Christy Birmingham is a poet, author and freelance writer in British Columbia, Canada. Her debut poetry collection Pathways to Illumination is available exclusively at Redmund Productions. If you haven’t been by her blog Poetic Parfait yet, check it out. You can also find Christy on Twitter.
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Shoveling Conversation
We stood, I threw onions, we never left… in our minds.
It was Thursday, and we weren’t any more drunk than usual. Only a few bottles of Merlot in and already Alex was throwing words my way that amounted to a hit that felt like a shovel to the face.
“You can’t tell me that,” he said. “You told me – you said you wanted to give her up for adoption. How was I to know you didn’t mean it?”
I didn’t hear anything other than give her up for adoption. His mouth moved in ways that I wish I had never felt on my body.
I threw the onion I had been cutting up at the kitchen counter at him. It hit his left ear and he looked at me with the astonishment I wish I had received months ago.
I didn’t know if my tears were true or fake, like our love. Either way, the knife in my hand wasn’t keeping anyone safe around here, and my wine glass was less than halfway full.
©2014 Christy Birmingham
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Sarah says: Thank you so much, Christy, for guest storytelling this month. Your piece of flash fiction illustrates so accurately the breakdown in communication that can happen between males and females just because their brains are wired-up differently. I wonder how many times in history men have said to women “how was I to know you didn’t mean it?”.
You can find the links to previous guest storyteller posts at https://sarahpotterwrites.com/guest-storytellers-2/
This is an intense story.
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Very intense.
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I do follow Christy who by the way, lives in the same province in Candaa that I do. Her words always touch a core in me and this piece Shoveling Conversation wants me to know more. The title is brilliant! She has a way of baring what lies beneath in her wonderful poetry and writing!!
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Wow, Cybele — both Canadians from the same province.I don’t know any bloggers from my particular county in the UK. Are you and Christy going to meet up some time? I had a whale of a time meeting up with a fellow blogger from my adjoining county. Being a fellow writer, we never stopped talking from the time we met to the time we parted!
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Thank you for featuring my story here, Sarah! I appreciate it!
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My absolute pleasure, Christy 🙂 And thanks for the reblog, as it has given me a chance to meet some of your lovely followers, who’ve kindly visited my blog to comment.
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I am so pleased with the response to the flash fiction piece! It also reminded me how much I like writing fiction 🙂 I am pleased you get to meet new people at WordPress too, Sarah! Hugs!
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It’s a tremendous response. I’m pleased for your, too, Christy x
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Reblogged this on Poetic Parfait and commented:
I am excited to debut this flash fiction piece as the November storyteller over at Sarah Potter Writes! I hope you enjoy the read of my story “Shoveling Conversation.”
~Christy xo
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Great Flash Fiction Christy! Communication can get dicey sometimes 😉
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Too true, Cyan. People are experts at putting their foot in it, especially when it comes to sensitive emotional issues!
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Thank you, Ryan! I am honored you liked it as I admire your writing.
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Wow, Christy, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to get to the end. And even then I wanted more!! 🙂
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It certainly has the potential to form part of a longer piece, but I think it worked extremely well as flash fiction, as it left me reading between the lines and thinking about all the whats and ifs of the situation.
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Very powerful story – pared down but full of meaning.
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As was your story last month, Andrea. It’s so exciting hosting such excellent storytellers each month. I feel most honoured.
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Congrats to Christy! It’s an honor to comment here at Sara Potter Writes!
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Thanks, Maria 🙂
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I like the story because it says more than its words, each sentence is so loaded with emotions that have been sidelined, that have never been felt or respected. So apt to call this conversation shoveling – the word itself conveys all!
Stay blessed!
Balroop.
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Yes, “shoveling” is a brilliant word, that I’d never have dreamed up myself.
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Wow, this is a gut-wrenching story, masterfully told in so few words. Well done, Christy!
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My guts felt it too, Miranda. It’s not easy to create such emotional impact with so few words, but Christy managed it brilliantly.
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nice post Sarah, and a lovely story from a lovely person/poet/writer/author
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Thank you for your sweet words, fais, about Christy. I totally agree 🙂
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A microcosm of disconnection all the more powerful for it’s brevity. I am familiar with the author’s poetry and a move into Flash Fiction seems natural because this writer can tackle everything from current politics to Greek mythology – a veritable polymath.
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Christy is indeed a veritable polymath 🙂
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Short and so well written. It’s not easy telling a story in so few words, but Christy excelled.
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Indeed, she has excelled.
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A gripping story kept me wanting to know more! Good flow of thoughts.
Thank you.
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Absolutely agree.
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Beautifully written and utterly captivating.
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🙂
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Powerful, beautifully written, strikes right to the heart this.
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For me, this ability to strike right to the heart is what makes stories or novels the most memorable. Extra clever of Christy to have managed it in so few words.
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Super intense blast of great writing!
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A great description!
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Christy is awesome and talented.
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Yeah Christy for your Great Flash Fiction!!
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🙂
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I especially love this first line:
We stood, I threw onions, we never left… in our minds.
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Yes, it’s a most original and clever line.
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WOW! Christy, you write girl! Impressive. 🙂
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Absolutely 🙂
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My fellow Canadian writer has the knack to evoke emotion with words she puts out to circulate emotions. Yes, Christy girl, that is you! 🙂
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Great talent pouring out of Canada 🙂
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Poignant piece of writing, Christy! 🙂 All the best, and thank you. Iris
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🙂
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