Time for some more Friday Fiction, 100 words of fiction based on a photo prompt. If you’d like to join in, go visit Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, she’ll tell you all about it.
Copyright Scott L Vannatter
Cranberry Sauce
The first Christmas without my mother was always going to be difficult.
It’s funny what you remember. She was allergic to cranberry sauce of all things. It used to annoy me for some reason: now it’s just a fond memory.
Christmas is a time to remember those no longer with us, and to be grateful for what we have: our health, our children, the cat that wandered in one day and adopted us. She’s on the table now, nuisance thing. She just took a sniff of the cranberry sauce – and now she can’t stop sneezing.
Write On Dude! 
Excellent, Dude! I thought about my mother as I read your piece.
ooh yes, similar idea to mine. I really like yours – gave me the shivers.
Dear Pete,
A sweet, sentimental piece. I loved the sneezing cat at the end. Coincidence or Mom incarnate?
Shalom,
Rochelle
Channeling my thoughts and comments,, Rochelle. Merry Christmas, Pete.
… and a merry Christmas to you too.
I was thinking the same. Wonderful story.
Dude,
A nice piece on what the holidays are all about..be kind to that kitty.
Tom
I LOVED this! Mom never truly to far away.
I think you might have written this about my Mum as she definitely turned up at the carol service last night. No sneezing, though. Excellent story.
Great take on the prompt. Be nice to that cat now.
Nice to know mum still isn’t fond of cranberry sauce!
Really liked your story, have a good Christmas
Dee
Charming! Very sweet twist at the end. Merry Christmas, Pete!
Dear Pete,
I so believe in reincarnation and found your matter of fact cat’s tale a real winner. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
Hi Pete,
Nice story. Mom is back for another Christmas. Sentimental and sweet, just like a holiday story should be. Ron
That was an excellent story. Good you kept the cranberry sauce for your mother to sneeze on.
well done. sometimes small things bug us, and we should wonder, “why?”
also, this line: “The first Christmas without my mother was always going to be difficult.”
there can only be one first christmas without mother. seems odd to have always in there because it suggests something that happens often, but perhaps it’s correct. not sure.
Thanks, Rich. It’s always nice to get some constructive comments. In order to improve our writing it’s important to get good feedback. What I was trying to achieve was; a) that she had only recently passed on, and; b) that the sense of loss is most keenly felt the first time that she is not there for Xmas, and that this feeling becomes less as time goes by. Keep the comments coming. 🙂
Every Christmas without mother will be difficult, so be sure to put cranberry sauce on the table whether it’s dinner time for not.
Would be an interesting way to keep somebody’s memory alive. Does anyone else out there have unusual objects or foods that remind them of someone they’ve lost?
reincarnation.. the mom still found a way to come home to her family.. lovely story..
Thank you.
Lol – yes, I can see that!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/friday-fictioneers-11/
A clever little story there- thanks!
Arrr, thank you kindly good sirrr!
Nicely written!