Friday Fictioneers: Dance With Me In Barcelona

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Dawn Quyle Landau

friday-fictioneersFriday Fictioneers is a weekly Flash Fiction challenge that features writers from all over the world. Use the photo prompt to write a 100-word story and join this group of Kool Kats, led by our talented and generous leader Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Check out her blog Addicted Purple, to read more stories, learn more, or join in. The photo this week was sent in by Dee Lovering. I always appreciate honest, constructive feedback. Tell me what you think; please leave a comment.

© Dee Lovering

© Dee Lovering

Dance With Me In Barcelona

Dreamy guitar drifts across the square. You take my hand and pull me to my feet. I ignore the bystanders; they don’t understand. We have always danced without concern for who might judge– in the market, our favorite restaurant, and here in our city.

Twenty years of marriage: four wonderful kids, all grown now, and so many memories. This place, where we spent our honeymoon, is the perfect place to dance.

I ignore those who stare. With hearts forever heavy, we buried you six months ago. Today I will dance with you one last time, my love; let them stare.

(100 words)

*     *     *

GIPY

Make me smile; HELP ME REACH MY GOAL:  I’d love to see the Tales From the Motherland Facebook page reach 700 likes in 2015. Have you stopped by to spread some fairy dust? Follow me on Twitter, it’s where I’mforced to be brief.  Most importantly, if you like a post I’ve written, hit Like and leave a comment. I love to hear what readers think. Honest, positive or constructive feedback is always welcome. Click Follow; you’ll get each new post delivered by email, with no spam.  If you see ads on this page, please let me know. They shouldn’t be there.  ©2015  Please note, that all content and images on this site are copyrighted to Dawn Quyle Landau and Tales From the Motherland, unless specifically noted otherwise. If you want to share my work, please give proper credit. Plagiarism sucks.

About Dawn Quyle Landau

Mother, Writer, treasure hunter, aging red head, and sushi lover. This is my view on life, "Straight up, with a twist––" because life is too short to be subtle! Featured blogger for Huffington Post, and followed on Twitter by LeBron James– for reasons beyond my comprehension.
This entry was posted in Awareness, Blogging, Death, Flash, Friday, Tales, Writing and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

55 Responses to Friday Fictioneers: Dance With Me In Barcelona

  1. wildbilbo says:
    April 30, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    Damn… that hurt. I seriously wasn’t expecting that last paragraph. Really well done – emotive stuff.
    KT

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. Carrie Rubin says:
    April 30, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Beautiful and heartbreaking, Dawn.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. susanissima says:
    April 30, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    Unexpected ending, nice. Viva Bar-the-lona!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. Mike Lince says:
    April 30, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    Sadness naturally accompanies death. However, I experienced the joy of the dance in your story. I don’t know if that was meant to be the focus of this piece, but that is how it came out for me. Perhaps in part it is because the memories of Barcelona are still so fresh in my memory, and it is a joyful, almost magical place. In any case, your descriptions are illustrative, and the ending was an unexpected surprise. – Mike

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. etomczyk says:
    April 30, 2015 at 8:20 pm

    This was lovely–one of my favorite and a perfect example of what flash fiction is supposed to be. Not to mention that the love story/dance happens in one of my favorite cities. Don’t you just love Barcelona?

    Sorry I haven’t been around in awhile. Got way to many plates spinning in the air. Glad to see you’re still here and doing well. Cheers!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. micklively says:
    May 1, 2015 at 1:34 am

    “Love as though you’ve never been hurt; dance as though no one is looking.”
    Lovely writing Dawn.

    Like

    Reply
  8. Suzanne Joshii says:
    May 1, 2015 at 4:23 am

    Great twist at the end, Dawn. I could feel the emotion. You gave it just enough backstory for us to understand. Well done as always. — Suzanne

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  9. Sandra says:
    May 1, 2015 at 5:23 am

    A balanced mix of sadness and joy. Well done.

    Like

    Reply
  10. Cathy Ulrich says:
    May 1, 2015 at 6:04 am

    So how did you know that the photo is from Barcelona if you haven’t been there, Dawn? Because it is Barcelona. The last time we were there, we stayed very close to where this photo was taken. Great story.

