Just The Help

/ January 11, 2016

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly blog link-up led by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields at Addicted to Purple. The Challenge – write a one hundred word (plus or minus) story with a beginning, middle, and end inspired by the picture*. The Key – make every word count.

*Image © Me 🙂

melanie-greenwood

Just The Help

“I’ll take your bag, Miss,” said Lamier, a long-time FBO valet.

“Cathy. And no, Lamier,” Cathy replied. “Mrs. MacDoogle wouldn’t stand for that.” Though she had only worked for this tycoonness for a few weeks, Cathy knew not to accept the services meant for the owners.

“She’s in the lounge, Cathy. Out of sight. I’ll take it.”

“No, really. I’m just the help.”

“Never say just,” Lamier said. “We’re more than that.” He took Cathy’s bag into the Citation III.

After twenty years as an assistant to the wealthy, Cathy had never before considered the injustice of the word just.

*****

100 words. Feedback is appreciated. Click below to read other creative contributions to this week’s Friday Fictioneers photo prompt.

I took the whole month of December off, and then another week for good measure. The extra week wasn’t planned, but it was one of those weeks at work that didn’t leave any leftover brain power for creative composition. I hope you had wonderful holidays and this year brings you joy and creativity.

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16 thoughts on “Just The Help”

  1. Hope you had a good month off. Always healthy to step away a bit. By the way, I’m not sure if it was from you or not, but if you were the Melanie who left the nice review of “Eating Bull” on Amazon, thank you so much!

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    • I’ve taken a break in December the last few years. It always does me good.
      Yes, I am that Melanie. I’m glad it stuck. I was worried it would get kicked out with all that talk about social media connections and reviews on Amazon.

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      • Well, I really appreciate it. It’s weird–they tell authors to make online connections and then they turn around and tell us we have to be careful about reviewing books by online contacts. I still review books by people I’ve met online. I review every book I write, so it’s not fair I review Stephen King’s book and not that of an indie author. 🙂

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    • Thanks Amy. And thanks for telling me you missed me. I honestly thought no one noticed.

      P.S. I adore your picture for this week’s prompt. I can’t wait to see what I can do with it.

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  5. I make it a point to acknowledge those who perform jobs some consider menial (janitorial, etc.). Too often, they are underappreciated, underpaid, and looked down upon.
    I remember the joke about the body organs arguing about who was the most important. It didn’t take long for them to change their perspective once the rectum decided to shut down.

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    • I do the same thing. If I can make someone feels not invisible even for just a moment, then I feel like I have done something good.
      Oh my goodness, that joke! I haven’t heard that one. Too funny!

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    • Thanks! I stopped using “just” after an episode of Friends oh-so-many years ago. Ross was making a pro’s and con’s list of the two women he was dating and labeled Rachel as “just a waitress” and I remember being so offended at that.

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There you have it. Your turn.