The challenge? Write a story in exactly 6 sentences based on Denise’s one word prompt: TURN. Visit, comment, and write & post your own on Six Sentence Stories
She raised her eyes and her chin just a bit, and sighed at the stack of “To-Do’s” sitting in her in-basket, and yes, it was her in-basket, because she’d assigned herself every one of those projects and it was always her turn.
Retire they said, it’ll be fun, they said, you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself, because you’re your own boss and you’ve fully prepared for the financial and health care costs that come with being fortunate enough to reach the age you are now at.
Who knew she could be such a demanding task master?
Well, when you’ve spent most of your life planning and preparing for a life of meaningful accountability, dodging the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with only a few minor punctures, you do get this sense of entitlement to the remaining years spent doing only what you want.
Only, all the paperwork!
She sighed and rolled her eyes, imagining the curve of fragrant and brisk summer wind reaching in through the window for her stack of projects and sucking it out into the sunny morning, her laptop merrily tumbling and following suit, and she herself sailing off on a firmer gust, over the ocean to a table outside a tiny wine shop on some modern Thracian island (ARE there any of those around…must Google) and gazing out over a moonlit open sea with mermaids and men, dolphins, and whatever the Gods and Goddesses abundantly and beneficently let fall from open hands, no passport needed because of course she hadn’t taken care of that project either, due to priorities and less free time than she’d anticipated.
Standing, she padded off to the kitchen for another cup of coffee and the inevitable, tiresome return to reality.
© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2023)
Valley of the Trolls 
All I can say, Liz, is thank goodness for a healthy imagination and active daydreaming!
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Whatever gets us through😉
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Ooh, the inevitable, tiresome return to reality.
Excellent 6, Liz!
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Momma needs a new pair of shoes!
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Oh yes, being retired we become so much busier!
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Truth!
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That line about gods and their open hands just opened an entire scene for me. Wonderfully visual, Liz.
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So glad! Thank you kindly, Misky!
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What Frank said… and Clark… and Ann… you’re getting the idea, don’t you Liz?
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Yah, thanks, Nick!
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You do more with six sentences than most authors do with a whole book!
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Aw, thank you, Ann!
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When you’ve spent your whole life working and being busy, like Grandpa did, you retire to be on the boards of 7 charities, like Grandpa does.
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Sometimes, yah!
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(A.S.* Frank went and stepped on my Comment opener**)
Engaging beginning, entertaining middle and wry ending, what more does a Six need?
Well done.
* Antescript
**thanks a lot, Frank
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Why thank you, Clark! 🐧
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Nice description especially the word ‘puncture’: “dodging the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with only a few minor punctures”
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Thanks, Frank! 🐧❄🐧
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