Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by my old friend Al Forbes.
The idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in the picture (below).
This week’s prompt comes from the delightful Jade Wong. I confess that all I saw was the bow tie.
Click on this link to enter your tale, and to see what others have written.
© Jade Wong
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Punch Line
So this penguin walks into a bar.
Have you seen my brother, he asks the bartender.
And the bartender says What does he look like?
Stony silence.
I am dying up here.
I’ll be honest, it’s not the first time my act has fallen flat.
But it could be the last.
Johnny E is not a man to mess with.
It’s my old mum’s eightieth birthday, he says, if she doesn’t have fun you will pay.
The sullen old crone stares at me as though a poodle had deposited me on the Persian rug.
Apparently she does have a sense of humour.
They say she laughed for a week when she saw her husband’s car blow up.
But she doesn’t like my jokes.
She doesn’t like my singing.
She made a very unladylike comment when I did my magic act.
I am pretty sure the rabbit would not have enjoyed that.
Johnny looks unhappy.
I am getting desperate.
I nod to Emmy, my lovely assistant.
She raises an eyebrow.
I shrug.
Nothing to lose.
She opens the box, lifts out a large wet fish.
Swings it, smacks me right in the face.
And the old witch dissolves in laughter.