Aunt Ethel was a great one for her manifestations. And, to tell the truth, they had drama—effusive ribbons of what she said was ectoplasm, infused with an extra-dimensional glow. No cheap quackery for Ethel, no knockings, rappings, or ghostly sheets.
Those seances had just one defect—she could never tell you what they meant, and translation of the spirit world’s message is pretty essential to the craft.
“It means whatever you think it means,” she would insist.
Uncle Robert would always sigh and insist. “It’s ectoplasm, Ethel, not modern art.”
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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 
Certainly dinner time is dramatic at Aunt Ethel’s. It seems Uncle Robert may have a trick up his sleeve hidden in his boredom. I enjoyed the whimsical fun of your story.
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Thanks so much, James
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I felt the same vibe from the prompt. Sounds like an entertaining gathering, ghosts or not.
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Thanks so much, Tannille
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The next time a piece of modern art baffles me, I’ll declare confidently that it’s really ectoplasm.
In so few words, you create 2 characters I recognise: Aunt Ethel, who, I’m sure, wears what a friend once called ‘unnecessary scarves’, and Uncle Robert, who is the long-suffering connection to reality!
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And yet, they balance each other beautifully. Thanks, jenne
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I wear unnecessary scarves – brilliant phrase!
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It seems your storyteller may have followed in Auntie’s footsteps, but practices the craft a bit more efficiently.
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Auntie is horribly slapdash
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Dear Neil,
Every family seems to have an Aunt Ethel after a fashion. Entertaining.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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I had a séance as well.
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Snap
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The art of seance is to leave it open to any interpretation the voyeur chooses to believe. Ethel has it nailed.
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She’s cannier than she looks. She’s learning cold reading now
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I’m left wondering whether the ectoplasm is real, or whether Uncle Robert is hoping for Aunt Ethel’s business skills to kick in
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Uncle Robert isn’t really paying a lot of attention
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I love his reaction ‘not modern art’ 🙂
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Uncle Robert is a down-to-earth bloke
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Perfect closing line!
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Thanks so much
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Neil, you know that is exactly what the setting looks like. Fun story built around the image.
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Thanks, Jade. Once I saw it, I couldn’t see anything else
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You’re welcome. I know how that goes.
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Aunt Ethel figures with all that pomp and flourish, it won’t matter that what she says is a whole lotta hogwash. Uncle Robert must often keep to the living room with some game on..
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They have a modus vivendi
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That’s what I’m thinking.
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I can almost hear Uncle Robert murmuring ‘here she goes again’!
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My work here is done, then
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I never understand the spirits who speak through me.
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Ah, they must speak in tongues
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Hahahaha I love this! A brilliant ghostly tale. Uncle Robert seems a bit over it haha.
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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I’m pretty sure the message is, “Please, stop bothering us, and let us rest in peace.”
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But that would be very bad for business
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i guess it’s what you see and wanted to believe that counts. 🙂
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There’s more to seeing than meets the eyeball
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Well I agree with Aunt Ethel.
Fun story!
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Thanks so much, Dawn
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Love this one Neil 🙂
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Thanks so much
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I can understand her logic. Well done.
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They both have inescapable logics. Thank you so much
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I see I’m not the only one who got a sense of the afterlife from this photo. Great story!
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Yes, interestingly several of us went down this route. Thanks, Liam
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At least she was honest, but I suppose she’s in the wrong business. Entertaining take!
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Thanks so much, Brenda
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Oy! So that’s what happened? It all makes perfect sense now. Excellent as always, Neil. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Bill
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I believe Aunt Ethel knows what it means. 😁
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Aunt Ethel is batshit crazy, so maybe, yes
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