Bob tapped in on the 9th green. Level par halfway round.
The children packed off to their grandparents, a romantic weekend ahead with Helen and a quiet round of golf while she finished up at work. This was the life.
As he teed off on the 10th the sunshine faded. Bob looked up. The clear blue sky had filled with ominous clouds.
**
‘How was golf?’ Helen asked over their dinner at the expensive hotel. ‘Did you get caught in that downpour?’
Bob sneezed into his plate. ‘I’ll sleep on the sofa.’ He blew his nose into his handkerchief.

Written as part of theย Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more detailsย HERE).ย The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this weekโs prompt, visitย HERE.
107 responses to “RAIN DELAYS PLAY”
Bang goes their romantic weekend!
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I’m sure Helen can still enjoy a relaxing spa or two! ๐
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Haha good point!
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Oh dear! I can’t escape the image of Bob sneezing into his plate – YUK!
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Takes the romance out of their weekend certainly ๐
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Best laid plans, eh?
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Sums up my life generally ๐
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How unfortunate.
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That’s how it goes their romantic night. Haha. ๐
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๐ thanks for commenting
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I somehow can’t work up much sympathy for golfers. Must be deeply ingrained class hatred.
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Wow, I didn’t know golf was a class issue.
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Depends where you’re from, I suppose.
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I think in Scotland, although perhaps not exactly working class, it is more prevalent and accessible than in some other places. There are still the expensive members only clubs, bit a lot of public courses too that anyone can use.
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As you say, Iain, it certainly isn’t in Scotland. There are any number of public courses, including some 9 hole, and a 13-hole masterpiece at Port Bannatyne, as well as free pitch and putt sites in public parks across the country.
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Smiling. Loved where you took the prompt.
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Thanks Michael, glad you appreciated it.
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The best laid plans…lol
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There’s always something that doesn’t go to plan, and usually it’s the weather in Scotland ๐
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I ken x
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In Ohio it’s the flip of a coin. There’s a saying, “If you don’t like the weather in Ohio, wait a few hours.” We can have bitterly cold winters and scorchingly hot, humid summers. (This year winter has alternated between cold and warm.) Tornadoes occur, but are pretty rare.
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More dramatic than Scotland, four seasons in one day is common here, but rarely at the extreme end of the scale, so a sunny day having a heavy shower of rain is pretty common. Thanks for commenting.
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Welcome!
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Clever piece, well done, as usual, Iain.
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Thank you CE.
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Dear Iain,
So much for that romantic weekend. Fun story though. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, a lighter piece this week.
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I suppose her weekend will be more relaxing than she’d like. Fun story.
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Plenty of time to relax on her own at least. Thank you.
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Nothing worse than when plans go awry. Stolen weekends are few and far between for parents of young children…
Then again, with him laid up, she can do whatever she wants…
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Always a silver lining ๐ thanks Dale
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Shame on you, Dale. ๐
I suppose their lovemaking would have been such a chore that she would have preferred cleaning the toilet with a toothbrush to lying in bed with him.
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Ha ha! No, but…one must look at the silver lining in this case. She is not going to waste this precious time sitting on her duff – unless that is exactly what she wants to do! Definitely no cleaning gonna go on here…
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The moral of this tale? Never play golf! I’m sure she can find something to do while he sneezes his head off … Nicely told tale Iain
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Thanks Lynn, I think she’ll have a great weekend! He can at least rest up in comfort… ๐
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Very true. If you’re going to be ill, be ill in style ๐
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Life can be such a wild thing. There we are thinking we figured it all out, and she decides to rain on us…
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Exactly! Thanks for reading and commenting ๐
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Very clever piece, Liain.
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Thanks Neel
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Boom! The end of romance. Fun story, Iain.
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Thanks Alicia
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And everything was going so well in the first part. Sounds like true life!
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Yes, just when you think you’ve got it figured out!
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It’s always right to blame the golf… never mix romance and golf.
