned his fingers on the barbecue.

Man, those burgers, with ketchup, onions, cheese and tomato, were awesome!

Afterwards, Joe and Jack held hands as the Milky Way brightened overhead. eBook on my lap, I nodded towards the tepee.

“If you guys want privacy…”

69 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – Three’s a Crowd”

    • Dear Kalpana
      Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, the story is about three male friends on a camp. Jack and Joe are a gay couple, and Abe, the narrator, is offering them a little privacy.
      With best wishes
      Penny

      Like

    • Dear Dale
      Thank you for reading and commenting. I guess Abe was not surprised that Jack and Joe would want a period of privacy for, yanno…! Luckily he’s a voracious reader and has “Hallucinating Foucault” on his ebook…
      With very best wishes
      Penny

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    • Dear Bjorn
      Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the layering in the story. They’re friends whose friendship only strengthened when two of them fell in love.
      With very best wishes
      Penny

      Like

    • Dear Alice
      Thank you for reading and commenting.
      LOL! It certainly might be similar to “Get a room!” but that wasn’t quite the effect I was trying for! In my conception, Abe, Jack and Joe were friends whose friendship only strengthened when two of them fell in love. I think I like your reading just as much, though.
      With very best wishes
      Penny

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    • Dear Gisselle
      Thank you for reading and commenting. It’s useful feedback, because although I can see how the last line can be amusing, that wasn’t actually my intention. I guess I need to re-write it!
      With best wishes
      Penny

      Like

    • Dear Bernadette,
      Thank you for reading and commenting. I don’t think there’s room in the pick-up for two tepees. In any case, I’m not sure they’re too worried about sharing, as long as there is discretion and consideration on all sides. They’re good mates, after all!
      With very best wishes
      Penny

      Like

    • Dear Andi
      Thank you for reading and commenting. They’re a pretty relaxed bunch of guys; they’ve brought guitars rather than guns! And I can’t even begin to describe how good those burgers tasted…
      With very best wishes
      Penny

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Dear Gabi
    Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. It makes me happy that I can write this story without having it dismissed as fantasy. I can remember all too well how the law persecuted gay people.
    With very best wishes
    Penny

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    • Dear Fatima
      Thank you for reading and commenting. You’re right about the title. I realised it wasn’t right at the time, but I couldn’t think of anything else quickly…!
      With best wishes
      Penny

      Like

    • Dear Isadora
      There wasn’t room for two tepees in the pick-up, but, yes, they could have brought an extra tent. Maybe it was a very spontaneous trip – you know “Hey, I’ve gotta great idea! Let’s take the tepee and go to the Badlands for the weekend!” Naturally their minds would then be on beer and burgers rather than privacy!
      With best wishes
      Penny

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Susie
      Thank you for reading and commenting. Abe wants to give his friends a little space and time – and, hey, this is a holiday! Who needs a good night’s sleep anyway? 😉
      With best wishes
      Penny

      Like

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