Crimson’s Creative Challenge #53
Bobby said it was his boat. And I believed him. Never thought he might be stealing as he held the mooring rope while I clambered in. He manoeuvred us away from the bank, he pulled the cord that started the engine. He didn’t look furtive, left and right and all around him; took the boat out on the lake.
He dropped his anchor way out in the middle. The day was hot, the water cool. We picnicked from a wicker hamper. I don’t remember now what food we ate, only the wine. Full-bodied; he said like me, and I blushed.
And that’s when I heard the heavy throbbing of a hefty boat, that’s when I looked and saw the blue-uniformed men. And that’s when I realised what he’d done.
I nearly tipped into the water when he jumped overboard. Bobby Brighton died that day. I’ll miss him forever.
149 words written for Crimson’s Creative Challenge
crispina kemp 
Well if young Bobby set out to impress, I’d have to say he exceeded his mark!
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Not sure what happened with this story. It just suddenly crashed into my head. So… there is it
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Those are usually the best kind.
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And I almost hit the 150 limit.
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A sad story. So much risk for a picnic. But I guess people do a lot of foolish things for love.
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Yea, guess that’s what it was… 🙂
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👍
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That’s the upside of losing a young love. The fish that got away will forever remain the biggest and best in the lake. 🙂
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One way of looking at it. Makes me chuckle. 🙂
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It seems Bobby wasn’t awfully bright, drowning himself for what would have been a six month sentence with four months off for good behaviour. (Sentences here are pretty lenient.)
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I think he couldn’t swim. Besides, this was on the Norfolk Broads, where many a dive has resulted in death due to the thick thick thick layers of silt!
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Poor Bobby. The payment for needing to get an eyeful by stealing property. 🤔😏
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Yea, and not checking depths before diving in.
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Oh he dove. Hmm
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I ought to have added a note at the end. The Norfolk Broads are layered thick with silt. Some as much as 12′ deep. It has been known for holidaymakers, not realising, to dive straight in. And get stuck in the mud. Swimming, and particularly diving, not advised. 🙂
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Not good LOL
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nah
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Don’t drink and boat?
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Could be the moral, yep. 🙂
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Don’t drink and dive.
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Yep, that’s another apt message. 🙂
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😀
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Don’t drink and dive. (See above)
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🙂
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Well that was a sad ending to a potentially romantic day.
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Yea I know. Poor Bobbing Bobby. There is a lesson to be learned: Don’t nick a boat. And check the depth before you jump in.
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Stolen boats for romance! What a sad end.
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Indeed. Regretable. 🙂
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Great ending! I didn’t see it coming, and then I was wondering why the men in blue showed up. I really enjoyed, and the story had me laughing at this early hour of the morning.
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Glad it amused. Was my intent. Though it would have helped had I thought to include a PS on the conditions of that water. But it worked without, so what the heck.
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Your story worked perfectly! I wouldn’t change a thing. I like suspenseful endings.
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I thank you. You’re kind. 🙂
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Great story. When it started “Bobby said it was his boat.” I was instantly suspicious anyway…
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Yea, just a little hint. 🙂
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I was going to say why the hell did Bobby have to die? It could have been such a cute story of “how our love started”… Then I read the comments and see it was a lot shallower than he thought…
Sad yet funny,
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Yea, I should have added a note to say of the special conditions which, as a local, I’m well aware of. It’s not the shallowness (some of the broads are up to 12′ deep) but the years of silt accumulation.
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When one reads the comments…😉
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Yep
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Great story – it has everything: romance, suspicion, sadness, Bobby’s desire to impress which ensures he will always be remembered. There’s a lot of story here and in less than 150 words. And of course, so very well written! 🙂
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I bow my head, such praise. And then I look up, and smile, and thank you 🙂
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