Home > Fiction > FF – The Nam

FF – The Nam

Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Susan Eames.

Copyright Susan Eames

And…. Action!

“Hello, Bruce, we heard from your grandson that you were injured in Vietnam and would love to talk to you for our documentary.”

“Sure thing, cobber. Hurt in The Nam, I was.”

“How did it feel?”

“Bloody painful, mate.”

“Shock, fear?”

“For sure!“

“Do you still suffer?”

“Aches on cold days. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, reliving it, like.”

“I bet.”

“Bad year, 2018.”

2018?”

“My holiday in Ho Chi Minh City. What we’re talking about! Slipped in the shower. Broke me leg in three places. Five star hotel, too!”

“Bloody hell. Cut!”

  

  1. November 25, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    Ah, PTSD does come in all kinds of times and spaces, eh? 😉

    Like

  2. November 25, 2020 at 8:18 pm

    It’s still an injury. Just not one that needs to provoke anguish

    Like

  3. November 25, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    hehehe! Good thing he didn’t visit this year. 😀

    Like

    • November 26, 2020 at 8:45 am

      Yes, he might have got stuck out there on top of everything else 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. November 25, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    The way TV is made these days, I can see this mistake happening.

    Like

  5. November 25, 2020 at 8:52 pm

    I heard Vietnam was hell, but this really brings it to life.

    Like

    • November 26, 2020 at 8:56 am

      Yeah, they should make a film based on Bruce’s horrific experience.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. November 25, 2020 at 11:59 pm

    what a twist. didn’t expect it. 🙂

    Like

  7. November 26, 2020 at 12:16 am

    Wasn’t expecting that. Great swtich!

    Like

    • November 26, 2020 at 9:02 am

      Thanks, the TV crew were also taken by surprise!

      Like

  8. November 26, 2020 at 2:01 am

    Something somewhere in the scenario has gone akilter. Glad the old geez is ok no matter what.

    Like

  9. Lyn
    November 26, 2020 at 2:25 am

    Well, I wasn’t expecting that. Bruce is having more problems than was first thought…what’s with the painted toenails? Nurses bored? 😀

    Like

  10. November 26, 2020 at 11:43 am

    The Viet Cong and their booby trapped hotel showers get another one. Bruce needs to coordinate his toenail polish with his new Purple Heart…

    Like

    • November 26, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      Yeah, all these years on and they’re still finding them…

      Like

  11. November 26, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    Well, the story started out great. Vietnam is probably doing better than us now. 🙂 — Suzanne

    Like

  12. November 26, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    I know someone who broke a leg in three places on holiday – in Italy, Greece then Spain!

    Like

  13. November 26, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    Lovely humour again, Draliman

    Like

  14. November 26, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    Ha ha – you got me too! Great take on the photo prompt.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Like

    • November 28, 2020 at 6:08 am

      Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!

      Like

  15. November 27, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    Dear Ali,

    Technically he was injured in Nam. 😉

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Like

    • November 28, 2020 at 6:09 am

      Dear Rochelle,
      Very true. They should include his interview 🙂
      Ali

      Like

  16. November 28, 2020 at 12:18 am

    Now that is an original angle!. 🙂

    Like

    • November 28, 2020 at 6:09 am

      His leg was at an interesting angle just after his fall, too 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. November 28, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    Loved the humour at the end. Dangerous places are the hotel showers in Nam.

    Like

  18. November 28, 2020 at 3:21 pm

    Not funny for him, but it sure was a great piece of misdirection 🙂

    Like

    • November 29, 2020 at 6:00 am

      Thanks, the poor film crew were also somewhat misdirected 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. November 28, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    Just because they forgot to ask the year of his injury, doesn’t make it less real.
    This was a hoot!!

    Like

    • November 29, 2020 at 6:01 am

      For sure, he deserves his place in their documentary!

      Like

  20. November 29, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    Sounds like a good interview to me! What’s the problem? 😉

    Like

    • November 29, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      It had everything – angst, thrills, an exotic setting, a horrific injury… 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  21. November 29, 2020 at 3:48 pm

    Clever twist at the end of the story – like the way you play with our assumptions.

    Like

    • November 29, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      I don’t like to be too obvious 🙂

      Like

  22. November 30, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    I was electrocuted in Laos, actually. Nasty story, but they didn’t get a word out of me. Mainly because I was all alone when I touched the electric circuits in the shower heater and blacked out.

    Like

  23. Liz
    December 9, 2020 at 5:58 am

    I’ve missed your dry wit, Alistair! I was following you under my morrighansmuse account but now that I somehow ended up using Liz way more, I’ve missed reading your posts.

    But I’m back and you won’t get rid of me now!

    Like

    • December 9, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      I’ve been reading your poems on that account but was vaguely aware that you had another account too 🙂
      I’m glad you liked my story!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Liz
        December 9, 2020 at 5:51 pm

        Thanks so much for reading my poetry! I kept wondering why I wasn’t getting notifications for your posts since I had followed your blog but somehow, I cannot remember that password or my logins default to this one account which I use for my poetry blog now, too.

        It’s nice to be back writing poems. It’s been a while!

        Liked by 1 person

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