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Viga Boland

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2022

Stories (28)
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138 Followers
156 Following

28 Stories

1688 karma pts

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NAMELESS

Submitted to Contest #290

***mild suggestion of child abuse*** Grazyna wandered down the deserted street. There were no children around. It was too early yet, she decided, for the Australian mums to let their children play outside after school and most Australian fathers were probably still at work. In Grazyna’s case, neither parent was at home. Amongst other names her Australian classmates called her, they dubbed her that foreign “latch-key kid”, and their mums were reluctant to let their darlings play with her. After all, you never knew about these European im...

24 likes 26 comments 26
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AFTER THE STORM

Submitted to Contest #288

The conference had been a resounding success for everyone… everyone but me. I should’ve listened to that little voice inside that questioned why I was being given a beautiful suite to myself for the weekend.“But I’ve always had to share on these conference weekends,” I said to Yvette, the State manager. “Is Stella getting her own suite too?” Stella was the regional manager for the southern part of the state while I handled the North.“No,” Yvette replied with a slight quaver in her voice. “She and I will share my suite this time. We still hav...

34 likes 37 comments 37
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Midnight Call

Submitted to Contest #284

The call came a little after midnight. Alana grabbed the phone on the first ring. Her mother was a light sleeper and needed her rest. “Oh good! You’re still up,” Moira chirped. “Are you still available for that Hong Kong gig?” Alana’s heart started racing. Was Moira about to answer her prayers? “Of course!” She replied, a little breathless from the pounding and hope in her heart. “Well you’ve got it kid, provided you can get everything you need packed in a hurry. You’ll have to get yourself to the airport by this Friday.” “Oh my God!” Alana ...

40 likes 40 comments 40
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Liar, Liar

Submitted to Contest #281

<only mild suggestion of childhood mental abuse>I watch her now as she carefully lowers herself into what she hopes will be a comfortable chair for at least half an hour. Only I notice the wince that escapes her lips before she plasters on her best smile for the family. It’s Christmas. Only tidings of comfort and joy today, please and thank you.“Are you ok, Grandma?” 12-year-old Emily asks. “Would you like a cushion for your back?”She shoos Emily away gently with assurances she is fine. Liar, liar, pants on fire! That’s what I use...

18 likes 16 comments 16
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TALK FOR TWO

Submitted to Contest #280

<The Banters are back! We hope you’ve missed their silly bantering. They’ve been gone a long while but they couldn’t resist a dialogue-only prompt…their favorite writing style! Enjoy!>Matthew, do you think I’m frumpy?Do I think you’re grumpy, Martha? Sure, sometimes…No, Matthew. I asked if you think I’m frumpy. FR not GR! Geez, I swear that new hearing aid we got you is no better than the previous one, and this one cost a fortune.I can’t help it Martha if they don’t make hearing aids that are perfect for my ears! You speak so fast and ...

25 likes 26 comments 26
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PARADISE LOST or FOUND?

Submitted to Contest #248

That went well. Don’t you agree? I do. So simple. Quick. Painless. Good for you. You certainly made the right decision.  Yes, I know I did, although it wasn’t easy. The children fought with me for months before they finally accepted that I’d made up my mind…as I’ve done all my life. I understood their viewpoint but this time, I had to do what was right for me, even if it hurt them. I wish I had done likewise. Instead, I let mine convince me to do this or try that. They talked about the benefits of one option over another and even they c...

26 likes 38 comments 38
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BROMO ECLIPSE

Submitted to Contest #245

**The Banters are back and Martha’s not happy about that eclipse!**Martha, is something wrong? You seem really out of it tonight. Did I upset you in some way that I don’t know about?No, Matthew. It’s not you…Phew. Glad to hear that. It usually is me. Well, since I’m lousy at reading minds, especially yours, what’s up?Oh I’m just BROMO today.BROMO? You need a Bromo? I’m not sure we have any. Want me to check?No Matthew. You’re thinking of Bromo Seltzer and it hasn’t been available in the US since 1975 because one of the ingredients was consid...

21 likes 26 comments 26
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TOTAL ECLIPSE of MY HEART

Submitted to Contest #245

**possible sensitive content: sudden, unexpected death of an adult child**Dear Nancy,As I sit here lost in thought on the eve of the total eclipse of the sun, I’m trying to think about something funny or witty about tomorrow’s big event, but nothing is coming to me. There’s just nothing funny on my mind right now.So I turn to poetry instead. I write a catchy line about the sunset cremating the sky over the ocean at Pescadero. I saw that “cremation” decades ago when death was the furthest thing from my much younger mind. And then your email a...

