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 on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
PHOTO PROMPT © DALE ROGERSON
“Lakeside fine dining chez Louis”
Louis was proud of his newly-opened restaurant. True, the view was better than the wine, and the wine was better than the food, but nine out of ten of his customers wanted steak anyway. What could possibly go wrong? More covers were served every week.
Louis bought himself a celebratory cigar.
Then the rain started.
Nothing dramatic, just steady rain.
For days. Weeks.
Customer numbers dropped as the lake rose. When the deluge finally stopped, the decking, so recently occupied by happy diners, was submerged. Everything was covered in mud.
Louis sighed, got out his broom and started cleaning.
Autumn Leaves 
He’ll survive with that attitude, and the floods will recede.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Liz. Yes, Louis has what it takes to succeed.
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What else is there to do but sweep it up and start again? Poor Louis, just as he thought he had cracked it!
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Thank you for your sympathetic comment, Iain. “Into each life a little rain must fall”…!
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It was the celebratory cigar that caused it
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Thank you for commenting, Neil. What greater hubris is there than smoking a celebratory cigar before you’ve finished even a single season?
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You’ve drawn an excellent portrait of a survivor here, Penny. I’m sure he’ll be fine.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Jenne. Louis is certainly a survivor. He’s hoping for fine weather in the fall!
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Ya gotta love Louis’s persevering optimism. Sometimes just getting on with the clean-up – with the next thing that needs doing – is just what’s required of us.
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Thank you for your insightful comment, Dora. You’ve read Louis’s character exactly as I hoped. Do the next thing; that’s Louis all right!
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Poor guy, the lake cost him everything. Good story.
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Thank you for commenting, Mason. This is just a temporary set-back for Louis. He’ll be open as soon as the waters recede!
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Oh, I’m glad about that for him!
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Id say he needs to raise the deck, then he’d be ok!
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Thank you for commenting, Minister. He certainly needs to do something!
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Starting over. A good attitude and a strong back will save the day!
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Thank you for commenting, Susan. You need courage to start a business!
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Oh my, what a sad unfortunate event for newly opening his restaurant. But, he has the stick-to-it attitude that will make him successful. I always enjoy your stories!
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Thank you for such a kind comment, Brenda – I’m so glad you enjoy my stories. You’re right – Louis will work hard and succeed eventually!
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And so it goes…
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Thank you for commenting, Jade. Louis could have been more thorough with his due diligence, couldn’t he?
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You’re most welcome and maybe…
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The storm has gone.
Glad his enthusiasm hasn’t vanished despite the pain.
All will be well. The restaurant will do business again.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Anita. You’re right – Louis will succeed eventually!
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Lost business, but still the optimist. An uplifting end, considering the financial loss.
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Thank you for the upbeat comment, James. Louis will pull through, even if he has to borrow money from his family.
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Dreams dashed, but seems like he’s got the energy and the attitude to make a recovery.
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Thank you for commenting. I agree with you that Louis has the right attitude to succeed.
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Like everyone else I love Louis and his staying power. Let’s hope the flood doesn’t come every year.
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Thank you for your considerate comment, Gabi.
Louis has just learned two things. First, the flood comes every year. Second, a whole slew of interesting migratory birds arrive at the lake at the same time as the rain. I’m sure he has the imagination to put the two things together!
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Louis looks like the resilient kind. He’ll be back with more covers 🙂
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Thank you for commenting, Jolly. You’re right about Louis’s resilience.
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i just hope they have enough insurance to cover the damage. 🙂
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Thank you for your entertaining comment. Insurance? Clears throat and shuffles feet…I hope there’s enough cash in Louis’s cash box!
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Dear Penny,
This puts me in mind of a restaurant we used to live near. There was a creek behind it. It got flooded frequently because when heavy rains came that creek was notorious for overflowing its banks. The restaurant finally closed.
I wonder if this will happen to Louis. Good story nonetheless.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
Thank you for your interesting comment. I think Louis will erect some flood defences and make the floods a selling point. First, the flood comes every year. Second, a whole slew of interesting migratory birds arrive at the lake at the same time as the rain. I’m sure he has the imagination to put the two things together!
Shalom
Penny
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People will definitely pay for ambiance. The rain and flooding might be a little much to overcome though. Louis looks like it’s going to take more than a lot of rain to keep him down.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment. All the time Louis is clearing up, he’s thinking about how to cope with the situation. He can’t afford to fail!
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It sounds like Louis is not one to sit back and give up. He’ll be up and running again in no time!
I liked “the view was better than the wine, and the wine was better than the food” – gives a real sense of his little cafe 🙂
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Ali. I’m glad you mentioned “the view was better than the wine, and the wine was better than the food”; I was quite pleased with the description.
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I like that Louis is resilient and ready to do the necessary to keep in business! Sounds like the type of place his patrons will want to return to… once all is cleaned up, of course! That line “view was better than the wine, and the wine was better than the food” is fabulous!
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Thank you for your very kind comment, Dale. Yes, Louis has a wonderful location for his restaurant – provided he can keep the water out!
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He’ll have to build up! 🙂
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Louis seems like a survivor, I think he will bounce back, make no mis-steak.
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Thank you for your kind comment. Loved your pun!
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Got to get up and simply go again. There’s no other way if you don’t want to be beaten. Nice one Penny
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Michael. When you’ve made the decision to run your own business, you gotta stick with it!
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Oh no. How unlucky. Hopefully, the damage can be fixed and summer is a hit. Life can be oddly extreme, bouncing from terrible to fantastic.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Tannille. I expect Louis will fix the damage and bounce back for the next season!
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