#FF — Keaton Island

PHOTO PROMPT © Lily

Keaton Island

My morning bike ride will take me to town, where I’ll pick up sourdough bread and assorted produce from the CSA share.

I hear laughter before seeing them. Around the curve, in matching red Adirondack chairs, their gazes are fixed on Keaton Island.

I stop and ask if they are on vacation.

“Our daddy vacations here every summer,” one of the honey-blonde beauties drawls. “That’s his place, out there.”

I smile. It’s not my place to argue.

I buy two apples for the ladies and stop on my way home — but they are gone.

Her photo, dated 1942, flutters in one chair.

[103 words]

Nice to be back to FF after blogcation.

Buster Keaton summered in my home town for years. He had two sons, but in my story, I gave him two daughters. I like to think that Keaton still vacations here.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of Friday Fictioneers.

48 Comments Add yours

  1. Maggie's avatar Maggie says:

    Beautiful written ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks, Maggie :)

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Perhaps they never existed?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      May be! The daughters he never had but wanted. Thanks for your comment, Neil.

      Like

  3. Dear Lisa,

    Good to see you back. I’ve noticed the absence of your presence. Intriguing story that makes one gasp at the end. I loved Buster Keaton….and your story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Rochelle, thanks for noticing my absence and for welcoming me back. Glad you liked the intrigue of my story. Yes on Keaton, he was a class act.
      Shalom,
      Lisa

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Carol anne's avatar Carol anne says:

    nice to have you back, Li :-) I love your story! <3

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      CA thank you x 2 :)

      Like

  5. James Pyles's avatar James Pyles says:

    Great silent film actor. My favorite film of his is “The General.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Agreed on his acting and loved The General.

      Like

  6. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:

    You are a good soul, Lisa!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Dwight, it takes one to know one ;) {{{HUGS}}}

      Liked by 1 person

  7. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:

    I really thought this was your story!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      It has the ring of it for sure.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Beautiful combination of whimsy and nostalgia. Very nice, Lisa.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks so much, Nancy :)

      Liked by 1 person

  9. poetisatinta's avatar poetisatinta says:

    Great story Lisa I love the bittersweet sense of nostalgia and mystery. How interesting to learn about Buster Keaton too, it’s a lovely, haunting vignette 🙌

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Ange, thanks! I love Neil’s imaginings on it.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. poetisatinta's avatar poetisatinta says:

        Yes – very interesting

        Like

  10. A lovely thought, and story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks, Dawn. And I agree with who said great new pic!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Violet Lentz's avatar Violet Lentz says:

    Your story reminds me of an old movie called Portrait of Jennie with Joseph Cotton and Jennifer Jones. If you have never seen it I encourage you to do so.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Will look for it, thanks, V!

      Liked by 1 person

  12. plaridel's avatar plaridel says:

    i wonder if they were ghosts?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Good guess, Plaridel.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. James McEwan's avatar James McEwan says:

    Absorbing read, and wonderful detail in the backstory.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Glad you enjoyed it, James, thank you :)

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Chris Hall's avatar Chris Hall says:

    That was interesting, Li.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks, Chris :)

      Liked by 1 person

  15. A delightful tale for your return visit – an interesting little footnote too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks, Keith, glad you enjoyed it :)

      Like

  16. How great Lisa! We are in sync… I just wrote up a Buster Keaton movie for tomorrow earlier tonight.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Fantastic. Doing a little research on him for the story, I learned his first marriage wasn’t very happy and he became estranged from his 2 sons. Makes me feel bad for him. I do remember you wrote up some of his movies before and I remember watching The General back then. Great movie!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yea…he married into the Talmadge family…not a good choice. Oh I love the General as you know. Tomorrow is the movie where his most famous scene comes up…where the house comes down on him through the window.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. Dale's avatar Dale says:

    This was lovely, Lisa. I admit to never having seen a full Buster Keaton film. I might have to rectify that :)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Dale, thanks! I think some of the movies are shorter than others so not a huge time commitment.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. obbverse's avatar obbverse says:

    A lovely piece of imaginative writing Li.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Ob, thanks! :)

      Liked by 1 person

  19. what a wonderful ghost story! Welcome back from blogcation as I embark on my own.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      TOL, thanks very much x2. Have a wonderful time on walkabout. See you on the flip side.

      Like

  20. Laurie Bell's avatar Laurie Bell says:

    Oooooo
    I love the mystery
    Ghost story!
    Fabulous

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Many thanks, Laurie!

      Liked by 1 person

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