Close Calls...A Short Story

After a weekend of crowds, panels, cosplay, and even pro wrestlers, I'm ready to look at a photograph and five randomly-chosen words and create a little story.

If you'd like to participate in the Weekly Writing Prompt, just follow these simple rules!

1) Use the above photo in your story along with five randomly chosen words.

2) Keep your word count 500 or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday night to link up your story.

4) Use the Blue Link to add your story at: Leanne's, Debb's, or Tena's websites. 

5) Have fun, don't stress, and let those creative juices flow!

The Five Words:
Bus Station
Encyclopedia
Icon
Travel 
Sale

That's actually six words, but I'm not one to point out mistakes... Here's what I came up with!

Close Calls

"So, how did you and dad meet?"

The question caught Melissa off guard, not expecting that question from her four-year old daughter.

"Jessica, sweetie...what? Why did you ask my that?" she said as she put the clean dishes away. The question actually made the twenty-eight-year old mother of one blush.

"Because I was talking to Sally, and she said that her mom and dad met at church." Melissa almost dropped the plate she was holding. She knew where Tina and George Robinson met and it wasn't at church, but she couldn't tell her daughter that. Nor did she feel she could tell her that she met Jessica's dad at a bar when she was in college.

"Honey," she said putting down the plate and picking up her daughter. "There's lots of places people meet each other, but my favorite story is where my parents, Grandpa and Grandma Hansen met." The pair walked into the front room and sat down.

"My dad was in the navy and he was stationed at the 32nd Street Navel Station at San Diego. He had some down time so he decided to go to the beach. That was about all the travel they could do back then. He was waiting at the bus station when he saw a pretty girl ride by on a bicycle."

"What it grandma?" Jessica asked excited.

"Well," Melissa waited. "I'll get to that. Grandpa almost got off the bench and ran after her, but she was too fast. He ended up just waiting for the bus. It finally came and as the bus drove him to the beach, he saw the girl again. He opened the window to yell at her, but just as the bus reached her, she turned down another road.

"I'll bet grandpa was mad."

"He was! He thought he'd never see the girl again, but what could he do? He was stuck on a bus."

"Not much," Jessica said.

"Even though the girl was gone, he still kept thinking about her," Melissa said. "He couldn't get that icon out of his mind." A look of confusion crossed her daughter's face. "Sorry," she said. "Icon, it's like an image."

"Is that a word in the enpicacedia?"

"That what?"

"The enpicacedia."

"Do you mean, the encyclopedia?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

"Yes, dear. Icon is in the encyclopedia. Where was I? Oh, yes. The bus eventually got Grandpa to the beach and when he turned around, he saw a pretty girl parking her bike behind a VW van that was for sale. It turned out it was the same girl he saw riding her bike earlier. They met and fell in love that day at the beach."

"That's a great story, mom."

"Yes, it is."

"But you didn't tell me how you and dad met."

"I'll tell you when you're older."

Word Count: 475