Frank had his routine. Saturday morning, it was always golf, followed by bacon and eggs. Betty would’ve liked to switch things round a bit. Go to a cafe. But no! Nobody changed, challenged or questioned Frank’s sacred routine. It wasn’t written down, but imprinted in his DNA.
At precisely 11.12 AM Frank walked in the door, pulled out the Financial Review and poured his Twining’s English Breakfast Tea.
“There’s a hole in my bread.”
Clearly, Frank had failed the Rorschach Test.
“It’s my heart,” Joan replied. “It’s empty”.
Frank’s eyes almost popped out of his head. Joan had been to Agent Provocateur.
……..
This has been another contribution for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle Wishoff-Fields. PHOTO PROMPT © Kelvin M. Knight.
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning.
Agent Provocateur is a very expensive brand of lingerie.
xx Rowena
Beyond the Flow 
Well, if that doesn’t work for Frank, I’m not sure what else there is for her to try next! 🙂
Well, looks like Frank better be ready for something other than golf this morning… Well done!
Well, way to go…hope that gets his attention. Nice one, Ro.
I know what a Rorschach test is, but thanks for letting us know about Agent Provocateur. I think Frank’s schedule is about to be rewritten.
I think he’s going to need a good breakfast for what the day holds for him.
Unless he’s dead, that should get his motor running smoothly 🙂
You can only hope so!
Sandra, That really gave me a good hearty laugh…just what I needed after breakfast! Well, we have a couple of pups running around here so the atmosphere is pretty light anyway, but I always enjoy a laugh!
xx Rowena
Perhaps, it’s a sad reflection on my own state of mind that I had to Google “expensive lingerie”.
I always try to footnote bits in my flash fiction which might not make sense to every reader. That comes from being Australian and wanting to write as an Australian with all that entails to a largely overseas audience. Flash is also such a short medium that you don’t have the word length to fill the reader in as you go and I don’t want my efforts to become too cryptic and readers feeling they need to swallow the dictionary to understand my work. Yet, at the same time, I feel a big component of writing these, is being very clever. I never just dash something off and post it. They usually take me about 1-2 hours. How about you, James? Do any of that resonate?
Hope you have a great week.
xx Rowena
You’ve got to hope so, Van. I didn’t think of this before I wrote it as this piece ended up quite different to what I’d intended. However, as it stands, it reminds me of the bedroom scene with Jamie Lee Curtis and John Cleese in “A Fish Called Wanda”. Have you seen that? It was hilarious. I think John Cleese was even wearing black socks in bed from memory, which seemed very funny at the time, but now I’ve matured, oh too familiar.
xx Ro
Thanks very much, Miles. Let’s see how flexible Franks can become, but he might need some Viagra for that.
There’s always the milkman, but she might need a time machine to find one of those these days!
Hi Rowena.
Depends, 30 to 60 minutes give or take editing. I suppose my flash fiction would be better if I put more time into it, but often I don’t have much time. Today, I managed to get out my piece before leaving for work.
As far as references, I sometimes put links in the body of the story that leads to more information about what I’m writing about as well as in the blockquote section afterward.
I know the contributors from the UK, India, and elsewhere do something similar to you, which is wonderful as it helps me understand other nations and cultures I haven’t experienced. That’s one of the things I like about these “challenges,” the ability to communicate with people all over the world.
Yep. I remember the movie, and those sexy black socks…lol.
I admire her patience and creativity. 😀 Frank does look like a tough partner,a tad bit insensitive.
I loved ‘ Its my heart’ Joan replied. ‘ It’s empty’ and how you used humour to portray her truth .
Great story , Rowena .
Ah! I hope Betty gets what she deserves – hope she used Frank’s credit card when she went to Agent… 🙂
Well, he wasn’t expecting that over his Financial Review! Good for her. I wonder if it will work? Nicely done
How sad that Joan had become just another element of Frank’s routine. It doesn’t sound as though she intends to let it stay that way!
What came through to me was that she never gave up on him (or them). It’s pretty easy for both partners to get settled into their routines as years go by. You did a great job displaying her emotions with the empty heart while adding a splash of hope with the negligee. Great use of humor too. My hat’s off to you. Five stars for this one.
That was unexpected and fun! 😀
Nice take on the prompt. I like her spunk.
Sometimes a man stuck in his own routine needs a bit of a jump start.
sometimes it’s hard to spot an empty heart.
good piece, Randy
I think Frank is going to have to get his own tea and make his own breakfast very soon. Nice one.
Ah. Wonder if there’s a new morning routine from the next Saturday…. 😀
That was fun. I like how Joan doesn’t give up on him, and the humour.
Thanks for the Cliff notes at the bottom. I was just about to google Agent Provocateur. I hope she was able to knock him out of his rut. 🙂
Mine is at http://www.aliceaudrey.com/?p=15199
It takes a big gesture to lure him away from his daily routine. And I’m sure he won’t regret it!
His just got disrupted!
Hope he got jolted enough!