On this day without a date,
On a back street, dusky
— Charles Simic, from My Friend Someone
On this day without a date, on a back street, dusky, sounds the wail of an infant. Old Ginny, still half-soused from the night before, thinks she’s dreaming. Lula, the bloodhound, licks Ginny’s face as the baby wails through December’s broken window.
Ginny staggers over and looks down. There’s a basket with a wiggling blanket that has gotten two alley cats’ attention. Old wives’ tales say cats will smother babies trying to get the milk on their breath.
Lula bays and runs to the door.
“Hold on, girl.”
Ginny shoves her scrawny arms into a tattered, stained housecoat and slips her long toenails into the dime store scuffs. As soon as the door opens, Lula lopes out and down the stairs. Two cats yowl soon after.
Ginny picks up the baby, who is ice cold, drenched with urine, and light as a feather.
top image found is from dreamstime
I am today’s host of dVerse’ Prosery. I say:
…the challenge is to write prosery to Charles Simic’s lines of poetry, where prosery can be flash-fiction or creative non-fiction, but it cannot exceed 144 words in total (not including the title) and must not be poetry (no versification, line breaks, metre, etc.)
Tao Talk 
Oh, that poor abandoned baby, Lisa! I thought that sort of thing didn’t happen anymore, but it does. I love the phrase ‘December’s broken window’ and that wonderful description of Ginny shoving ‘her scrawny arms into a tattered, stained housecoat’ and slipping ‘her long toenails into the dime store scuffs’.
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I know! My heart goes out to the baby. And sadly, yes it does. Thank you for your lovely feedback.
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Oh, that’s wonderful. That Ginny can stillr espond with such love and care. That instinct doesn’t die.
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❤
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That would make a great opening scene to a novel!
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Jane thanks!
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🙂
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“as the baby wails through December’s broken window”
Poignant write Lisa.
Much💖love
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Thanks much, Gillena ❤
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Oh, that poor baby! So many great descriptions –so very sad.
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Thank goodness the baby is still strong enough to cry ❤
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Yes, indeed! 💙
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Pretty dark. But once again you came up with a story based on just an image prompt and it works!
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Thanks much, Christian. I wrote the story based on the top quote and looked for that image later. It wasn’t easy to find just the right image for this one either.
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I love Lula the bloodhound. And oh, that ending (or, perhaps beginning)! Unexpected.
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Thanks much, Melissa!
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Great descriptive piece Lisa and fab Prosery challenge 🙌
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AJ thank you so much.
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Wow! What a setting and cast of characters!
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I knew I’d go dark with those lines…
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What a sad scene you painted but realistic in some places sad to say. The whole scene came alive in my mind because of your descriptive writing.
off topic…before I forget…I wrote a post about Peter Asher liked you asked…I picked a Peter and Gordon song and talked about him after that. Interesting guy!
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Thanks, Max. Have you posted it yet? I went out to a movie earlier with friends, stopped at older son’s place on the way back, and have been playing online games until just a few minutes ago. Will check either tonight or tomorrow to read it. Thanks, buddy! 🙂
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Oh no…it will be a little while before I do…
Have a good time Lisa! Sound like you are lol.
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Between that and the yard work, am staying busy for sure. Will be looking for it. You always find good information to share.
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Thanks Lisa
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You’re welcome.
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Chilling, but sadly realistic. (K)
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I’m so glad she found the baby in time.
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You took us there, with vivid images, the scene felt so real!
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Jay, thank you very much.
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Whew, so many unanswered questions…but hey, that’s good flash fiction for you! It was fun to give this a try, Lisa…my first prosery.
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Thanks much, and I hope things get better for all of them.
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A great story Lisa. Your descriptive images are wonderful. Well done.
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Dwight, many thanks. I’m so glad they found the baby in time.
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Yes for sure!
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Poor Baby!! Someone needs call Child Welfare, Mrs. Jim worked for them, her first job as a Social Worker MSW.
I always like to see what the prompter has written for the prompt given. You didn’t disappoint, Thank you.
..
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Thank you, Jim. Life can be the most cruel for the most vulnerable. Maybe she will call or maybe she won’t. Of course we know that Child Welfare would never let her keep the child with her background.
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Oh Li! This sweet such a heartbreaking scene. Beautifully written
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Sadje, thank you. I wonder who is really saving who ❤
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Both are being saved as is often what happens in real life.
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❤
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Your craftsmanship in setting the scene was superb! Poor cats- they get such a bad rap!
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Thank you very much, Susan. I have two cats and cannot imagine them smothering a baby.
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The cries of a baby is the most touching sound to hear, more so when it comes from somewhere in the bush. Great wordcraft, Jade! Love it!
Hank
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Hank, thank you very much. You’re right. I don’t think any adult can ignore the sound of an infant in distress.
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A sad reality, one that should not occur, but I like how the story ends on a hopeful note ❤️
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Aboli, thank you very much. I was hoping myself that the hope would come across ❤
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Well-crafted imagery. Ginny rose to the occasion…alas, too late. I couldn’t help but wonder if Ginny’s drink of choice was gin. An ironic name for a soused heroine. “December’s broken window” — love this line. 🙏🩶
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MW, one of the reasons I love writing fiction is that those little tidbits can be put in (e.g. Ginny’s name.) Thank you very much.
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I want more, more and more ~ please. Beautifully penned, Lisa.
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Helen, thank you so very much. Since my prosery is loosely based on Gordon Lightfoot’s song, I will suggest you play his double album, “Gord’s Gold.”
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OMG. That’s horrible… How terrible, Lisa 😦
~David
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I know 😦
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This is gorgeous and evocative writing, Lisa. I could so easily picture the scene. The thought of that poor wee child…. my heart aches. And perfect Gordon Lightfoot song to accompany.
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Dale, thank you, I knew I’d be going dark with the lines but not that dark.
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Lula and Ginny make a wonderful team and I love that this wasn’t all the way dark.
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