"Two wrongs may not make a right but a thousand wrongs make a writer.”

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Friday Flash 55 - The Knife Sharpening Man

was comin’ around,
so we hid in the closet
and shuttered the lights.
But he rapped-a-tat-tat
with his knives all-a-silver
and peered over the sill
with a smile like a sword.
It wasn’t a dream,
wasn’t a trance.
Next morning a trail
from the club foot he favored
dirtied the snow round windows and doors.

 
Let's start the New Year off right. Tell us a story in exactly 55  words and then let the G-Man know.  He also has your horoscope for 2013, so check it out. You can click here if you want a little history behind the Flash 55.

And now for a little history behind my flash 55. As stories go around these parts, along with the Watkins Man who delivered extracts and liniments there was a knife sharpening man who came around every few weeks in an old truck with a bell. He had a wheel in the back of his truck he pedaled with his foot, much like a sewing machine, and he would sharpen knives and scissors in a flash for a pittance.
 
As children are wont to do, my older sisters contrived stories around the knife sharpening man, all of them sinister and disturbing to the young child’s mind. Hence the seed for my Flash 55, much embellished, of course. I’m sure that the poor man was only delivering a much appreciated service and not peering in windows.

TGIF

27 comments:

Brian Miller said...

oh my...as a kid we would have been fascinated...and made up similar stories....ha....fun 55...

G-Man said...

Our Farmer's Mkt still sells Watkins Products...
THE best pepper that you don'r grind yourself!
We had a guy that sharpened all sharp things as well
My opinion on this? PERFECT!!!
As You are also Ms. Osborne...
Loved your edgy 55 Yvonne
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

Margaret said...

Oh, kids do create the best spooky stories - usually because they are not politically correct. ;P

Rastaman said...

Whoa, that was scary! Ima might have trouble sleepin' tonite.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Brian,
I bet you would, natural story tell that you are. Thanks!

G-Man,
Watkins is still around, isn't it? And I bet you know your pepper. I have no actual memory of a knife sharpening man, but my sisters do. I can't imagine people like that making house calls. At least we still have the Schwan's Man! Have a great week.

Margaret,
Oh! You are so right. Not politically correct just dreadfully honest. Thanks!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Rasta,
No you won't....just listen to that dripping water!:)

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

hehe Great story. My older cousins tried stories like that on me. I guess I don't scare so easy, but they sure do. LOL ;-)

Unknown said...

Ah! Love a super creepy story!

izzy said...

Whew scary! good one- yup we made up stuff like that too! thanks.

Alice Audrey said...

He'll never know you maligned him, and it makes a great tale.

Anonymous said...

This is terrific, thanks. k.

hedgewitch said...

Well, he may have been totally innocent, but he sounds pretty creepy to me--loved the childhood feel to this, Yvonne.

Teresa said...

Nothing like older siblings to create horror stories! I was a victim to that kind of scary story myself a time or two.

Anthony Duce said...

Enjoyed..

Other Mary said...

Oh, my love the ryhme and meter and word play here. And I would love to hear this read aloud on soundcloud or similar.

Anonymous said...

The first thing I thought of--even before reading the end note-- was my older sister reading me a bedtime story about a man and his knives. Hugs. Sounds like you endured sisters similar to mine.

Lady In Read said...

:) i love this.. and nowadays enjoy listening to my little ones making up stories..

Yvonne Osborne said...

Erica,
Thank you!

Brandi,
Thanks. Me too. As long as I'm safe.

Izzy,
Thanks. Guess most kids do.

Alice,
Thank goodness! Or he might come around....

K.,
Thanks!!

Hedgewitch,
Yeah, The very idea!

Teresa,
I could probably fill a book with all the scary goings-on.

Anthony,
Thank you so much.

Mama,
Thanks!!

Mary,
Wow...thanks! I would too, just not by me. I don't like my voice. Thanks again!

Passion,
Oh, that's funny. Something about knives...makes for a shivery tale.
Thanks!

Lady in Read,
Thank you so much. Glad you stopped by.

Steven J. Wangsness said...

Yikes, that's some scary stuff in only 55 words!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Hi Steven!
Thanks. If I can scare you I must be on the right track.:)

Bodhirose said...

Love your story behind your write. Fun. And what an imaginative mind your sister had...albeit sinister and scary to you.

Al said...

I would never have the discipline to limit myself to 55 words

Linc said...

This is great. What a great local yarn!

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

Fabulous imagery in a mere 55 words, Yvonne!! What I wouldn't do to have a knife sharpening man come around to sharpen all my (very blunt) knives! (and he could even look in the window if he wanted,I 'd be that grateful!) :)

Wishing you a Happy New Year - hope 2013 is a great year all round!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Judy,
Ha! That's funny. It would be kinda convenient, wouldn't it? Thanks for stopping by. I've missed you! (And busy reading The Fall, by the way.)

Linc,
Thanks so much!!

Al,
It's actually a pretty good exercise. You'd be surprised. I bet you could do it.

Bodhirose,
Thanks. I had five actually! Never a dull moment.

Jemi Fraser said...

That's awesome! A smile like a sword says sooooo much! :)

Yvonne Osborne said...

Hi Jemi!
I kinda thought it did so thanks for letting me know I wasn't off my rocker. Thanks so much for taking the time....