PHOTO PROMPT © Krista Strutz
It had been a year since Martha passed. That Monday, Jerry felt ready to paddleboard again. He and Martha had circumnavigated the forty-acre lake they lived on every weekday morning like clockwork up until then.
Public access weekenders with their Evinrudes, jet-skis, and bass boats left an ugly taste in the ecosystem.
Jerry saw her from a distance, on the old Smith place woodpile. Funny, she didn’t fly off as he approached. Then he saw the heavy-gauge fish line tangled in her legs.
He paddled home, got leather gloves, a blanket, and line-snippers, thought of Martha, and set her free.
[100 words]
Rochelle is the colorful host of Friday Fictioneers. I loved this week’s image so much I decided to write a second story.
Tao Talk 
And a wonderful story, it is!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dale, I was feeling storyteller’s remorse about the first one so tried to redeem myself with this one 🙂 Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! Love it!
😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, lovely tale of grief and recovery. I think he’s turning a corner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I think he is also.
LikeLike
Very nicely crafted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ain.
LikeLike
Sweet story Li.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadje, thank you, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved the twist… Hope prevails
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Glad you did, thanks.
LikeLike
Martha may be gone but she’s still helping him move on with his life in a positive way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A beautifully constructed analogy ..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ivor, thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw how sad and lovely. I think he is healing… or perhaps starting to move on? A gentle melancholy in this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Laurie, much appreciated comment.
LikeLike
As a windsurfer, I identify with the distaste for power toys on water. More importantly, I liked the parallel between setting the bird free and setting himself free. This would be worth elaborating into a longer story
LikeLiked by 2 people
Neil, we used to have a small sailboat and we had more than a few close calls with “power toys.” I see them as bullies on the water. Thank you for your feedback and suggestion. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lisa,
This little tale made me want to stand and cheer. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, thank you very much.
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re quite welcome, Lisa. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is simply delightful Lisa. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is beautiful. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Linda 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like this version. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Kerfe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heart Warming to be sure:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lisa,
Marvelous. Loved the connection between freeing the bird and freeing himself to live again, this time without Martha.
pax,
dora
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dora, thank you. I wanted to write a warm fuzzies story to balance out my first one.
LikeLiked by 2 people
How did I miss it? Will have to go back and check! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Oh Lisa, sweet and sad wrapped together in one blanket.
I love the softness that’s reflected in your words. Nicely done …
Have a good weekend
Isadora
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isadora thank you for reading and for your lovely comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re on a roll this week! This was wonderful, I love every word. I love canoeing and hear you on the power toys.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Gah. I was inspired by the image. I’ve gone canoeing but only as the front paddler. Would like to try kayaking sometime.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a lovely, full and warm story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Trish, glad you connected with it.
LikeLike
We tend to forget that we are SUPPOSED to be the CARETAKERS of Earth. That means caring for the planet and the wildlife, too! Excellent story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bear, thank you very much, yes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A powerful story, I really enjoyed reading it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael.
LikeLike
Great ending to the story but I feel he would have had a job on his hands. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get injured in the process.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m guessing he may have. Maybe he had a syringe of something to sedate the eagle that I didn’t see… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a good story Lisa…I’m glad in this one anyway…there was no cracking of skulls with a paddle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL Two polar opposite stories from the same picture. That’s why I like that image so much.
LikeLike
Beautiful story, Lisa. Jerry to the rescue. Martha would have been very pleased.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice takeoff, fun flight, smooth landing. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bill, thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person