Many thanks to the wonderful Rochelle for herding us cats on Friday Fictioneers. We write micro-stories inspired by a new photo each week, provided by very creative and imaginative compatriots. Here is the photo and my story for this week.

Genre: Satirical Epistolary Fiction
Wordcount: 100
Dear Mr. Bill,
Back in 1969, you agreed to our soul safekeeping if you got lucky with one Fancy Fox.
Enclosed herewith please find your damned, odoriferous, devil-moth eaten, blackened, rotten soul.
Our Diabolical Board of Demons directed soul safekeeping be returned to original owners since repossession is inevitable.
Due to Texas PowerGrid uncertainties, the ravages of our dark virus experiment, and subsequent chip shortage, we are terminating soul safekeeping, forthwith.
Please store your stinking, grain alcohol-soaked spirit in a warm, damp, moldy place until we confirm by certification your final demise.
Insincerely,
Wormwood Chinaski,
Human Soul Safekeeping Division
Look both ways, keep smiling,
mind the gaps of the damned, and ride the soul train.

Now that has all the makings of a good conspiracy cult
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Thanks, Neil. I think I was cheated. 🙂
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Haha! Excellent word play, good sardonic stuff!
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Thank you, Ain.
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Dear Mr. Bill,
I’m glad I’d set my coffee aside when I read this for I most assuredly would have spewed on my keyboard. Well done, sir. Well done indeed. Nuff said.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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G’mornin,’ Dear Rochelle,
I’m chuffed that you liked it so much. Such is only possible with your careful prompting and guidance. I’m glad about the coffee too.
Peace,
Bill
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This was fun. These demons didn’t have to be so rude though. I bet they are just envious… 🙂
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I’m happy to see you liked it. 🙂
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Oh my goodness that was fun! You are quite diabolical, indeed!
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Thanks, Dale. I am cheerfully chuffed that you enjoyed my wee hours of the night inspiration.
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Another who uses chuffed! I use it all the time 😉 And yes, most enjoyable!
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Good mid-morning, Dale.
Yeppers. I picked it up watching the “The Great British Backing Show.” Also, noticed your use of it. 🙂 I just need to get my Brit accent down mo’ betta’.
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Good mid-morning to ya, Bill.
Ah hah! And I was wondering if I had used it on ya already 😉 My British accent is not all that wonderful, truth be told… 😀
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Oh, yes. Brit English is the only foreign language I have any hope of learning. Still, I sometimes need subtitles.
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Hahaha! And be careful because each area seems to have its own lingo! I watched Peaky “Fucking” Blinders with the subtitles because between the Irish guys and the Birmingham accent, I found myself backing up too often! Such a good show, though.
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Oh right. When I read Bill Bryson’s book, “Notes from a Small Island” I had a good laugh reading his description of talking to a Scot taxi driver. I’ve wondered about a Yank Midwesterner who moved to England and finds work as an editor in print media, then ends up a professor there. WFT?
I’ve not tried Peaky Blinders in a while. I love all those GB/Irish accents, even if I struggle understanding my own language.
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Holy moly! How ever did he manage that?
It’s so good. I love the accents, too. I remember watching a video on YouTube about all the different variations of the Scottish accent – who knew? Not I…
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Now you got me wanting to go there. 🙂
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‘Tis such a rabbit hole… 😉
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Yes, it is. And I have not one good excuse for not doing it. Maybe France, Belgium, Ireland, and England? Hmmm?
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With YouTube, the possibilities are endless!
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Oh, right, Dale. there is that. Virtual travel. 🙂
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Exackery… 😉
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Good morning, Dale. 🙂 Just up, so having morning coffee. Then walking. Then off to get new keyboard. November cometh soon. 🙂
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Good morning, Bill 🙂
Have run at 6 am, gotten to the office for 7:30 to let in the A/C guys and already looking forward to 16h00, since, coming in early by one hour my boss insisted I leave an hour earlier…
Happy keyboard shopping!
November cometh at full speed ahead! 😀
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Thanks, Dale.
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The images…. aaaargggjjjjj! Too intense for this gentle soul to consider. But, rest assured, my soul is in good keeping and will remain so long after I’ve shed this pain ridden existence. Great story.
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Thank you, Bear. I keep mine behind the water heater in the garage. 🙂
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Very good, I loved the imagery in this. Well done.
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Thank you, Mason.
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That really amazing, enjoyable.
Thankyou for sharing😃
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Glad you liked it, Deepak.
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My pleasure
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Goodness. I had to read it twice–more slowly the second time. This is really good writing, intriguing and–may I say–soul-stirring 🙂
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Thank you, Linda. I should never be taken too literally. 🙂 I like to write in that style. I’ve been called “sardonic.” Oh, dear.
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Sarcasm is an art 🙂
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😉
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Good one
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I got a kick out of this one, every bit of it, but my favorite part is the “inevitable repossession.” Stellar satire, Mr. Bill!
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Thank you, Lisa. Glad you liked it. And yes, that is an essential part of the story.
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You’re welcome.
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Hilarious. Like the reference to SNOVID.
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And to think, Texas has been the devil’s respository all these years . . . the lone soul state? big soul country? (OK, it’s 3:05 am and I’m not sure where my soul currently resides)
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There was a Soul Club in Dallas. 🙂 But they’re closed now.
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Aah.
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Blimey, they don’t mince their words, do they?!
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Well, Keith, that’s true. But consider the source. 🙂
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Their customer relations leave a lot to be desired!
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Right. Consider the source. 🙂
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You have convinced me that only pure souls are safe from these dark collectors.
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🙂
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Oh my that was good, glowed like the river styx, absolutely spot on bang on.
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Thank you for such praise. 🙂
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Fun, nice one! I’m not sure I’ve seen that genre before – “Satirical Epistolary Fiction” 🙂
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“Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis. Glad you liked it.
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on the brighter side, he’s got a slim chance of redemption. 🙂
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Rumor is they exchanged some terse emails.
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Diabolical story, Bill. Well told, and well thought out. After coming out of lockdown here in Sydney, I’m hearing quite a few people are reclaiming their souls from the capitalist beast after being in lockdown for four months. My husband went to the barber today and he’s usually employed someone and he’s looking to scaling back and just doing what he can instead of working so hard. People also working more from home.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Thank you, Rowena.
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That is so cheerful. How do I conatct these people? And Ms FoX/
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I believe Ms. Fox is now residing in the retirement home on Main Street. 🙂
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Diabolically clever, Bill. ;>)
pax,
dora
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Thank you.
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LOL. So … happy ending I guess? For someone? I like happy endings. I’m going to go with happy ending. Definitely made me grin.
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glad you liked it.
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Ooooo deliciously creepy! Beautifully done.
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Thank you 😊, Laurie.
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