Well, it was an easy mistake—I’d said a crystal ball, and he’d bought me a crystal bowl. But it made me angry anyhow, perhaps just needing someone to yell at.
“I can’t hardly tell the punters’ fortunes in a sugar bowl, can I?”
“Could you read tea leaves instead, spread them on the bottom?” His lowered head and moist eyes almost broke my heart.
The thing hefted heavy in my hand. He cowered. The rim flared blue, reflecting the sky. Yellows of the pine table lurked in the facets. And green. And red.
There’s magic everywhere when you look.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
From an angry reaction to a soft realisation of the beauty of the moment. A like the mood shift in this.
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Thanks, James
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I thought it was going to be a humorous conversation at first, but then it became something unique. Loved the ending.
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Thanks so much
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Dear Neil,
I love the last line. There is magic everywhere if we look, isn’t there?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle. I hoped it wasn’t too Disney
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Just because Disney says it doesn’t mean it’s not true!
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When Disney says it, it tends to be mawkish sentimentality. Hopefully, the narrator isn’t given to sentimentality
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Just asking, not arguing, but don’t you think that the main problem with Disney’s versions is not so much the sentimentality but the paucity of integrity both in the plot and the characterisation?
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I think those may be part of what I mean by sentimentality
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Nah… Just the right level of sappy… 😉
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Now that’s reassuring. Thanks, Dale
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I like the way you follow the narrator’s mood so flexibly. And, yes, there truly is magic everywhere when you look for it!
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Thanks, Penny
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Beauty softens the Beast 🙂
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Thanks, Linda
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Great that the visual effect calms him down. Funny and clever story.
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Thanks, Jilly. Perhaps she’s just seen a way to turn the bowl to her advantage
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Every time a wife sends her husband to the store for something is a roll of the dice. The invention of the cell phone has saved me from making more than one horrible mistake.
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Thanks for reading, James
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Great story. Imagine the portents!
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That may be exactly what she’s thinking. Thanks, Joshua
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Clever. Struck by her humility and grace.
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Thanks, Britt. She has multiple gifts
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Neil, I think we’ve all received gifts like this, where it can be difficult to find the words. Well done and I really like the last line.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Thanks, Rowena
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Loved the mix up and the resolution. Very nicely done Neil.
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Thanks, Iain. Upcyclers-R-us
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As you say Neil the magic is all around us – we just need to open our eyes.
I liked your take on the prompt.
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Thanks for reading, Mike
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Funny. Clever. True.
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Pleasing. Flattering. Thank you
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We had a similar reaction to prompt, but took it in very different directions! I love the ending to your story.
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Thanks, Clare. Yes, very different directions
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But is she now going to thump him with the bowl? A sweet distraction at the end, those colours shimmering. Lovely
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No, I think she’s found another plan. Thanks, Lynn
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My pleasure
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There’s a real poignancy in his lowered head. The hurt we can inflict on people when we thoughtlessly reject their gifts – you capture it really well in a single sentence. And the ending on such a positive note – loved it!
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Thanks. II’m glad you enjjoyed t
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I was expecting a bit of violence. Thanks for not delivering it. I’m glad she turned to the fascination of the colors.
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She’s worked out how to make money with the bowl
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I got that!
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Love how he softened up in the end… love the mistake of bowl and ball….
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Thanks, Bjorn
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I love that his anger turns to wonder and magic. We can find the good in unexpected situations.
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Thanks for reading and liking it
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Such a beautiful message in this piece.
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Thanks so much, Lisa
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I felt bad for him that he felt the need to duck… and then very happy that she managed to see the good in his “mistake”… There truly is magic everywhere you look…
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Yeah, I thought it was a mean thing for me to have written at him, but what can I do? You have to torture your characters
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This is true. And you did well!
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Thanks, Dale
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What a great way to end, truely there is magic everywhere if you look for it.
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Thanks so much
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The contrast is so vivid and stark, it stays with the reader for a long time. Lovely!
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Thanks so much. I’m glad you liked it
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A philosophy I’ve recently taken up–open my eyes to the beauty and magic around me. Love this story, Neil!
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Thanks so much, Jan
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How true. There is magic everywhere. I got the feeling the narrator had never realized that before. Great story.
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No, it was a revelation to her
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I’m glad it turned out OK. Reading tea leaves….the punters won’t know any better!
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I think he’s quite relieved too
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Rainbows are magical… that poor man. She sure has a temper
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But she’s easily distracted
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Surely, there is magic everywhere you look. Glad that she found some for herself and a way to read into people’s lives. She really loves that, I guess. 🙂
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She does
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There is indeed beauty in nearly everything if we take the time to look. If we do, it can change our perspectives. Very nice story! =)
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Thanks, Brenda
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That was lovely – a touch of magic changed her heart.
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Thanks. Liz
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Magic has always been Green, to me.
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That’s natural magic. Science magic is silver
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I loved the twists in this, and the message in the end. It gave me a chuckle and good feeling to read this 🙂
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Thanks, Cheney. I’m pleased by the chuckle
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I loved the last bit especially the connotations of ‘red’ – couldnt help wondering if it was blood followed by regret.
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Thanks, Dahlia. I didn’t see blood, but that would be an entirely reasonable reading
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Good Morning Neil,
This is my kind of story. It surprised me. You’re writing in this is touching though she’s angry at first. There’s beauty in everything if we open our hearts to see it.
Lovely words 😊
Isadora 😀
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Thanks so much, Isadora
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Loved the twist – twisted my emotions along with it!
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Thanks so much, Donna
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I’m not sure if improper enunciation or poor hearing was to blame for this misunderstanding. Beautiful to see the bowl does wield magic, but sad to see the lad cowering from its power.
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I think the lad is cowering from his mother’s fickle mood
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Ball and bowl… that was a smart way to begin!
Well written! 🙂
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Thanks so much
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I like the fact that the mother, although initially angry, was affected by his “moist eyes” and I like that she saw the beauty in what he had brought her. It was honest mistake but it turned out to be more valuable than the crystal ball.
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At the very least she saw the profit in it
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