Home > Fiction > FF – You Too Can Make a Difference

FF – You Too Can Make a Difference

Here is my little story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Björn Rudberg.

 

Copyright Björn Rudberg

 

Nigel glares at the sign. He can’t understand. Others with disabilities pass with no problem. All races, creeds, colours and sexual orientation, all are welcomed with open arms.

Why is he any different? Why is he singled out?

The sign is clear. He turns and walks back the way he has come.

 

Have you been affected by Nigel’s story? Maybe, like Nigel, you were born with a single huge hand, or know someone who was. If so, please take to Twitter, using the hashtag “#iwasbornwithsinglehugehandsyndromeandfeelostracisedasaresult”. If you have any characters left, leave a message.

You too can make a difference.

 

  1. March 21, 2018 at 8:30 pm

    Great stuff. I didn’t expect less from you.

    Like

  2. March 21, 2018 at 9:16 pm

    Great story……..BUT I really want to know what is round that corner!

    Like

  3. March 21, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    Humour and sarcasm… great Ali👏👍

    Like

  4. March 21, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    Poor Nigel. I’ve seen the sign myself, and thought “lucky I have two hands the same size”…

    Liked by 1 person

  5. March 21, 2018 at 11:03 pm

    It’s an affliction that needs a spotlight shined on it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • March 22, 2018 at 7:59 am

      That’s exactly what we’re trying to do. Can I sign you up? 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. March 21, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    Giant single hand. Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about our prez. He has two tiny little hands.

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:00 am

      Maybe there’s a sign somewhere for that too?

      Like

  7. March 21, 2018 at 11:59 pm

    I think he could sneak by if he kept his hands in his pockets. You just have to outsmart some of these taboos. 😉

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:01 am

      His one gigantic pocket might give him away 🙂

      Like

  8. March 22, 2018 at 1:24 am

    Oh lol!! Poor Nigel. What does this sign actually mean?!

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:01 am

      “No people with a single huge hand allowed past this point” 🙂
      I don’t know, presumably it’s “no entry to foot traffic”?

      Like

  9. March 22, 2018 at 2:42 am

    maybe he’s the lucky one. he’s been spared :).

    Liked by 2 people

  10. March 22, 2018 at 3:11 am

    It seems this affliction has long been overlooked. I suspect it’s hereditary and limited to a small population in a village somewhere in the hinterlands. I’m surprised one of the gossip sheets hasn’t been there to report on it. If it wasn’t so tragic I’d say it was hilarious. I may say it anyway. Good writing, Ali. 😀 — Suzanne

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:02 am

      Not enough people know of it, that’s why we’ve started this awareness campaign 🙂
      I’m glad you liked it!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. March 22, 2018 at 3:38 am

    Ali, you never cease to amaze me! This is stellar!

    Liked by 1 person

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:03 am

      Thanks for your lovely comment, I’m glad you liked it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  12. March 22, 2018 at 7:07 am

    Nigel doesn’t know how lucky he is to be ostracized….. just beyond that curve is a sheer cliff with a thousand foot (some unknown amount of metres) dropoff where the broken remnants of all the normal people lie piled up at the bottom.

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 8:03 am

      The sign has been placed there by others suffering from the same condition to save their own…

      Like

  13. Lyn
    March 22, 2018 at 8:16 am

    What Alicia said 😀 Only you could think of something like this, Alistair 😆

    Like

  14. March 22, 2018 at 11:55 am

    Great take on the prompt! I still don’t understand what the sign is supposed to mean. If it’s supposed to be a person holding his hand out to say “stop, no entry”, then why is there a red line through it meaning “no”? It looks like “no people stopping traffic allowed here”!

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 12:41 pm

      It is a funny one. Of course, many of the signs people have in different countries would seem weird to people from other countries, I suppose.
      I’m glad you liked it!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. March 22, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Haha! Fabulous. Had me smiling. I liked your hash tag! 🙂

    Like

  16. March 22, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    This is discrimination in its worst form. Made for a great little yarn though!

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 1:54 pm

      I thought I’d slip a little message in behind the scenes. I’m glad you liked it!

      Liked by 1 person

  17. March 22, 2018 at 2:21 pm

    Great story! Discrimination is terrible!

