Saturday 15 January 2011

The lottery ticket - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 37

Saturday Centus - Hey! Wake up! It's another Shake-up!

Jenny Matlock

Welcome to week thirty-seven of Saturday Centus.
To read Mrs. Jenny's instructions, please scroll down past my SC-text!


Here is my text:

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After the avalanche, we spotted something red in the snow. Seeing that it was held in a hand, we dug him out quickly. The lottery ticket saved him.*
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Word count by hand count:25

*Some background information:
I'm not being very original today. This short-short fictional 25+3-word-text is based upon a true story, that a friend told me. It happened in Sweden in the 1930's or 40's.
A man who had been grouse-shooting in the mountains, got buried under the snow during a storm or snowslide. He was buried so deeply that he could not move enough to get himself up out of the snow.
Finding a red movie ticket-stub in his pocket he reached with his hand as far as he could in the direction that he believed to be up to the surface, before blacking out.
He was found alive and rescued, but the injuries - both physical and psychological - that he suffered because of this terrible experience, drove him into a depression that lead to him taking his own life some years later.
This is such a sad story. It took a long time for the ski-patrol to find him, not having helicopters or special heat-cameras that would have sped things up. The little red cinema-ticket-stub was all he had to show his postion in the white masses of snow.
I like to think that my little 28-word-story about a lottery ticket instead of a movie ticket-stub has a happier ending.
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Best wishes,
Anna

First Commenter:
Lin of
Duck and Wheel with String




Here are Mrs. Jenny's instructions:

I think we all need to continue to shake things up a little bit for the New Year so this week we'll continue doing that. I'll tell you more in a moment, but go ahead and curse me now!

This week, we're going to go further with a shake up and do a micro-fiction Saturday Centus. Shakespeare writes, 'brevity is the soul of wit' and with that in mind, here are this weeks instructions.

Your SC can be a story of your choosing - fact, fiction, or poetry but this week you will only have twenty-five words (plus the three words for the prompt) for your story.

Twenty. Five.

Yes. I said it. I stick by it. I figure you don't know where I live so you can't come and beat me up. 2. 5.

And now...for this weeks prompt...

"The lottery ticket..."

You have the entire week to link your work to the meme and you can link more than one story if you like. Please try mightily to visit all the other weeks. There are some great writers participating in this meme AND it will be a zippy quick read this week for sure!

Please display link button or just a hyper-link back to Saturday Centus. Be careful to link your SC URL to the Linky and not just link to your main blog.

Please e-mail me directly with ???'s or ask your question in a comment and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Link anytime between now and next Saturday morning.


22 comments:

Lin said...

I like the story, but the real one is really sad how it ends. :(

How are you feeling?! I saw your comment on another blog that you fell and broke your glasses! I hope you are okay, pally.

I miss hearing from you. I think of you and the kids often. :)

Anna said...

Dear Lin,
You are a doll!
Thanks for commenting and thinking of my broken glasses! I'm alright.
I have to let Erik use the computer now. But as soon as he returns it to me, I'll write to you!
Hugs,
Anna

Sue said...

This is a great one, Anna. A really creative take on the prompt.

=)

Ames said...

See, they give us hope!~Ames

Deborah said...

You painted the picture well, very well done!

Happier Than a Pig in Mud said...

I like your story much better than the sad one:@)

Kat said...

Oh, I like the happy ending of your story much better! Really creative use of the prompt, this one was a tough one for me. I really enjoyed your Centus! Kat

Judie said...

The real story was interesting but sad!! I liked yours!!

Ann said...

Your story has a happier ending than the real one. how tragic.
I read Lins comment too about you falling. Take care of yourself, take it easy and rest.

Malisa said...

Fascinating but tragic story! So glad you shared it with us. That created such a mental picture...the hand holding the red ticket sticking out of the snow. Shudder.

cj Schlottman said...

This is so visual, Anna! I love a piece that I can see while I read it.

Hope you have new glasses by now. I would be housebound without mine. I think of you often.

Namaste..........cj

mrs. c said...

Thank you for the background of your story, it was ironic and I am so glad that your slant was more positive. I guess I like to see everything through rose-colored glasses, that's what hubby says sometimes. Thanks for reading my post.

jeff campbell said...

Funny ;-) Clever take...peace

nimaruichi said...

OMG, this sent a shiver down my spine! Glad your story had a happy ending.
Totally agree with cj; I can see a movie unfolding here - there is so much to be said about what happens before and after the accident.
Take care, don't go falling and keep the glasses firmly on your nose. :)

Rek said...

The original was plain scary ....liked how yours ended on a positive note. :)

Jo said...

I'm glad that he was saved ... at least the ticket was good for something!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

This is profound. One can go into all sorts of meaningful interpretations.
Thanks for this offering.
xoRobyn

Kara said...

when it's your turn to go...it's your turn to go I guess. No messing around with it.

Terra said...

that is a sad story, I do like that yours has a slightly happier ending!

Viki said...

Wow, that was a great little story. I love that it was based somewhat on a true story. Too bad the person in the real story had such a hard time after being rescued. Good Centus.

Tina said...

how sad. makes me think your not safe anywhere these days are you.

Jenny said...

HI Anna.

Here's what I like about this little gem of micro-fiction. You can take it at face value or dig for a deeper meaning.

On either level, it's really charming.

I'm sorry you fell. Hope you're all better now!

Thank you for linking.

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