My wife’s sister comes to visit every Memorial Day. Tanya staying at our house wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t stay so long. Two weeks is a lifetime to put up with her and her baby. I swear that thing doesn’t shut up and always wants to play when I’m trying to watch baseball.
Just like last year, I’m schlepping through the airport with more luggage than Paris Hilton. These suitcases would hold a normal person’s entire wardrobe. My wife and her sister have gotten so far ahead of me, I can’t even see them. They can’t go too far, though: I have the car keys.
My right hand’s grip gives in to fatigue and I almost drop the child seat. I pull the weight closer to me and my shorts slip a bit lower on my hip. Dang, I wish I could find my belt. My irritation grows because my shorts will soon be around my kneecaps and my wife could’ve at least taken the car seat.
Don’t get me started on the stupid car seat.
The “baby” doesn’t even need it. Tinkerbelle is a dog. A dog! I’ve got two beach towels in the trunk of my car to roll and stuff in the seat so the Chihuahua doesn’t fly out. My wife says we have to do this because Tinkerbelle means the world to Tanya.
Whatever. At least they spared me the humiliation of carrying Tinkerbelle in the pink purse.
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Well, the folks at Trifecta have decided to mess with my head for the weekend challenge. The task is to use the first photo (the man carrying luggage) as inspiration for a story or poem of between 33 and 333 words (mine is 244). I’ve never done a photo prompt before, so it was a fun exercise.
Thanks for reading 🙂
JannaTWrites 
Love the internal dialog. I think I KNOW this guy! Great job (and I hope his pants stay up).
I hope his pants stay up too, Gal! I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and read my story.
Wonderful! I can so see a guy like this being ecstatic at NOT having to tote around a Chihuahua in a pink purse!
Well, most guys I know don’t see a purse dog (in a pink purse no less) as masculine. As always, thanks for reading, Debbie!
HA! Loved this one. Love the way the women dump everything on him and love the way the baby is a dog. The two towels are a perfect addition. If she needs a coat for her dog, my neighbor’s got one in pink.
We won’t mention the coat to her…she’d probably want it! Thanks so much for reading, Kelly – glad you enjoyed 🙂
😀
🙂 back at you, Nancy! Thanks for stopping by.
Good job, Janna. I enjoyed it. It was very real. Down to earth happening everyday on the planet, yet you gave it pizzazz. Is that really a word? You made it personal. Blessings to you…
I do think ‘pizazz’ is a word, and I appreciate you using that word to describe my story about a common experience. Thanks for reading, Carol Ann 🙂
Good. IItseems nice.
Thanks for stopping by, Newwhitebear!
ha! loved this.
Glad you enjoyed, MOV. Thanks for reading it!
Excellent, as usual. Not until you mentioned the droopy drawers did I even notice the situation in which the poor fellow in the photo finds himself. Seems you’re good with words as well as visual cues.
Oh, thanks so much for the compliment, Yvonne. I appreciate you taking time to read and comment 🙂
Too funny. I was wondering why the baby didn’t stop being a baby through the years of visits. Now I know!
Yep, this baby just gets older but never grows up 🙂 Thanks for visiting and sharing your comment, Chelle!
Love this, Janna. The dog in the pink purse, too funny. And who would have thought the car seat for the dog? lol
Thanks, Patti! I couldn’t imagine lugging around a car seat for a dog. We only took them through the airport because we had to 🙂 Thanks for stopping by to read my story,
Loved this piece! The internal grumbling was wonderful.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your reaction, Diane!
I do photo prompts a lot, so I was pleasantly surprised with this prompt.
Having said that, this is a good piece for a first time. The character sounded very real, so that is definitely good. And such an ordinary subject that you still managed to create interest in. Maybe that has part to do with the believability and part to do with the comedy of having to deal with something so out of his character.
I appreciate you stopping by to share your thoughts on my photo prompt story, Littlewonder2. I’ve started reading other entries for this week but I’m so far behind. It’s interesting to read what others come up with!
Nice 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to read my story, Ranadive!
Ha ha! At first, I thought, “oops, she made that baby still a baby a year later. Kids are not babies.” And then we see that the baby is a dog. Classic. I love it. I love the entire concept of the guy’s sister-in-law in town. We’ve all been there. 🙂 Thanks for linking up. Hope to see you back soon.
Thanks for reading. I’m glad the concept worked for you (I had fun writing it :))
Ahaha! I love that tinkerbelle is the baby. I have gotten such a kick out of why he has a carseat.
I know, Jester Queen – there have been many creative ideas to explain the carseat. I still have more reading to do, too 🙂
this would have been even better if he was carrying the dog in the pink purse! but the poor “baby” has to deal with a grumpy man lol
It’s probably better that the dog didn’t have to put up with grumpy pants! Thanks for reading Renada 🙂
Haha Jannat! Great interpretation. I love what you have going through this poor guy’s mind and I love the surprise of Tinkerbell! :d
Thanks, Linda. Glad you liked the story!
Hysterical. Love the feeling that he knows his shorts are traveling! He’s the Sherpa for sure. Might bumb me out too, with a guest staying that long. Funny it was a pooch!
Thanks for stopping by to read, Gina. The story amused me just because I don’t have any houseguests scheduled…especially neurotic ones with dogs they treat like babies 🙂
Great internal dialogue. Sounded so natural. The whole pants sliding down and the dog being the baby are really funny. Good job.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your reaction, Paula. I appreciate it 🙂
Nice … I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Thanks, Ruby! I appreciate you stopping by to read it 🙂
What a fun idea! You nailed it 🙂
Glad you took a few moments out of newlywed bliss to visit, Tori!
Love the pink purse part!!!
Thanks, Janet. Definitely not a manly accessory 🙂
I love your challenge blog posts, these little stories qre quite entertaining!
I can myself as that annoying sister with more bags than Paris Hilton! hahaha. Oh & wait we can’t forget my little dog – CoCo Chanel. She too has her own little bag for me to carry her in! Spoiled much? ! 🙂 lol
I’m glad you enjoy them, Evelyn!
Please tell me you don’t have a car seat for your dog! I like purse dogs, they’re cute. I couldn’t possibly carry one around, though….I’d have so much trouble coordinating the dog carrier with my wardrobe 🙂
lol, no my puppy doesn’t have a car seat even though I think tshe should – apparently she likes to sit on my lap while I am driving! :-0
&& haha sometimes I cordinate her with my clothing when I am in the mood, but she almost always has something cute on!
She is spoiled by my whole family, lol smh
Coordinated clothing…that’s too much Evelyn! I bet you guys look adorable 🙂
lol hahaha thanks!
Great little details make it all so real! Nice work.
Thanks for stopping by to read, Phil 🙂
I love this! Dialogue is great!
Thanks, Susan. I appreciate you reading it 🙂