Adventures at Tom's Place

Tom (a.k.a. "Born Fool" or "BF") recently conducted a "flash fiction" contest, which I entered. The theme was "Wish or Wishes." It's been years since I entered a writing contest, but I jumped in. And guess who won? Ta-ta-ta-taaah!

Big Dave won, with an intriguing piece of fiction that is full of truth. Run over to Tom's and read all the entries. Big Dave's is #7. You'll also find a couple of links to Big Dave's blog. Go congratulate him--or at least pat him on the back.

This was my entry.

Ferner Sardeesh
by Paul Nichols

Sardeesh gracefully floated across the stage and accepted her diploma. The girl next door was now an accountant. I cheered.

Her family moved here from Bangladesh and were our neighbors for years. My shiny-white Anglo parents didn't like them very much. And they didn't care for us. "Ferners," Pop called them. "Who needs 'em?" But Sardeesh—born on my fifth birthday—and I were great friends. We spent a lot of childhood time together. I always liked her.

My high school years pretty well separated us, but I watched her. She came to our baseball game one afternoon and when she smiled at me from the bleachers something happened inside me. Something good; something pleasant.

After I got my job, I still watched Sardeesh grow up. Her eyes twinkled from her rich, dark face and her smile lit up our neighborhood. Her soft, confident voice never said "yes" or "no." She always sang "Of course" and "Of course not." That playful sound always drove me crazy.

Then college.

When her ceremony ended, I hurried to find her. "You made it! Congratulations!" I shouted. We shared a hug.

"Thank you for coming," she said.

"You look real pretty," I told her. "So what's next?"

"Well, now I'll find a job, I guess—unless my parents arrange something…"

"Sardeesh," I blurted, "I've always wanted to marry you."

"Honest?" She smiled, and touched my hand. "I wish you had told me this earlier."

My knees buckled. "Am I…Am I too late?"

"Of course not."