The river slips away languid beneath the punt. Clare College stands sentinel. Oh, I belong here where Bertrand Russell and Wordsworth once lazed.
“We never step in the same river twice,” I declare grandly.
She yawns and nods. “Heraclitus.” Then adds, “Trying not to step into the river is best.”
The pole sticks. In a moment I will have to choose: let go; or hang on, balancing atop while she and the boat drift away. But, with a heave, it pulls loose. I stagger, rocking the punt. She giggles.
This is not how it was supposed to be.
.
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 
Such decisions. Was this a sober occasion?
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They may have had a little claret before setting out
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I think it’ll be okay – she’s giggling – although a post-claret punt? That only works in Merchant Ivory fillums!
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I don’t think he wanted to be laughed at
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Dear Neil,
She left him hanging in the literal…or would that be literary?…sense. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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Hope all is well that ends well 🙂
River is safe and one knows swimming!
The Blue Birds- By Anita
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He may have been unwise to take her punting
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Hahaha! Brilliant! Wonderfully described.
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Thanks so much, Ain
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Sweet.
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Thanks, Trish
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Nice one, Neil!
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Thanks, Mason
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I like her.
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It was mean to giggle though
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Romance between eggheads is always tough
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They bump the eggs when they kiss
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Funny story, Neil. I like what Larry said.
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Thanks, Jade
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You’re welcome, Neil.
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Written like a man who’s been there and done that! I liked the repartee of the two characters; students rather than academics, I suspect. Lucky the pole came unstuck!
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I never got stuck on the pole in the middle of the river
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Neil,
I detect a Wodehousian flavor to this first date. I hope Jeeves or Uncle Fred or Gallagher are around to patch things up.
pax,
dora
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I’m afraid he’s on his own
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Love it! Nostalgia and affection come through here. How many times has this story played out along the backs… Punting is not the ideal activity when you’re trying to impress I feel – too much scope for looking like a complete idiot!
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She’ll like him better if he learns to laugh at himself too.
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I don’t think he’ll learn to do that for many years.
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Thanks so much. I think he may have learned this now,
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You captured the essence of the young man in only a few lines of narrative. I had to smile. There were so many like that.
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So very many. I wonder if I was one
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Oh how hard it can be to impress the lady of our desires… having her giggle at him must have been quite the sucker punch – unless he gets over it and it becomes one of their stories 😉
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I’m not sure he’ll get a second date
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Well, that’s too bad. A little humour in a relationship goes a very long way!
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Not something I’d attempt when trying to impress a young lady!
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I agree. Mentioning Heraclitus is always a mistake
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Nice little repast is afoot I surmise. Great story. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Bear
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Sometimes we try too hard to impress, although this little giggle should have been an excuse to tip together into the water. See who is laughing now. Our hero would have to conduct a rescue mission–set to poetry of course.
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A wonderful idea, James
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She would have had more than a giggle if he’d been left dangling on the pole!
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She would indeed. But the giggle already did the damage
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Sadly I have never been punting, I suspect if I had there would have been much to laugh about.
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It’s easy to make a fool of yourself punting. Especially when you’re keenest to impress
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Hahaha this is great, he is not the expert he professes to be but I think she likes him anyway. Hopefully he’ll take it with good humour.
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I’m sad to announce that he doesn’t like being laughed at, and the relationship has gone downhill
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Maybe not, but maybe it is. Never the same river, after all.
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Heraclitus thought so
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Nice……
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Thanks
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Oh my, the trials of trying to impress a young lady.
I must admit, I did smile about but I didn’t laugh. : )
Isadora 😎
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Laughing would have been ok
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👍🏻😎
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Very idyllic, with a slight frosty but friendly flirty undertow or current. Lovely sensory descriptions, I could feel the squelching of the sucking mud as if I was right there. Cheers!
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Thanks so much
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I think both of them need to be brought down a notch… maybe into the river! 😁
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They’re Cambridge undergrads. That explains it all
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You get the gauche ness of young romance so perfectly Neil. I feel for him.
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Thanks so much. I feel for sorry for him too, and I’m his maker
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Aww. But he needs to realize that humor is one of the best qualities in a relationship. And, of course, it could have always been worse. (Young love is so serious!) 😀
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Isn’t it just!
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