Once more comes a time for Friday Fictioneers, 100 words more or less, be brave and jump in.
copyright - DLovering
“July 2nd, 1971.
Ernest, my dear selfish bastard,
I sit here, in the sticky summer afternoon, at the same place we shared our stories, laughs and lives so many years ago, trying to remember how different life was back then. Was it because we were young and naive, with not enough war pictures of torn limbs and wasted youth…I don’t know….It’s been 10 years from your self-imposed exit and I am sipping your favorite drink (they still know how to make it), remembering your words: “Are you a war correspondent or wife in my bed?” Guess we know the answer.
Martha”
(Inspired by Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway.)
Snow's Fissures and Fractures 
Dear Loré,
Do you mean “torn limbs”?
Quite a letter she’s written. Hopefully she’s moved on. Cheers.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I am always in a rush to spill those words that reside in my head, it seams every time a wrong word sneaks in.
Thank you.
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My advice is to give yourself more time…you might even try bouncing it off someone. My husband and a friend read mine before I post every week. If they don’t get it then I don’t post it. Also they proofread. I can’t say enough about how valuable this is.
Glad you’re participating. Think of it as an exercise to improve your writing (it’s improved mine). It’s not a race.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sad story, yet infused with nostalgia. I hope Martha’s been able to move past this relationship. I wonder what happened to Ernest, and where he is now.
I have to admit, I really loved that opening line!
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Actually, this is about Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. I imagined her penning this letter on the 10th anniversary of his suicide, contemplating the past and the present. “Death in the Afternoon” was one of his favorite drinks.
Thank you for reading my story.
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Good story. Some people put their jobs first, at times out of necessity, and have to have an understanding person at home.
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Sometimes you need to follow your heart, not because it makes you feel good, but because not doing it would feel a thousand times worse.
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Thank you for the additional info above Lore-it made the whole scene come alive!Loved the tone Martha has used in the letter:-)Great take on the prompt.
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Thank you.
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🙂
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Ah.. Thank you for the comment.. I thought it could have been Hemingway.. and he was in many ways a bastard.. (though a good writer)
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Well, Martha was no gentle soul, either.
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Love the Hemmingway nod — he was one of history’s notable bastards, that’s for sure.
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Thank you. He was a bastard, but he never hid it.
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Never having been one, I’m not sure I can make this statement, but it seems a war correspondent would have difficulty being a good “partner” after experiencing years of man’s cruelty toward his fellow human beings. Nice job.
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It seams some experiences mark us beyond repair. Or were we damaged from the start?
Thank you for leaving a comment.
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I like that you indicated Hemingway without stated it overtly. I’m not familiar with Martha, so that may be a starting point for me to do a bit of reading. Nice job and as Rochelle say, relax with this and don’t worry how soon you get your story out
janet
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Thank you. Their lives, years they spent together and those they spent apart, tell very interesting story. I am working on an article about her life, I find her intriguing.
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Great story, superb start! Well done.
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Thank you so much. 🙂
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Very nicely done, love the historical aspect!
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History buff – guilty as charged. 🙂 Thank you.
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this is something i would imagine gellhorn saying. she was one tough girl 🙂
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This makes me happy. I was going for that, but you can never be sure you did it right. To hear that someone else recognized her spirit in my words, it is a great compliment. Thank you.
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I am also going to read a little more into their life.
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It is always an added bonus when someone is encouraged to explore more after reading something you wrote.
Thank you for that.
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So much implied in a great short sketch.
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Thank you.
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Great bit of historical fiction here. She had an amazing life; did so much. And he was ok.
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She had a courage to chase her dreams, no matter what the price was.
Thank you for visiting.
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Martha’s nostalgia intrigued me. There were some sarcastic jabs to Ernest, as well as a subtle suggestion of remorse. Thankfully, it ended on a sense of closure. So many emotions in such a short note. Well done!
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Thank you, that was my intention.
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Nicely done. I found it very helpful to read that it was about Hemingway, in the comments. There was something familiar about them, but I missed it… until I got to comments. 😉 Of course, I should have gotten it at “Dear Ernest,”! Nice job.
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Thank you.
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sadly, we do know. selfish is right. well done.
this line, “Was it because we were young and naive, with not enough war pictures of torn limbs and wasted youth…” should it have a question mark?
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I was thinking about that question mark, but decided against it to retain fluidity in that sentence.
Thank you for your comment.
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in a piece like this, nothing wrong with leaving it out. no question.
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Quite compelling. I didn’t see the movie but I can imagine the intensity considering the brilliance, madness, and in some manner pretensions of Hemingway. Don’t know much about Gellhorn except I doubt she was any Nicole Kidman lookalike but probably Hemingway’s equal in many ways. Thanks!
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I suspect that’s why they couldn’t last, they shared too many similarities.
Thank you.
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Excellent story! You are really good and I enjoy your writing! Thanks for my weekly dose of entertainment and it is so educational! Nan 🙂
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Thank you so much.
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Excellent piece of writing.
Loved it.
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Thank you!
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I wondered if this was a Hemingway inspired story 🙂 He touched so many lives, many of them women, didn’t he?
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Yes, he touched many lives. Fortunately, he touched most lives with his books.
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What an interesting interpretation of the prompt! I think war correspondents have a tough time of it, making relationships work. It just has to go with the territory.
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I think it’s a chalenge having two equally driven partners in a relationship, no matter what field they work in.
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Definitely – it’s hard work indeed…
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I know of a famous Ernest that was a narcissistic and selfish bastard. Not sure if you were writing about him. But I must say your story was packed with anger and the fact that she moved on. Even though she was still bitter. I hope that Martha found love. She sounds like she was a profound and strong woman. Great story.
Love, Renee
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I think we think about same Ernest. 🙂
Thank you for your lovely comment.
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Lore,
I enjoyed your story and am glad I came in late enough to see the explanation about this being historical fiction about Ernest Hemmingway as I wouldn’t have caught on. His time here in Kansas City was spent both pre and post Martha.
By the way, feel free to add a historical note or links outside of the 100 word limit any time. Several excellent writers in these halls, including our inimitable Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, do that when writing historical pieces. Those 100 words are plenty for telling the story, but inquiring minds always want the facts behind the stories.
Great to make your acquaintance here.
All my best,
Marie Gail
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Thank you for your comment and your advice.
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