TIME ON HER HANDS

Submitted into Contest #234 in response to: Write a story about someone whose time is running out.... view prompt

27 comments

Funny Contemporary Fiction

***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 think about time…all the time, in fact. After all I am 78 years old!

No, it’s not that.

Then, what is it young man?

Well, I just happened to notice that you have a watch on each of your wrists. So, I’d like to know why you wear two watches?

Ah! You noticed. Yes, I guess most people would find that rather odd and think I’m obsessed with time. But if you look closely, you’ll notice that they are both smartwatches not regular watches.

Oh, I see. So you are obsessed with fitness then. We have that in common.

No, we have nothing in common, young man. I’m old and you’re young. I’m female and you’re male. You have all the time in the world, but I don’t. But above all, I’m not obsessed with anything, especially fitness and technology. 

I’m sorry. Can we start again please? May I return to my original question and ask why you are wearing two smartwatches?

Now that’s not exactly the same question, is it? Oh, never mind. I’m just being a pedantic, crochety old school-teacher, but my mind flits from thought to thought faster than milliseconds on a clock. After all, my time is running out and you’re using up some of the little I have left. Now, what was your original question again? 

Well, my original question was whether you are obsessed with time.

Ah, that’s right. I remember now. You’re an inquisitive one, aren’t you? Are you a reporter or something? 

Well, I have thought about becoming a journalist but…

Journalism eh? You know, that was my second choice if I couldn’t become an airline hostess. My father talked me out of being an airline hostess saying I’d be nothing but a high-flying waitress…

So why didn’t you become a journalist instead?

Again, my father convinced me I didn’t have what it takes to be a writer. He said I’d be better off teaching others how to write. You know that old saying?

What saying is that?

Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. So I became a teacher. 

That’s interesting. It actually brings up another question.

But I don’t think I answered your first question yet…did I? Well you better ask this one before YOU forget it. After all, memory is fleeting and fragile. Believe me, I know. So what’s this question now?

I’m thinking, if you could turn back time, would you? And where would you go back to?

That’s two questions, young man. But quite frankly, I wouldn’t want to turn back time.

You wouldn’t?

No, I wouldn’t. But that said, there is one past event I’d like to revisit and change what happened.

And that event is?

A recurring event in the last couple of months before my mother passed away from cancer. She was the same age I am now. That’s scary, come to think of it. But anyway, mom would sit up in her room watching her beloved old musicals, and when I’d bring her a cuppa, she’d ask me to stay and watch with her.

And did you?

Just about never. For one thing, I’d seen most of them before. But secondly, I didn’t have time. I was so involved in Facebook, my websites, my blogs, my adult daughters’ dramas and traumas that I’d stay for 5 minutes then tell her I had to get back to “work”. Thing is I’d already retired and she knew that. Nonetheless, she’d look at me with her rheumy, ravaged eyes, smile and say “That’s okay, love. I understand. Your work is important.” The stupid part is none of it was work, and none of it was more important than spending some time with my dying mother.

You regret that, don’t you? 

You’re damn right I do! And now I am at that same point in my life and guess what? My girls haven’t got time for me either… well, not as much as I’d like, of course. But I get it: they’re busy with their own lives. I often wonder if they too will one day wish they’d given me more time.

You’re guilt-tripping me a bit, you know. I love my folks but if I’m honest, I don’t give them much of my time either. Let me ask you this then: if you could stop time, would you?

Another question? You’re wearing me out, young man, but I’ll answer this one before I forget what you asked. If I could stop time, I would. Right now!

Now? Why now? 

Easy Sherlock. If I could stop time now, even with all my aches and pains, while my brain is still working, I could finally do what I’ve always wanted to do but never found time for.

And that is? 

Why write, of course! Doesn’t everybody say at some point that they hope to one day write a book? For me, that time is now! Now is the perfect age to do it: I’ve had tons of experiences, met hundreds of people, had more than my share of the good, the bad and the ugly… in other words, plenty of material for a novel or a memoir or something. You see, while I had my career, my marriage, my children, and in my later years, my parents to look after, I had no time to write. Now I have the motivation, the desire, the knowledge. But, I’m running out of time! And quite frankly, while we’re standing here talking about it, we’re using up what little time I have left. So are we done?

Oh, I’m sorry. I guess so. But…is that why you wear a smart watch on each wrist…so you can keep track of time?

