PHOTO PROMPT © Lori Wilson
My Mother and I
In 1975, my father spent his junior school year in Cuba* as an Argentinian exchange student. He worked as a dishwasher at Shelly’s, named after the owner’s daughter, my mother. A year later I was born – in the laundry**.
Grandpa kept us there until I was three. Sisters looked after me while my mother scrubbed linen of the folks who lived in the suburban hills. The nuns never smiled, but my mother always did.
Back home, Grandma’s eyes shone with tears. I screamed when Grandpa tried to hold me.
That night, my mother emptied the safe and we headed South.
[100 words]
*Cuba is the town this diner is located in.
**There were Magdalene Laundries operating across the globe. Learn more about them here.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao-Talk 
Oh, that is a tough one, Lisa. Thankfully, the mother was smart enough to leave immediately, not questioning why the little one screamed.
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Dale, thank you. Can you imagine locking your child away for over 3 years because she got pregnant and then expecting everything to go back to “normal” afterwards? I hope Shelly finds her babydaddy. Good point on the little one sensing toxicity in the grandpa.
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No, I cannot. And I hope she does, too. Kids just know. And thankfully, Shelly took that as the last drop.
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<3
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Dear Lisa,
What an intricate story you wove in 100 words. I knew the cafe was in Cuba MO but knew nothing of the Magdalene Laundries. Interesting!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, I learned more about them when I researched them for a guest post on another blog via Joni’s song. Thank you, Shalom, Lisa
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I don’t want to be pernickity in the face of all that horror, but did the mother rob her parents or the nuns?
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They were “back home,” so I’m guessing she robbed the parents via their safe in the home or at the restaurant. Thanks for asking, Neil. Hope that clears it up?
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The Magdalene laundries – a horror story in themselves. Loved this story, Li.
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Sandra, thanks so much. Just when you think paternalism can’t sink any lower, it does.
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I knew a lady who lost her first born to a Magdalene Laundry. She had more kids but always felt broken inside for what those evil swine did to her.
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My stomach lurches at the thought of it. It really takes paternalism beyond evil, when you are able to manipulate other females [i.e. the nuns] to torture females on the behalf of a religion. I’ve read where some said the nuns “thought they were doing right in saving souls” just like they said it about Indian boarding schools, but that’s BS. Nobody with a heart or soul would have done what they did. I feel so bad for the lady who lost their first born to one.
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A great story, Lisa. At first it thought this was your story, but then realized it was flash fiction.
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Dwight, thank you very much.
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You are welcome.
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A child is always a blessing. But our culture has so many ways of turning it into a curse…(K)
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You’re so right, K.
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Wonderful short fiction, Lisa. As I read, “The nuns never smiled, but my mother always did” I could see this going down a path that evoked your brilliant write-up on “The Magdalene Laundries” on Randy’s blog. Here’s that post for anyone who hasn’t seen it: https://mostlymusiccovers.com/2026/02/14/herstory-in-harmony-joni-mitchells-the-magdalene-laundries/
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Steve, thank you very much and I appreciate you sharing the link to that post :)
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You’re welcome, Lisa, it is a terrific post and needs to be read. 🙂
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I will be posting it here at Tao-Talk soon.
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It never ceases to amaze me how we all see something different in the images and can come up with inspired stories such as yours, Lisa. My blood ran cold reading about the Magdalene Laundries. Horridic!
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Nancy, totally agree how each of our imaginations go to work on an image.
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You wrote a compelling story.
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I will remember this story for a long time
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Geeta, thank you very much.
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That is a frightening historical piece. Great story.
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Thanks much, Will.
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Brilliant story, Lisa!
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Thank you very much, Miriam.
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those women who survived the magdeline laundries they were so strong, they had it tough, a tough life, great story Li :-)
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CA, yes they were and yes they did. Thank you :)
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Lovely story Li
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Sadje, thank you.
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You’re very welcome
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Brilliant write Lisa – I am amazed that this intricate story came out of the photo – ‘Magdalene Laundries’ the name had such a pleasant feel to it who would have guessed the horror of it all 💔
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Thanks so much, Ange <3
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Magdelene Laundries- I love how you worked that little bit of tarnished history into this! great write.
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V, thank you very much. It’s been on my mind a lot lately (the use, abuse, exploitation, subjugation of females)
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I had no idea about the Magdalene Laundries. Definitely a black mark in the history of the Catholic Church.
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James, happy to have made you aware. Just to be fair, they started out as Protestant institutions.
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An escape and on the run, good luck to them.
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Amen to that, James.
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The story of a great escape! A good fun read Li.
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Thank you. I hope they find her father.
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Took me a minute to put this all together, but once I did, I loved (hated) it. There must be something in the air as so many of us have written about men doing disgraceful things to women this week. Maybe it’s the news.
I’m glad your characters escape.
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Jen, I think you’re exactly right about the evils men (and women — the nuns!) have done upon the vulnerable. I’m glad they escaped also, and I hope they find her father…
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Really, really interesting, Li. I knew a bit about the unmarried girls and what happened back then. I am still finding what happened to my grandfather’s sister. Her name was Mary Hall, and she disappeared when she was about 20 years old and no one would talk about her again. She had been still alive when I was about 10 years old and I had been earwigging between my dad and my grandfather. I had said nothing at the time, but 50 years later myself and my cousins have been trying to piece up what had happened. Much to do!
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Oh Chris, hard to know how this has affected you and your cousins. I sincerely hope you piece up what happened. Could she still be alive?
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We are all fine. Mary couldn’t be alive. She would be about 120 years old…
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<3
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The Baby is lucky to have a mother like Shelly. What a sad family she had. I’m sure it got better for both of them.
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Gabi, yes she is blessed. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
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What a story, Lisa, I leave a little wiser.
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Keith, thank you so much.
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Wow! That was quite a tale packed in 100 words. Thanks for the link about the laundry. How horrible.
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Russell, thanks so much. You are welcome. Yes, it is.
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Love the historical fiction nods.
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Dawn, thanks much!
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Oh, so much layered in here with such simple lines “kept us here”
Sinister. Glad they got out of there
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Laurie, thank you for your generous, thoughtful comment.
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