FF – Perfect Town
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Ted Strutz.
I may be a little late reading stories this week as I’m very busy with work stuff so bear with me. I’m currently typing this on my personal laptop while running something on my work laptop while watching Luke Cage on Netflix. Multitasking is my thing 🙂

Copyright Ted Strutz
Frankie smiled as he cast his eyes over the neighbourhood. Gardens, clean and tidy, The road, perfectly maintained, The pavements, pristine, clear of any litter. A small group of people stepping onto the pavement, going… where? To a restaurant, perhaps, or maybe to the marina? Frankie gazed down on his world and it was…
A shadow, falling! Crash! Crunch! Smash!
“Oh, shit. Sorry, kid.”
“Daaaaaad, that was my class project! The perfect town!”
“Don’t worry, son. Grab some papier mache and baking soda, I’ll show you how to make a cool volcano!”
“Aw, hell.”
Ha. Great.
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I’m glad you liked it!
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The volcano will be much more fun!
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Shame every second kid’s project will be a “working” volcano 🙂
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I have an idea… combine them, a perfect town wrecked by a volcano…
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You could be on to something. It’s half done already!
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Someone always has to come along and ruin the perfect town, real or model.
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So true.
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Dear Ali,
I don’t think Dad’s volcano is what Frankie wanted for his town. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I think you’re right. From what I’ve seen on American TV programmes with “science fairs” in, there are always at least ten volcanoes! And his town was not supposed to be buried in “lava”.
Ali
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ha-ha-ha! I wasn’t expecting that! Good one! 😀
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked the twist 🙂
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Oops.
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Natural disaster…
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Ha. ;0)
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Ah hell…. after all that work!
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It certainly doesn’t look like something he whipped up overnight 🙂 Didn’t take long to wreck it, though. Isn’t that always the way…
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It so is!
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You had me going. I thought here’s the town busybody, micromanaging every space. He didnt seem all that happy iwith people clutter up his tidy sidewalks. Then a crash. I like him much better as a dad!
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I glad I managed to lead you down the wrong path (before dad squashed it) 🙂
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Just get him a model of Godzilla, place it in the midst of the destruction: bam!
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Good thinking. It’ll be the talk of the science fair!
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I don’t think the volcano’s quite going to cut it for the young lad. But sounds like Dad will enjoy himself.
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These class projects, it’s all about the parents!
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Such a great twisty story – Dad’s got some making good to do in more ways than one!
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He does indeed. And the volcano isn’t going to do the trick, I think!
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Poor Frankie. It looks like dad isn’t the artistic type. The next time he’ll know better than to get his project anywhere near that parent. Good story, Ali. 😀 — Suzanne
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I guess many parents help their children with their projects, this poor kid spends all his time trying to protect his from his dad 🙂
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“Stopover In A Quiet Town,” one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes… and the only one that features a squirrel. Wait a minute! There were no squirrels in this project! Ergo, this was NOT the perfect town. The volcano will get a much better grade… especially if they’re scraping the lava off the classroom ceiling…
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Maybe it can feature a squirrel trying to escape the boiling lava…
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Bwahahaha. 🙂
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He probably stayed up all night finishing that 🙂
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Loved reading between the lines. Great write.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
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That made me chuckle! Poor Frankie. I feel his pain. Your last line sums it up perfectly!
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All his hard work. I’m glad you liked it!
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i don’t think a volcano would do. nice try, dad. 🙂
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No, there will be several there already I reckon!
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Looks like the kid is smarter than his dad!
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He must take after his mum!
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Loved it!😍
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Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Don’t you just cringe when that happens.
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For sure. Parents, huh?
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Whoops! Dad needs to move faster than fast!
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Never mind, I’m sure it only took him several weeks with barely any sleep to create his masterpiece, no harm done 🙂
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Looks like a solid plan B to me 😉
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It’s either that or knock up a quick papier mache Godzilla 🙂
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My friend’s brother (Salt Lake City) created a huge Halloween decoration, including King Kong 🙂 You can google.
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Amon Smith? Wow!
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Yes he is so cool 🙂
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Poor Frankie – he was so proud of his town! Building a volcano is really fun, though. Speaking of fun, this was a fun take on the prompt.
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And rightly proud! I never did made a volcano. “Science fairs” were never a thing over here. I missed out 😦
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You could still make a volcano just for the heck of it. 😉
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Is Frankie’s dad naturally clumsy? Poor Frankie. I think he should stand over Dad and make him rebuild perfect town. Sod the volcano.
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I think so too. Every second kid’s going to turn up with a volcano.
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This photo kind of does look like a diorama of a perfect little town doesn’t it? This photo now would be full of tourists. They descend in May and leave by October, this photo was taken sometime before May.
I like what you did with your story as it makes me picture the father and then the son.
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I thought it looked so perfect it could only be a model! We have the same tourist “problem” here too – the volume of cars on the road ends up at about three times higher during school summer holidays (now).
I’m glad you enjoyed my story!
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That was a good twist. Poor Frankie. He should cover it up with dirt and call it Pompeii. And maybe take the volcano for bonus points.
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That’s a good idea! Two for one. Make the best of it 🙂
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LOL…great dialogue!
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Thanks!
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Poor kid. That overworked volcano is no match for what he had created.
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For sure, must have taken him hours.
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Oh dear… all that hard work just to have his perfect town smashed. Not sure a volcano would impress his teacher, but it would be fun to make and get to work. His marks for the perfect town could be disappointingly low, however. 😦 A fun read. 😀
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Everyone seems to bring a volcano so his will be one among many I expect. I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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