Jeannie Labelle Potvin

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (28)

28 Stories

435 karma pts

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“Like A Bird On A Wire.” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

“Liar, liar pants on fire hanging by a telephone wire, while you’re there, cut your hair and stick it down your underwear.” A dozen children surrounded Lyle, relentless shouting out their accusation.By the time the recess bell sounded, the circle had tightened, and the chant, repeated endlessly, had taken on distinctly vicious overtones.Lyle sat huddled in the centre of the circle, head stuck between his knees, arms crossed over to protect himself from the onslaught.As the bell continued to ring, a te...

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“Truth or Dare?” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

As We Speak the Truth.“Raise your right hand and repeat after me.”“I, Wilfred McNab do solemnly affirm that the evidence to be given by me shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Wilfred looked nervously around the courtroom. He’d been in jail several times in his life and the prospect of returning was not one he relished.His big dilemma about taking the required oath was whether to tell the truth, or slightly bend the e...

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“"My Eyes Are Dim"” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

“My eyes are dim, I cannot see,I have not brought my specs with me.”From the Quartermaster’s Store.“There were foxes - stuffed in little boxes.”From the Quartermaster's Store.Jane died two months before Ginny was born. The awakening for Ginny was traumatic.For Jane, it was also somewhat of a shock. Her massive heart attack dropped her to the ground and the last thing she remembered was talk...

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“Ain't No Mountain High Enough” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

“I’m never going out with you again!”The words echoed through Ginny’s skull. She’d heard them a few times throughout the seven decades of her life.Sometimes the words went in one ear and straight out the other, a direct line so to speak.Sometimes they got trapped in the sticky cells of her brain and then trouble began.The words would change from a simple interpretation to one that left Ginny sobbing in a corner ready to throw in the towel. Many had tried to control her over the years.She had ...

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“The Jablonsky Family” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

This story is taken from a manuscript in progress:FAMILY SECRETS/Breaking the Code of Silence. “A Family Secret is a secret kept within a family. Most families have them, the nature and importance vary. They can relate to taboo topics, such as alcoholism, rape, etc."Kathy desperately longed to find release from her anger and resentment. She struggled daily, praying for signs from her Higher Power. She humbly begged God to remove all ...

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“Only Women Bleed” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

This story is taken from a manuscript in progress:FAMILY SECRETS/Breaking the Code of Silence“A Family Secret is a secret kept within a family. Most families have them, the nature and importance vary."Ginny felt the layers of domesticity slip away from her shoulders like leaves on a tree in the face of winter's first blistering blast of arctic fury .“Only women bleed”.Not true she thought, as the ruby red water ran down her hands and splashe...

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“Fat Chance at the Passport Office” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

Ginny’s inner compass was usually impeccable. Her sense of direction and her body’s natural attunement to the magnetic call of the North, rendered her quite steadfast. For the most part, she was relentlessly dogged in her pursuit of moral high ground.Occasionally she floundered and found herself mired in a swamp of moral dilemmas.Though her wants and needs were relatively simple, she often became confused about where the line was drawn.What she ‘wanted’, often boiled down to an acceptance of unde...

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“Fat Chance at the YMCA” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

Ginny stood in front of the ceiling to floor mirror. She had just finished her shower and was about to proceed to her locker in the YMCA, where she would dress, collect her belongings and begin her day in the outside world.She had recently made a decision to work on her self image, no small feat.The other task, which seemed herculean in the moment, was to tackle yet another attempt to render her rather large body down to a reduced state of being.Gi...

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“The Saga of Esther and Ginny” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

When Ginny was still relatively young, she went to live amongst the old people.This adventure began as one of necessity. The senior’s residence she chose was a public housing unit with rents that were within her limited budget.She was a little apprehensive about her decision, but decided to make the best of the situation and in her usual, extraverted gregariousness, set about making new friends.What she failed to factor into the equation was the snarkiness of some of her fellow inmates.Many of them h...

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“Fat Chance at Mickey D's” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

The day began like many others.As she headed off for her morning bath, the menu of choices before Ginny seemed endless; she yawned as she contemplated the day before her.Ginny's friend had phoned her earlier and suggested going out for breakfast.She accepted the invitation even though it included her friend's 6 year old grandson, a delightful child, keenly intelligent and always a source of entertainment.The boy's largest character defect in the moment was a certain limitation of scope. His tunnel vi...

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“ FAT CHANCE at the OK CORRAL (AKA The Classic Buffet)” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

Ginny wondered for a moment if she was having a stroke. Her ears began ringing, and she felt slightly dizzy. Worse still was that the array of desserts in front of her began to shimmer and waver. She almost expected them to disappear and so, tightly clutched the bowl of soft ice cream.She was willing to sacrifice the mint Nanaimo squares, peanut butter confetti bars and strawberry shortcake, but the ice cream was simply too important to let go.She clung tightly to the bowl and...

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“Fat Chance With Alicia” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

Recipe for an Interesting Relationship*Take two women (preferably one drunk, the other an ardent empath).*Add large doses of neediness and lack of self confidence.*Throw in several pinches of homophobia.*Stir with caution and at the end, toss in liberal amounts of a Secret Ingredient possessed by all great chefs.***************************************************************The night Ginny met Alicia marked the end of an age of innocence.At forty-nine Ginn...

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“Summer of '69” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

It was the summer of Nineteen Hundred and Sixty Nine. I had just turned twenty and decided it was time to attempt my first ‘blow job’.Calling me naive would’ve been something of an understatement.Don’t get me wrong, I was not entirely innocent about the magical world of sexuality, it was just that there were a few stumbling blocks in my way.My maternal grandfather was high on the list of obstacles that interfered with my education. He possessed formidable powers and did his b...

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“Daddy Dearest” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

 FAT CHANCE WITH MY DADRivers and roads.Lines drawn by water, lines drawn by the hand of man.The stories of our lives unfold along these winding paths.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Imagine a line of men. The best of the best. Men who stood out amongst men. Men who were sought after and longed for. Imagine them standing in a line that stretched to the horizon.  ...

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“I Hear You Knocking” by Jeannie Labelle Potvin

“Opportunity knocked. She was too busy changing diapers, sweeping crap off the floor, chasing children, dogs, useless men.She heard the banging but was just too exhausted to answer.”Anonymous. “Opportunity knocked.She opened the door and said, “Go away, I’m too busy.”Essie Coleman.“Opportunity knocked.

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