Every Sunday he took his bike and drove across town.
He would be gone all day; it was his weekly workout, that’s what the neighbors thought.
He rode his bike a few blocks; then he got off and hid it behind a bush. He looked left and right down the street, made sure nobody had followed him.
He snuck into the house like a thief and repeated the same when he left.
He was very careful; nobody was supposed to know that he had a boyfriend.
Perhaps one day he would be allowed to openly love and not be judged.
(Word count: 100)
Friday’s Fictioneers are held by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Every week she surprises us with a picture and asks us to write a 100-word story. “Make every word count,” she says, and so we try to follow her footsteps.
I found it so ironic that one of my all time faves of the 1970s, Barry Manilow, FINALLY “came out of the closet” just last week. He said he hadn’t done this earlier because he didn’t want to disappoint his mostly female fans. I remember being swept away in the romance of both his words and his music. At the time, I may have given a romantic thought or two towards the man himself and so have to agree that if he had come out at the height of his popularity he probably would have experienced a major social backlash. Now, though, I don’t think any of us ladies who remember the feelings his songs evoked in us are surprised at all to hear that he is a homosexual, and has been for quite a while. I see that as a sure sign of society’s progress.
I love this story! Great for the picture!
Why must love always be controlled? A good thing that this changes.
I don’t know why people think they can judge others.
How loving of you, the author, to see this bike and feel the pain of love that must be hidden. May we hope that love can be open and happy as minds open up more.
Opening the minds that’s the most important task and I am not so sure it can be done but I sure hope so.
Too bad he had to sneak around like that. I agree that the younger generation will not have the same bias and prejudices that we still see today. However, things are getting better . . . slowly.
Nice take on the prompt.
Thank you!
Very nice. People are getting there slowly. Sad that he has to go to such lengths.
We’ve come so far really but still a way to go.
Such a long way we’ve come. Nicely done.
We’re moving in the right direction on this one. Love will win out in the end. Great story, sad, but with lots of hope.
Dear Bridget,
The times they are a-changing. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you, Rochelle
then he got off and hid it behind a bush This line definitely intrigued me – made me want to read more.
There will be more 🙂
60% of us are there now
Here in the U.S. there is still so much prejudice it sickens me. The younger generation, they will make the difference for all I hope.
Hopefully one day… But it is getting much closer to that day.