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Billy Saves the Day

by Jordan789 

Posted: 26 September 2007
Word Count: 411
Summary: Fig and Roll challenge


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The Mohanigans were tired and hungry as they made their way back along the long concrete pier to the cruise ship. The son Billy pretended to be a shark, chomping noisily and letting crumbs flake from his mouth like fish entrails.

“Gross. Stop that or I’ll throw you into the water, midget.” Meghan said.

Billy considered this and then said, "Do it. I'll live with the stingrays." Earlier that day he had pleaded with his parents to allow him to smuggle one of the baby stringrays home in his swim-shorts.

"Meghan, don't push your brother into the water. Remember, there's toxic chemicals in there," said Mrs. Mohanigan, referring to the rusty oil drums slowly bobbing up and down.

"Toxic chemicals!" Billy said, and then made a rush to throw himself in the blue water.

Mr. Mohanigan grabbed Billy by the shirt color as the boy was about to leap from the edge.

"Billy! Damn it," said Mrs. Mohanigan, looking as if she was about to hit her husband. "I told you not to buy him those magazines—he doesn't know about fiction.”

Mr. Mohanigan rolled his eyes and looked at the side of the dock, where a group of workers were hammering at some concrete. He kept his hand on the boy's shoulder for the remainder of the walk.

"What’s fiction?" Billy asked.

"Provided for one's entertainment, Billy," said Mr. Mohanigan, and winked, which did nothing but confuse the boy. "—only for some good, old-fashioned entertainment," he added.

"Not everything is good, old-fashioned entertainment," Mrs. Mohanigan. "Besides, it's better for Billy to find out this way than by standing in a thunderstorm with a coat hanger, hoping to turn into the Flash, or whoever."

"Then I could shoot lightning bolts," Billy said.

"That's right," Meghan offered.

"No, then you could run at the speed of light," Mr. Mohanigan corrected his children.

"Ignore your father," Mrs. Mohanigan said. “If I had super powers, I’d want to be able to read
people’s minds.”

“I don’t think you would,” said Mr. Mohanigan, as a group of bikini-clad tanned girls walked past.

“You don’t think I already know what a slob you are?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” he said. The comment had upset his wife. “Billy, pass your mother one of her fig rolls.”

Billy held the box upside down and awkwardly shook it. “There’s none left,” he said, and tossed the package to the ground.

“Billy! What did we say about littering?”






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Comments by other Members



tiger_bright at 12:07 on 27 September 2007  Report this post
Hi, Jordan, this gripped me from the outset - I just love Billy, so perfectly morbid with that child's nonchalance for danger.

Billy considered this and then said, "Do it. I'll live with the stingrays."

On a first read, I wasn't sure the ending quite worked, for me. But then I re-read it and I think it does work - the wife's upset at her husband's comment manifesting itself in shouting at the imperturable Billy. Not sure "awkwardly shook it" suits him, though - there doesn't seem much that's awkward about the boy and it seems odd as a preface to "tossed the package".

I wanted to read more about these people, which is always a good place to end with a story.

Tiger

Forbes at 19:26 on 27 September 2007  Report this post
Hi Jordan

A very domestic scene. Perhaps Billy should be on Ritalin?!! A very natural flow of dialogue. Thought the ending rang true!

Cheers

Forbes


titania177 at 21:05 on 27 September 2007  Report this post
Aw, poor Billy! This feels as though you have been with these characters before, that there's a bigger story in here. Very nice portrait of a family, with all its idiosyncracies. I love the bit about Billy and the coat hanger in a thunderstorm!

A few small comments: since this is flash fiction and every word is valuable, I think you don't need to say
The son Billy

but just go straight into "Billy" and we'll find out who he is.
and typo
shirt collar


Thanks for a great read!

Tania

tractor at 22:41 on 28 September 2007  Report this post
Jordan,

sharp little episode with a lot going on. Enjoyed, particularly Mr Mohanigan's dry wit.

Cheers

Mark

crowspark at 23:12 on 28 September 2007  Report this post
Hi Jordan
Great opener and I liked
Billy pretended to be a shark, chomping noisily and letting crumbs flake from his mouth like fish entrails.

Great image!
I wasn't sure how old Billy was and this didn't help
Billy considered this and then said, "Do it. I'll live with the stingrays." Earlier that day he had pleaded with his parents to allow him to smuggle one of the baby stingrays home in his swim-shorts.

I recognize the behavior, but I think it is the "do it" and the bit about his swim-shorts which failed to convince. Maybe some age specific detail would firm this up.
Mr. Mohanigan grabbed Billy by the shirt color as the boy was about to leap from the edge.

I could relate to this, especially after the time my son ran into the sea when he was a toddler.
I told you not to buy him those magazines

Again, these details confused me about his age.
I liked
"Ignore your father," Mrs. Mohanigan said. “If I had super powers, I’d want to be able to read
people’s minds.”

“I don’t think you would,” said Mr. Mohanigan, as a group of bikini-clad tanned girls walked past.

The ending was ok but I didn't feel it was plotted to arrive at this conclusion.
On the whole I think this had potential but could do with stronger focus.
Thanks for the read.
Bill

Jordan789 at 04:11 on 29 September 2007  Report this post
Thank you for your comments everyone.

Bill, I think you are absolutely right. I pegged Billy to be about seven, yet at that age he'd be surely too young to read comics--I think, but I hadn't given it much consideration.

I am wondering about a more specific focus. While writing it I was considering having the wife being very upset with the husband due to a recent trip to a strip club, or maybe worse, a small affair. But I never really worked out the details so I kept it light and shot for a dennis the menace type of sitcom episode. A good reworking is in order. Thanks!

Tiger: I think you're right about the ending. It just doesn't seem to have any weight.

tania: I was debating a bit about throwing in the character tag, but put it in there so people didn't have to bother wondering.

Thanks to Mark and forbes as well--the kid could definatly need a little calm-him-down drug action.

Jordan

Prospero at 09:12 on 30 September 2007  Report this post
Hi Jordan

Very entertaining.

The only problem with coming late is everyone else has made all the comments you would have made including several you hadn't thought of. So I will just say I particularly liked the comment about mind reading. That one produced a wry smile.

Best

John


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