21 likes 26 comments 26
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BANTER BLOOPERS

Submitted to Contest #244

Matthew, do you recognize this photo?Should I?Yes. After all, you took it!I didn’t take that! Why would I take a photo of what looks like a small bowl of half-eaten raspberry jello?Because you often take photos of food or other things I’ve never thought worth the effort. I’ve always found that a tad weird. Oh I know. I know. Don’t say it. You’re a photographer and see photos where others, like me, just see objects. But that said, how do you know it’s raspberry if you don’t even remember taking it? Like, maybe it’s strawberry jello?Well, what...

26 likes 16 comments 16
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Wandering Weird Loo-vres

Submitted to Contest #242

***The Banters have finally been prompted to bicker-banter again as they move toward their goal of getting enough banters together for a little book. Inspiration sure takes its time striking these days LOL.*** Hey Matthew. You won't believe this! What wouldn’t I believe? Well, this just seems so ridiculous. Like, how do people get locked in museums overnight? Um…they were taking a dump in the washroom when the museum closed? Oh, aren’t you the clever one? Now, how did you figure that out? That, apparently, is one of the most common reasons....

23 likes 24 comments 24
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A BAD CASE OF APOSIOPESIS

Submitted to Contest #238

What’s more confusing than Abbott and Costello with “Who’s on first.”? The Banters of course, especially when Martha comes down with a bad case of APOSIOPESIS! Matthew! It’s happened again!What’s happened again?I’m…er…stuck.Stuck? Stuck where? In traffic?In my…ah…In your car? In a …Bar?No…I can’t say it!Say what?What I’m trying to say.What are you trying to say?I don’t…um…For heavens sake, spit it out woman. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?I wish…I wish…Wish what? I wish I had more…um…more…Money? We don’t need more money.No,...

25 likes 38 comments 38
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TIME ON HER HANDS

Submitted to Contest #234

***After 8 months hiatus from writing, 3 of the 5 prompts brought me back to Reedsy. Yay!*** ‘Scuse me ma’am. Would you mind if I ask you one simple question? Well, that depends on the question, doesn’t it? If I give you an answer, then I guess I don’t mind, but I don’t have a lot of time, young man. So what is your question? Well, actually, “time” is exactly what I wanted to ask you about. I just wondered if you’re obsessed with time? Now, why would you ask me that? Because I have so many wrinkles and grey hair? Of course I thi...

17 likes 27 comments 27
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THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

Submitted to Contest #201

The sweet, little grey-haired lady reminds me of my Grandma as she smiles up at me while I sign her program. “I remember you when you were first starting out,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. “Ginny said I just had to come to see you perform at the Springbrook Bandshell because you were releasing your first CD and all your classmates were coming out to support you. You remember Ginny, don’t you?” I’m trying to conjure up a picture of Ginny, but after all, that was over 20 years, scores of shows, and hundreds of people ago if you incl...

20 likes 18 comments 18
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Molestation Magnet

Submitted to Contest #200

**please note story begins in 1953. Molestation and rape mentioned.** When the first of the molestations begins, I am 7 years old. I attend St. Vincent’s Catholic School. The school is located a few miles from the now infamous Kings Cross, a part of downtown Sydney, Australia. My molester is a 13-year-old student in Grade 6…a girl. Because I’m new at the school and think my classmates might not like me, I hide in the shadows of the building. She spots me there. She smiles at me and comes over. “Why aren’t you playing with anyone?” She ...

23 likes 39 comments 39
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AN INCOMPARABLE MENTOR

Submitted to Contest #198

**small mention of physical abuse**So, here we are…a gaggle of gushing old geese fibbing to each other about how fabulous we all look, and how we haven’t changed in 50 years. As if! Okay. Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but I know what I see every morning when I look in the mirror: that reflection speaks a truth this reunion of excited, twittering ladies doesn’t. Oh, I know, I know! I need to be less critical of both them and myself. I’m such an old grouch these days it’s a wonder I get any compliments from anyone, anywhere, anytime. I need t...

22 likes 27 comments 27
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