    Like

    Reply
  11. ansumani says:
    May 1, 2015 at 6:54 am

    A well done story on grief and celebrating love.

    Like

    Reply
  12. mariner2mother says:
    May 1, 2015 at 7:32 am

    And there you go again; setting such a lovely scene, sucking me right in. And then wham! Right in the solar plexus. Painfully beautiful.

    Like

    Reply
  13. aliciajamtaas says:
    May 1, 2015 at 9:57 am

    Ouch! So many feelings wrapped up in this story. Well done, my dear.

    Like

    Reply
  14. plaridel says:
    May 1, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    i got mixed emotions reading this. heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

    Like

    Reply
  15. rgayer55 says:
    May 1, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Beautifully written, Dawn. I can just see her swirling, eyes closed, dancing with the memory of her lover.

    Like

    Reply
  16. Amy Reese says:
    May 1, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    Beautiful, Dawn. Dancing with the memories she will hold in her heart forever. Nicely done!

    Like

    Reply
  17. Nan Falkner says:
    May 1, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Dear Dawn, Beautiful dance with words. Lovely order! Very moving and she will remember this dance forever! Nan

    Like

    Reply
  18. The Writer's Village says:
    May 1, 2015 at 7:16 pm

    I liked it, too.
    Randy

    Like

    Reply
  19. Tracey@WhatsforDinnerDoc.com says:
    May 2, 2015 at 9:50 am

    I’m smiling with a little ache in my heart. I think that the ones who leave us would want us to carry on, as your character clearly did.
    Tracey

    Like

    Reply
  20. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) says:
    May 2, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    What a bittersweet feeling at the end… I think dancing is the only way to cope in the end,

    Like

    Reply
  21. Taygibay says:
    May 2, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    You may be interested in this if you know it not ( I’d tend to think you do ) :

    Sting singing Cueca Solo about the Chilean artillerists that protested their
    abducted and often killed husbands by the Pinochet dictator by dancing …
    alone.

    Great one, Tay.

    Like

    Reply
    • Dawn Quyle Landau says:
      May 2, 2015 at 9:44 pm

      Thanks Taygibay… a gorgeous song, that I’ve loved for many, many years. It was a great anthem against the oppression of the of Pinochet dictatorship… Welcome to Tales From the Motherland. I appreciate you stopping to read and comment.

      Like

      Reply
  22. gahlearner says:
    May 2, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    You did your job with me too, I went right from smiling to swallowing hard. Very beatifully written.

    Like

    Reply
  23. rochellewisoff says:
    May 2, 2015 at 6:17 pm

    Dear Dawn,

    My Spanish teacher in college was from Barthelona. it drove her nuts that I’d picked up and Argentinian accent from a high school foreign exchange student. I know it has nothing to do with your beautifully touching story but I had to throw it in for fun.

    As a dancer, the last thing I would want in the event of my death is for my loved ones to stop dancing. Poignant and heartbreaking with an undercurrent of joy for a life well lived.

    Shalom.

    Rochelle

    Like

    Reply
    • Dawn Quyle Landau says:
      May 2, 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks Rochelle! I agree, I would want those I love to dance… and sing. 😉

      I had a Spanish teacher from Ethpania, and Barthelona… so, I have always loved the “th.” Shabbat shalom!

      Like

      Reply
  24. UpChuckingwords says:
    May 3, 2015 at 4:20 am

    Home. Run. Period.

    Like

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  25. storydivamg says:
    May 3, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    It’s my week to be running behind schedule, Dawn, but I’m so glad I stopped by for a read. Stunning story, so well told. Kudos.

    All my best,
    Marie Gail

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    Reply
  26. Amy P says:
    May 5, 2015 at 7:55 am

    It hit so close to my heart, having danced 40 years, but now gone for 18 months. I love your way with words , thank you

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    Reply
  27. Pam says:
    May 8, 2015 at 10:00 am

    Dawn, I love reading your blogs!

    Like

    Reply

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