Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus is guaranteed to send yours truly to the computer, eager to add 100 words to the sometimes delightful and other times detestable prompt. Either way, this is a fun story puzzle to solve! Thanks for making it happen every week, Jenny. (The prompt, as is my custom, will be in red.)
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Shades of Redemption
The morning came like any other, silently and wrapped in colors. An argument could be made that the orange dawn was celebratory, but similar hues had greeted him many times before on occasions as miserable as this particular one was majestic.
Not surprisingly, he hadn’t slept well. He rarely did––rarely had, in fact, and less so in recent years. Splashing water on his stubbled face, he sensed the flood coming. Memories swirled through his mind: old ones first, the bad ones…shameful, even now. Today, there was more to his story.
It was the 11th anniversary of his sobriety, the final shift of his pediatric residency. He arrived at the hospital smiling.
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Two anniversaries in one - the bitter and the sweet.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the prompt!
Thanks, June. I like to think that the "bitter" one has turned somewhat sweet as well. Redemption IS sweet, right? And things always mean more when we pay for them dearly.
ReplyDelete=)
Beautiful post! I loved the imagery. You had me right there with you. Your final words in the story were a very nice surprise! Thank you so much for sharing this one!
ReplyDeleteMalisa
I could relate to this one in so many ways. Beautiful take on this prompt.
ReplyDeleteWow, I think this is my favorite that you've done. Beautiful writing. So profound. Something to aspire to. Bravo!!
ReplyDeleteI discovered something Sue. The prompt thing is hard. Ha ha
ReplyDeleteI love to write but I think I need to hone my skills a bit. I tried the Jenny Matlock thing a couple of times and was not thrilled with what came out of me.
You make it look easy!
You really are so good at this. You always take the challenge, even when it stretches you.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder what caused the man to start down the road to sobriety.
I like that the orange dawn was celebratory and majestic . 11 years is a long time to be sober and something to celebrate . Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis read like an excellent novel. You know those books whose words wash over you like a spring rain? Yeah. Just like that.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he got sober before med school.....
Dick read this first and when he came to tell me he was finished with the computer he said "Sue's post on the sentus will really grab you!" Boy!, was he ever right. A GREAT post, it left me with tears. Good ones though.
ReplyDeleteHoly crow Sue- that was a great one. you have a gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great one with good ending...nice specific details of pediatric background and orange hues both.
ReplyDeleteSue, I have had trouble all day with blogger. Have tried again and will you please check me out and let me know it is NOT working at
bookwoman1015@sbcglobal.net? Thanks.
Liked this....Wonderful ending..
ReplyDeleteembracing weeds
You can truly take a line and make it your own! I liked the story alot and was surprised at the end...good job!
ReplyDeleteStunning! I love the imagery of the day - brill!
ReplyDeleteI loved this Sue. Love stories of redemption, and this was exceptional. But I have to agree with PJ, glad he got sober before med school. The imagery of the dawn as celebratory was beautiful. No matter how bad the day before, a beautiful dawn always gives me hope for a better day. Kat
ReplyDeleteyour such a talented writer . Mine is where I hope to be in 11 years My divorce is imminent so I need to prepare to not look back
ReplyDeleteloved how you used the colour orange there to cleverly symbolise the problem. nice one.
ReplyDeleteGives me shivers! I have known too many medical people that have had substance abuse problems and it is so hard to conquer. You have a real knack for zeroing in on the real AND imagined in a succinct way! Love your writing style!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a good story - it felt good to my heart, and gave me lots of hope for those I love who struggle.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wide range of emotions in this one. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
The OB who delivered my first son was high as a kite on drugs that night. I found out after the fact. He checked himself into a treatment center, and eventually became a therapist.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. You are amazing. And what great anniversaries to celebrate. The change and the accomplishments made because of it. You marvel me, as always.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Interesting how life's memories intertwine... the bad and the good. At first, the bad ones are stronger than the happy ones, but as time passes and healing takes place, the happy memories begin to defeat the bad memories until they are the prominent ones. A beautiful display of redemption... yes.
ReplyDeleteI love how you communicated this so well in so few words. Ha Ha. I tend to ramble on and on.
And now I MUST participate in this prompt fun. :)
Thanks for visiting my blog. I am definitely following you. I like a woman whose depth comes through her writing.
Wow, what a stretch. From an alcoholic to becoming a pediatrician. What a creative mind you have!
ReplyDeleteWhat a compelling story. I'm glad it had a positive outcome.
ReplyDeleteNice job!
So awesome, totally a wonderful story waiting on that one :)
ReplyDeleteKristin
Cause for a celebration. Wonder what set him off the deep end in the first place? The Peds unit? Maybe?? Great take on the prompt. ~Ames
ReplyDeleteA classic Sue link.
ReplyDelete100 words that feel like a short novel, complete in depth and intensity and telling oh so much more than a few words can actually convey.
The Saturday this Centus went live was my husbands and my 11th wedding anniversary. This story has been the best gift yet.
Thank you for linking. You are the master of words.