5PM Fiction 115: Hand-painted £2.50

Welcome to the one hundred and fifteenth in this daily series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.

Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.

I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a monologue from someone at a car boot sale, so here is my 451-worder.

Hand-painted £2.50

Is it seriously only nine o’clock? Suppose it’s a good thing, still early, could pick up.

Float… bags… plastic sheeting in case it rains… what have I forgotten? Feels like I’ve forgotten something. I should have written a list.

Ooh, that looks nice. Bit big though. No, Suzie, resist. Supposed to be getting rid of things, not…

Hello. Certainly. £2.50. Hand-painted. No, I won’t take a pound.

Some people. If I wanted a pound… cheek.

Sandwiches, that’s what I’ve… now, where…? Kitchen table. No doubt Felix will find it before…

I’m starving. I wonder if there’s a food… ice cream van, that’ll do I suppose. Bit cold for an ice…

Pick it up, go on…

Hand-painted. £2.50.

Be like that then. Miserable…

50p for that. Thank you. Do you need a bag or… no problem, bought loads. Thanks again.

Three for a fiver those, used once and… yes, a fiver. £5. No, I can’t split them, they’re a set.

£12.74? Where did the 4p come from? Bet it should have been…

Yes, very pretty isn’t it. It’s hand-painted. Two-fifty. I know but it’s hand…

There’s no need to be like that.

At least it’s not raining.

No I’m sorry, the sheeting’s not for sale. Oh, plastic bag. Certainly, I’ve got plenty. What was it you wanted to buy? You don’t? I know I said I had plenty but… alright then, you do look rather laden. While you’re here I’ve got a lovely hand-painted… Just the bag, OK. Seeing as you asked so nicely.

50p each or three for a… just the one. Thank you. A twenty-pound note? You’ve got nothing smaller? It’s going to wipe me out but…

That’s £2.50. It’s… Those? £5 for the set… of three, yes.

It’s gone quiet again. Ten thirty. Is that it?

Excuse me, do you think this is it? Sorry? That there’ll be more people only… two o’clock? Really? I thought we could go when we liked. But what if no-one else… Oh I didn’t know that. No, not this one. This is my first actually. Been to a few but just to buy. People can be quite ru… Here? £2.50. Yes, I thought so too but I’ve only had one offer and that was for a pound. I know! You can’t buy an ice cream for that. Mars bars are seventy-something. I remember when they were 10p, although they were smaller. Four chews for a penny too. And it used to be 5p to get in the cinema. Not much change from £10 these days. I know. That’s why I can’t understand why people are quibbling so much. Looks like you have a customer. Nice chatting with…

The three for five… great! Thank you. I’ll wrap… That one’s two-fifty. I could, I suppose, come down a little seeing as you’re having… it’s hand-painted though.

***

Photography courtesy of morguefile.com.

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Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are fortnightly episodes, usually released on Sundays, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

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