That, my dear Watson, is too complicated an explanation. It’s really very simple. As you’ll find out one day if you have to get rid of your parents’ stuff, we oldies hate throwing anything out, especially if it still works. So when my kids gave me an iWatch for Christmas, what was I supposed to do with a perfectly good Fitbit? I couldn’t just throw it out. So I wear them both! 

Wow…that would make a good story!

Yep! And guess what, Sonny? I think we just wrote that story together. Let’s title it “Time on her hands”.

January 26, 2024 00:52

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27 comments

Paul Simpkin
15:09 Apr 16, 2024

Nice story. Enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised by the ending.

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Viga Boland
16:56 Apr 16, 2024

Thanks Paul. Will be over to read your latest as soon as I find some time 😉

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Paul Simpkin
06:44 Apr 17, 2024

Thanks. I am catching up on some of your older stories and am impressed by the range of your writing.

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Viga Boland
12:31 Apr 17, 2024

Well thank you very much. It’s interesting now, at 78, to look back and discover just how much I have written. I’ve surprised myself 😂

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Irene Duchess
02:28 Mar 14, 2024

Time... time... time... there never seems to be enough. There's plenty of it... except it's all behind you 😂. Well written. Thanks for sharing. :)

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Viga Boland
22:23 Mar 14, 2024

Thanks for reading another of my very short dialogues Irene. I don’t know how so many on here write so many very long stories. I just don’t have it in me. I guess I’m just not as good a writer as so many on here are. You all put me to shame 🤪

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Irene Duchess
00:27 Mar 15, 2024

Short and sweet, Viga, short and sweet. Mine aren't all that long either. I must say I highly disagree with those last two sentences.... and I think a lot of other writers would agree with that.... you're a fantastic writer. You're probably one of (if not) my favorite writers on Reedsy. :D

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Viga Boland
14:37 Mar 15, 2024

Aw shucks! You just made my day. I’m glad I checked out your response here as it made me re-read what I wrote above. Ay yay yay…the typos! Can’t believe it. Must go in and correct that now!

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Caleb Cave
06:14 Feb 03, 2024

Makes me want to spend more time with my parents. Its not something people think about all the time but we should spend as much time as we can with loved ones.

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Viga Boland
18:57 Feb 03, 2024

That was part of my intention in writing this little piece. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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Alexis Araneta
15:29 Jan 31, 2024

Welcome back !!! I really liked the dialogue on this. Brilliant !

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Viga Boland
15:33 Jan 31, 2024

Thanks Stella. Much appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.

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Wally Schmidt
06:06 Jan 30, 2024

Viga welcome back! It feels like a celebration🎉 to have another of your stories in the Reedsy channel. There is a lovely back and forth between the elder woman and the young man. This brought back a memory of a colleage walking into the conference room early one morning. Looking at his fitbit he announced 'I did 12,043 steps this morning'. "Oh lord," I replied. "We really have nothing in common," Although he was crushed I added that I hoped he would say good morning the next time before he told me how many steps he had taken. And while yo...

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Viga Boland
15:30 Jan 30, 2024

Thanks WALLY for the welcome back and feedback. I’m glad the story prompted a recollection for you. I can’t promise I’ll be back with another story for next week. Prompts aren’t triggering any bright or new ideas. Just going to ease my way back in and write when a prompt really moves me. Have a personal “old age” idea I’m pursuing now…a project between hubby and me. Perhaps one last “creation” between a talented photographer (hubby) and a former poet (me). I really prefer short, tight writing where every word matters to rambling stories. Pi...

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Wally Schmidt
03:14 Jan 31, 2024

Your new project sounds intriguing! I suppose you could share your poetry on Reedsy and just not enter it in the competition? Love to hear more about this project and learn more about your husband's photography. Are these b&w, color, nature, portraits etc. So many possibilities to marry great photos and poetry. You know how to contact me if you care to share more details. I am a little more than half way through a book about WW2 so decided to boot myself off Reedsy and concentrate my full writing attention on that. It is inspired by the las...

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Viga Boland
15:41 Jan 31, 2024

Now yours sounds like a truly exciting project. Although I hated history in high school, I’ve finally “matured” and enjoy good historical fiction. Am reading one now. As for my project with my hubby, it’s something I discussed with him decades ago, but somehow never got around to it. He has been a professional photographer, most of his life. His photos are absolutely outstanding. Some have inspired my poetry over the years. Others simply suit many of my poems that I wrote decades ago. Incredible to me is that a few even won awards, includin...

