Friday Fictioneers – Carpe Diem
Here’s my story for Friday Fictioneers, a weekly photo challenge hosted by Rochelle. The photograph this week was contributed by Jennifer Pendergast.
To view the other stories for this week, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Jennifer Pendergast
Pete, designated “Team Leader”, read the instructions.
“Row across Doom Lake, navigate the Rapids of Certain Death and finally enter the Canyon of Damnation.”
“Um,” said Charles, “this sounds awfully dangerous.”
“These team-building exercises always sound like that,” chipped in Nancy. “It’s fine!”
“Well,” said Charles, “I don’t like the sound of it. I’m not going.” He watched his workmates sail off before going back to his room. He popped a beer, tripped over his slippers and broke his neck.
The moral of this story? Seize life. Because that bullet with your name on it? You’ll never see it coming.
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Friday Fictioneers
draliman on life 
Very true…
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There is wisdom in my words 🙂
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There are indeed! 😉
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Oh no! I bet he wished he had a better story to account for the accident. Great story and lesson too.
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It was probably “there were these 10 big guys…”
I’m glad you liked it!
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🙂
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Good advice Ali.
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Which I should take… 🙂
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Didn’t see that coming! Nice twist and moral here! Nice and crisp story.
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I did kind of slip it in without any warning 🙂
I’m glad you liked it!
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I like the moral at the end …very fitting. Enjoy life as it comes and take a few chances (within limits of course. Perhaps parachuting without a parachute would be pushing your luck a bit too far).
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Yes, one also has to exercise good sense 🙂
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I blame the slippers. 🙂
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Damn those slippers, all sticking up and in the way and everything 🙂
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Beware the Slippers of Certain Death…
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And also the deadly bedside table of jagged-edged skull-crushing doom.
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Oh dear…
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🙂
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Isn’t that just the way of it. When your numbers up, your numbers up. Nicely done!
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That’s the way it goes in this crazy world. I’m glad you liked it!
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Dear Plairidel, You are so right – you’ll never see it coming! Great and funny story! Nan
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I’m Ali 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed my story!
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a lesson learned. sometimes it’s wise to just go with the flow. accidents do happen in unexpected places.
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You never know what’s around the corner.
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LOL! You make me laugh! 😀
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Hee 🙂
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What you say is true, Ali. But I think I would have agreed with him about that team building exercise. “Doom,” “death,”and “damnation” are definitely not three of my favorite words after the accidents I’ve had. 😦 That said, this was another hilarious piece. 😀 — Suzanne
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Yeah, I’d probably have second thoughts if I heard I was visiting those places 🙂
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Dear Ali,
Now that was a freak accident! Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
It certainly was. I bet it’s happened to someone, though!
Ali
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I would have loved that boat ride. But then, I used to be game master at Dungeons&Dragons… Death by slippers, hilarious.
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I used to be a game master on D&D as well! Though I preferred to play a character.
Slippers of Doom plus 1, plus 2 against dragons and slightly tipsy office workers 🙂
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I’m not surprised. I usually played some shady ( or very good) side character while mastering. It’s been so long, I hardly remember how to play…
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I was always partial to “Elven Fighter/Magic User”. A good guy, of course, but not Lawful-Good, because that’s a pain in the ass to play 🙂
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They can be great fun when you’re master and play them out as true pia–it can move the story along nicely, and also annoy the players in a funny way. The bad/chaotic characters are great fun, too.
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“Well, I’m going to rescue that orc, because it’s the ‘right thing to do’.”
“Gahhhhh!”
🙂
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Oh like the moral here.. and you never know when death come’s knocking.. (though a beer can be risky)
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You certainly don’t, and adding a beer to the mix only makes it more likely.
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Well done Alistair. A story with a true mornal.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked the moral of the story!
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I’ve printed this out Ali – what a brilliant message.
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Cool! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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I’ve always thought whoever invented (and named) slippers was a bit twisted!
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I’ve never really thought about it until now, but it is a strange name for footwear isn’t it! I suppose it’s because you “slip” them on and off, but it can take another meaning as well, and some can be pretty dangerous 🙂
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This is hilarious AND a very important message. I just cracked up when I read about the team building exercise. That just made me laugh. This is a great one, Ali.
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I’m glad you liked my slightly dark and humorous moralistic tale 🙂
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ha ha ha, Ive missed your darkness 😉
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I’ve done a couple of dark ones recently – it has been a while for sure, for some reason I had a long period of pure humour without the dark 🙂
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You might as well not worry. We always worry about the wrong stuff anyhow 🙂
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We do. I certainly do. I worry about the stupid little meaningless stuff.
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I thought you would go with the Cairn, you often see the obscure. good ending.
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I must admit I had trouble thinking of a story for this (or a decent story at least). The cairn would have made for a good one for sure.
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What I find interesting about this message is that it often promotes us to take part in life threatening circumstances. For example, yes, he broke his neck, and the moral of the story is how he should have grasped life by the hands and went with the team, but the danger of their expedition could have cost them their lives too.
Either way, I enjoyed this story!
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I thought that too as I was writing. No sense in taking unnecessary risks. And in this day and age, it would probably invalidate your life insurance too!
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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I’ve been on those team-building exercises. Wimps never prosper. 😦
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I’ve actually never been on one. It would be fun to try it at least once. I can imagine that those who “duck out” of activities are frowned upon!
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That’s one great moral.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
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That is the absolute truth, Alistair. Enjoy each day because when your number is called, there is nothing you can do!
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And you never know when that might be. Glad you liked it!
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No you don’t – I know only too well
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That was a shock ending. A great moral, and a very good story.
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Thanks! It did sound at the start as if it was just going to be a bit of fun, didn’t it? 🙂
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Great job…. I did giggle at the slippers? I suppose this is a ‘english’ word for outdoor shoes? (Another lesson in true English?)
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I didn’t realise “slippers” is not used in the US. They’re “indoor shoes” – soft fabric for walking around the house in. Never to be worn outside!
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Slippers here in the country are those soft shoes…. but mostly used in hospital visits or at nursing homes.
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Ah, the same as our slippers probably except we use them mainly at home.
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Loved the names you used and your little fable worked perfectly. Ironic that the slippers caused him to slip (and I do know what they are.)
janet
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Yeah, maybe he should have been wearing them 🙂
I’m glad you liked it!
Ali
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I love the moral of the story. Playing safe is never satisfying, and in this case more dangerous than adventure.
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He’d have been okay if only he’d taken a chance…
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LOL. So funny and so true. Slippers are fine in the US. Great story. 🙂
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I’m glad you liked it! I never know with some words, sometimes you just get a sense that other English-speaking countries might have a different word.
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A great moral, Ali. I’ve always liked the old, ‘Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’.
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A moral I agree with but never follow 🙂
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