Thank you to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields who hosts Friday Fictioneers. Each week Rochelle chooses a photo prompt to inspire writers to produce a 100 word piece of flash fiction. Do use the link to her blog if you are interested in joining the group. It’s a great way to get involved in writing. Please note the word limit, though! No more than 100. Believe me, sticking to it is great exercise for the creative brain!
PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
An unpalatable act
The Canada Dry bottles on the counter took me straight back to my childhood. My grandmother sold those drinks in the café she ran at a golf course.
The golfers filled her tables and their appreciative comments rang in the air. They loved the sponge cakes and apple pies she baked for them and always came back for more.
The café thrived for many years until the owner decided to replace my grandmother with vending machines. The loss of the business, social life and income diminished her. She quickly became tired and old.
Within 6 months, the café had closed.
Edith M. Field 
Brilliant, and a great title also!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response. I’m glad you liked the story. I’m especially glad you liked the title. I think that, sometimes, they are overlooked. Not in your case, though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Progress … not
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly so! Thank you for your comment.
LikeLike
So sad. I’ve seen people just wither away and die after such things happen. You’ve captured it well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. It’s such a pity when someone has a ‘bright idea’ and implements it without doing a proper analysis of what is actually happening in a particular situation. As you have observed, it can have a destructive and tragic impact.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed, it can.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really dislike vending machines, your story really brings home the human cost of them
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand your dislike of them. Awful things! I can’t bring myself to use them. Thank you for your response.
LikeLike
Excellent piece. I’m glad the cafe got what it deserved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I’m pleased that you liked the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Real food for processed food. 😦
Good story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response. I’m glad you liked the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That cafe got its just desserts. Very good story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A fitting comment! Thank you.
LikeLike
This reads partly like memoir. I wonder if it is partly true. Nice, but sad story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response. This story is about my grandmother, is completely true and fills me with sadness, even now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant! What a comment that a machine cannot replace people! Love that she declined and the business declined too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response. I’m glad you enjoyed the story so much.
LikeLike
I know people like the Grandma – it’s a cruel thing to be replaced so easily. That Cafe got exactly what it deserved. :o) Loved the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so right! It’s very tough for any person to be set aside in this way. Thank you for your comment. I’m really pleased that you loved the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The life force of the cafe was the grandmother. Without her, it died. I sold my thriving bistro a few years ago. It upset me to see all my hard work wasted by the new owners. It too lasted six months.
Click to read my Friday Fiction
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your comment touched my heart. You understand my grandmother’s input into the café so well and have a strong empathy with her feelings when she witnessed the dismantling of all her efforts. I’m so sorry to learn that you had a similar experience with your bistro.
LikeLike
Very atmospheric. The end made me scream, “What happened to grandma?”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your comment and your question. Grandma had the loving support of her family but she felt she had lost her independence and her ‘joie de vivre’. She found her life lacked purpose and she didn’t have the energy or enthusiasm to replace the café with another venture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one brought back wonderful memories for me. My grandmother really did have a cafe–Millie’s Diner–in western Minnesota. The truckers and policemen came early for her homemade cinnamon rolls. Her recipe has lived in our family for what is now the fourth generation. She never had any leftover rolls –and they couldn’t be replaced by a vending machine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response. I was very interested to read about your grandmother’s café. Thank you for sharing the details. My grandmother really did have a café too! I wrote a true story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Replacing the human element invariably leads to disaster but we still don’t seem to learn. Very well told tale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your very perceptive comment. I appreciate your response.
LikeLike