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Aidan Romo
17:53 Jan 29, 2024

This was a simplistic yet touching and poignant story about the nature of us never truly feeling the weight of how much time we have until it's too late. I know people like our good storyteller here who spent a good portion of their time on pleasantries who then later would regret doing so in favor of spending time with loved ones or going to certain things with friends. I found this story to be incredibly resonant with me, as I oftentimes struggle with some of the same things that this exchange brings up in my ambitious desire to be an auth...

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Viga Boland
19:06 Jan 29, 2024

Hello Aidan I don’t know how you discovered my latest offering, written after such a long hiatus from Reedsy, especially since your own preferred form of writing is vastly different from mine. But I truly appreciate you taking the time out to comment and make your observations. Just so you know, this little story is written more, in hindsight than in foresight. As you can see from my page, there are quite a few selections on there from prior to my departure half year ago… which only happened because my husband and I were planning to downsi...

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Michał Przywara
21:41 Jan 26, 2024

So nice to see another story from you :) And I do love me a good meditation on mortality. We don't like to think about it, but time's running out for all of us, all the time. But that does give us all common ground, doesn't it? The young guy in the story even makes this realization, when he feels guilt about his own folks. And stopping time would be lovely, wouldn't it? There's never enough time for everything. Except, I wonder… if we could stop time, we'd probably still find a way to still never have time for everything :) I also love...

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Viga Boland
03:13 Jan 27, 2024

Thanks for reading Michael. It’s no masterpiece but I enjoyed creating the old lady with “time on her hands” while no doubt sensing her time running out.

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Michelle Oliver
07:46 Jan 26, 2024

Yay, hello Viga! Welcome back. What a lovely dialogue story hitting so many prompts this week. I enjoyed the interaction between experience (I hesitate to say old) and shall we say the less experienced. A good sense of voice with each speaker and enough mystery to keep us wondering. The reason for two watches is precious because it so accurately sums up the generation gap. Why throw away something that works. Your reflection of the mother child relationship, both with the narrator’s own mother and also her child is powerful. We are all guilt...

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Viga Boland
14:19 Jan 26, 2024

Thanks for the welcome back and the feedback Michelle. You picked up on what I was trying to say perfectly. Yes, I feel strongly about how we so easily forget the days are numbered for the elderly and suddenly, poof, it’s too late. As for the watch on each wrist, that’s me right now LOL. I get a charge out of the look I get from those who notice but hesitate to ask why. Anyway, hoping to find more prompts that tickle my fancy in coming months. And of course, to find time to catch up with others’ stories on Reedsy, starting with yours!

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Mary Bendickson
02:05 Jan 26, 2024

Yes! Yay! So good to see you back. Was thinking about you lately. And voila! Thought these prompts would be just your cup o' tea. I like them, too. Unfortunately here it is late Thursday and I am still thrashing about for direction. Perhaps too many to choose from. Like how you managed to work so many of them into your creation. That's exactly part of the problem. I have been reading such excellent ones, ones I wish I had done, I think anything I put out at this point would be a donation anyway. Lots of winners. Glad to see you back even if...

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Viga Boland
03:27 Jan 26, 2024

Thanks, Mary. It’s nice to be back and I hope I’ll be able to do more. I’ve got several projects of other kinds on my mind right now, so I don’t know how often I’ll be in posting a story. It all depends on the prompts and whether they talk to me. Unfortunately, my health continues to be very up-and-down and some days I haven’t got the energy to even get out of bed. Doesn’t help the old grey matter when i’m only getting 4 to 5 hours sleep at night, followed by three hours of pain till I get up. But I’m trying to stay positive. As for you ...

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Mary Bendickson
16:08 Jan 26, 2024

Really considering taking some time to follow up on other things,too. Just a few more weeks and I will have put in a story every week for a year. God bless.

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Viga Boland
19:48 Jan 26, 2024

When we were considering downsizing, I came across a huge box of my scribblings from the decades between my 20s and 30s… the days BC… Before Children 😂 The box included tons of poetry I used to write some of which actually won contests and many of which were published in what is known as “little magazines”. It was quite a trip going through this old stuff and I surprised myself with just how good it was. I have no idea when I stopped writing poetry, and I don’t know whether I could ever write the kind of stuff I wrote then. But I thought ma...

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Mary Bendickson
21:33 Jan 26, 2024

Very meaningful legacy.

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