    Like

  18. March 22, 2018 at 4:07 pm

    Loved the last part. That always gets to me when I hear that little bit of nanny-ing going on at the end of a programme.

    Like

    • March 22, 2018 at 4:53 pm

      They’re doing it after practically every programme these days.

      Like

  19. March 22, 2018 at 5:32 pm

    HAHAHA! Nigel is grateful that you have shed some much-needed light! 😀

    Like

  20. March 22, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    I love it when someone misrepresents something by taking it absolutely literally, and you’ve produced a wonderful example of that! I particularly enjoyed the section beginning “Have you been affected by Nigel’s story?…” – so true to life.
    For fellow nerds out there, the pictogram is a standard European safety notice meaning “No access for unauthorised persons”. Yes, I don’t think it’s clear either!

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 8:12 am

      Nearly every drama/soap on TV these days ends with the voice-over “if you have been affected by any of the issues raised in tonight’s episode of…”
      Though the UK is in Europe, we have our own set of signs so I’d never seen this one before!

      Like

  21. March 22, 2018 at 7:46 pm

    Got to hand it to you , made me think and had a slight chuckle.

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 8:13 am

      I thought I’d hide a message behind some humour. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. March 22, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    Ha! Very funny!

    Like

  23. March 22, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    I have to hand it to you, I was affected by Nigel’s story 😊

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 8:14 am

      Don’t forget to take to Twitter and spread the word 🙂

      Like

  24. March 22, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    LOL

    Like

  25. Trisha
    March 23, 2018 at 2:16 am

    Poor Nigel. It’s such a cruel world for people with that particular disability that I could never type right.

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 8:17 am

      That hash tag is a bit of a mouthful, but the message must be spread!

      Liked by 1 person

  26. March 23, 2018 at 12:08 pm

    Dear Ali,

    Only you…what more can be said. A big one handed wave to ya. 😀

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      Dear Rochelle,
      I expected there to be lots of huge hand stories this week. Very odd 🙂
      Ali

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Sarah Ann
    March 23, 2018 at 1:15 pm

    LOL. So funny. I love where your imagination took us this week. Great journalistic voice in the second portion. And a great way to extend the 100-word limit with a hashtag…

    Like

    • March 23, 2018 at 1:49 pm

      Haha, I though that. There’s another tom of words in there 🙂
      I’m glad you liked it!

      Liked by 1 person

  28. Moon
    March 23, 2018 at 7:50 pm

    Brilliant, Draliman.🙂🙂🙂

    Like

    • March 24, 2018 at 10:56 am

      Thanks, I’m glad you liked it 🙂

      Like

  29. Dale
    March 23, 2018 at 9:02 pm

    You are such a nut, Ali! We can count on you every week to give us a good chuckle!

    Like

    • March 24, 2018 at 10:58 am

      Fortunately I have a literary outlet for my crazy 🙂
      I’m glad you liked it!

      Like

      • Dale
        March 24, 2018 at 1:10 pm

        Most fortunate for us as well 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  30. March 24, 2018 at 1:20 am

    You’d better watch out. You may have offended a whole segment of society who will feel you’ve made fun of their huge single hands.

    Like

  31. March 24, 2018 at 4:04 am

    Ha ha ha ha, that was such a wacky take. Loved it.

    Like

  32. March 24, 2018 at 10:46 am

    You almost had me – I wasnt quite sure whether that was a footnote or part of the story 😀

    Like

    • March 24, 2018 at 10:59 am

      It’s a very important message – pass it on 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      • March 24, 2018 at 11:00 am

        Surely would but I ran out of character 😉

        Like

        • March 24, 2018 at 11:02 am

          I told them that hashtag was a bad idea but they wouldn’t listen… 🙂

          Like

  33. March 25, 2018 at 4:02 am

    Must remember Nigel’s plight in my prayers! 🙂 Great story. Very funny.

    Like

  34. March 25, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    Oh I think it would be a hard thing to be born with such heavy hands…. or as ee cummings wrote:

    nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands

    Like

  35. March 27, 2018 at 1:14 pm

    LOL

    Like

  36. March 27, 2018 at 11:03 pm

    Awwww, poor Nigel. Not only is one hand larger, it’s a different shade from the rest of his body, like a reverse mime.

    Good one! 🙂

    Like

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