Friday Fictioneers — Squirrel Barbecue

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

That whiskery old hillbilly might own a ladder and hammer. He even has a few odd offcuts of wood knocking about, but he’s bone idle, except when it comes to gambling.

His missus scolds him rotten, “Ricky, when y’ gonna fix that bleeding ‘ole? Them squirrels are driving me nuts!”

And he yells back, “The only ‘ole needs fixing is that mouth of yours.”

I’m so grateful to him for letting me lodge in his attic; for providing such snug roof insulation as bedding for my offspring and yards of PVC wiring insulation for them to play tug of war.

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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo Prompt: image © Roger Bultot

Author: Sarah Potter Writes

Sarah is a British eccentric who writes offbeat fiction, haiku and tanka poetry. When stuck for words, she sketches or paints instead. She's into nature conservation, sustainability, gardening, dogs, natural health, and reading. Her sociability is something that happens in short bursts with long breathing spaces in between.

45 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers — Squirrel Barbecue”

    1. Thank you, Millie. So glad you loved my story 🙂
      Squirrels are so destructive. There was one that gnawed through a plastic air vent into my friend’s 4th-floor apartment and ransacked the pantry, scattering cornflakes everywhere. Apparently, squirrels cause around 30,000 house fires a year by chewing through wires.

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      2. I’m doing lots of spring cleaning at the moment, Swetank. Have tidied my home office, rearranging the cupboards and sorting out which books I need to keep and which can go to the charity shop. Also helping my son sorting out his room, as he’s between jobs just now and it seemed a good time to clear out rather a lot of rubbish, some of it very old and some of it stuff dumped there when he finished at university!
        Not much time for writing, apart from 100 word stories and poetry. Am submitting my novel to literary agents, but no takers yet. I may consider self-publishing, but not quite ready to go down that route yet, until I’ve tried the traditional route.
        Today, I’ve been gardening in the sunshine, which is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Dear Doug
      Thanks 🙂 Yes, it happens all too often. There’s a hole in some wood by my flat roof that needs repairing. A squirrel was eyeing it up but changed its mind after nearly losing its tail to my Labrador!
      All best wishes
      Sarah

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    1. Dear Rochelle,
      Thank you. I always think that titles are as important as the story itself in short fiction and an opportunity to impart something of significance that’s allowable outside of the official word count! I find choosing novel titles a nightmare, though, and had to run a poll on my blog for my last one, as I couldn’t decide between two titles.
      I admit to ignorance re Andy Capp and had to look him up on YouTube. All I could find was a British cartoon character (not a hillbilly, but definitely an embarrassment to his wife) or a rap artist.
      All best wishes
      Sarah

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      1. Dear Sarah,

        Our friend Doug is fond of pointing out that a good title adds a hundred words.
        Your dialogue seems more cockney than what I would consider hillbilly. So that’s what put me in mind of Andy Capp. A rap artist? Hm. I remember the cartoon character from the newspaper a few years back. A happy import to the US.

        Shalom,

        Rochelle

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      2. Dear Rochelle,
        I guess a squirrel is not too discerning about accents. Yes, you’re right. It is cockney, even though the squirrel is likening Ricky to a hillbilly re behaviour.
        A further example of cross-pollination between the UK and the US!
        All best wishes
        Sarah

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      2. Ah, Cybele, I’m obviously being too subtle here 😉 See my reply to Subroto’s comment, as you needn’t feel sorry for the squirrels, but for Ricky and his Missus — unless it is them that you’re calling poor things!

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  17. Haha 😀 Sarah, this flash is so clever, (and I’m instantly reminded of ‘Shut yer cake ‘ole’). Yet is is the squirrel I envision wearing an apron while holding a barbecue fork in his sweet, furry paw…

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    1. They do look cute, although their alternative name is tree rat and some would consider them pests!
      Personally, I find them entertaining in their natural environment, the way they chase each other, scamper about, and do all manner of acrobatics. I’ve heard say that they can never remember where they’ve left the nuts they bury, and that it’s quite likely that when they stumble across a hoard it’s by chance and most likely belongs to another squirrel.

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