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Sound advice ๐
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Never plan a romantic time for two! Especially if it involves making arrangements for children. Great story – it made me giggle. How unkind is that?
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Thanks Edith, glad it made you laugh, although (apart from the golf) that’s basically my life ๐
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It’s mine too! That’s why I laughed. No matter how careful the plans, there’s always a little something lying in wait …!
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I hate it when a cold ruins my romantic plans!
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Always happens at the worst time too! Thanks for reading.
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Drats! Those precious weekends away upended by cruel fate. I booked in a night at a cheapish hotel for my husband and I after his work party when our kids were small. I accidentally booked twin share and then developed a violent bout of gastro. I’m sure cupid must have an evil twin.
Great story.
xx Rowena
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She really is a ‘golf widow’. I giggled because I do recognise this tale. Well done.
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Thank you ๐
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I thought we were supposed to write fiction, Iain?
Obviously, this is a true story with only the names changed to protect the embarrassed. ๐
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Scripted reality I think it’s called these days ๐
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See, if he’d stayed in and watched Netflix like me he’d have been ready to go ๐
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Nothing like a good potential game of golf ruined by weather. One of our broadcasters in America is Dave Feherty, one of the funniest golf commentators. One of his comments during the game is something like this — “Watching Phil Mickelson play golf is like watching a drunk chasing a balloon near the edge of a cliff.”
Five out of five bogeys.
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That sort of commentary would make golf more entertaining to watch anyway.
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Oh, listen, Dave’s the best!
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Golf and for him while she was at work the whole day. And then dinner. A treat! After that, the excuse. Hmmmm. Was he actually being nice and giving her some much needed space? ๐
So much in just a 100 words! Great work, Iain.
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Very devious thinking! Thanks for commenting ๐
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๐
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So much for romance! Mind you, that was the quickest cold ever recorded. Author’s licence!
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Nice one.
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Thanks Tamal
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This made me laugh. I think it is a tale all parents recognize.
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Definitely, thank you.
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As someone who always tries to ignore the rain and spends most of the year sneezing, I found this story a little too relatable. Excellent story!
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Thank you. I try to avoid the rain too, but it’s not easy in Scotland!
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Bloody golf, hey! It never seems to get a good press.
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For such a simple game as well!
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I’m not sure I’d let a sneeze get in my way. ๐
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Isn’t that just the way, though? You finally get away for a real vacation to do all those fun things, only to collapse and spend the entire time making up for lost sleep. Ah well, as others have said, at least she can do something relaxing — and he can be sick in peace and quiet, for a change.
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Always happens that way, never get ill when it’s work, only on the holidays!
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Yep. I’m coming down with a bad cold right now — not bad enough to keep me from work (not with this crazy deadline we’re working on), but probably it will hit just in time to ruin my weekend. SIGH.
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i think he was enjoying himself too much the gods got jealous. ๐
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Cruel gods! ๐
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They say golf is a good walk spoiled. You’re proven them right again!
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Thanks John
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Shame! He caught a cold. Romantic plans all ruined. Well isn’t that life?! Clever story.
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Thank you
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Tee he he!
My 100 words
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Maybe the kids cast a spell. In pique ๐
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what a way to blow a weekend.
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Poor bloke, suffering for his sport. She’s probably not best pleased either
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No one wins ๐
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Oh dear, things don’t always work out as planned:( just a small bump on the road ๐
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Hopefully they get another weekend away soon! Thanks for reading ๐
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I’m sure they will๐
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I enjoyed the transition of time ** Peace
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Thanks, at least you liked that bit ๐
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๐ cheers
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LOL! Had to laugh at him, though I do feel a bit sorry for him. But hey he should have known. A romantic getaway doesn’t mean you leave your wife and go play golf. I think he learned his lesson! ๐
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I think so too! Thank you.
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Well done. Plans awry. Do you think she got “teed off”?
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๐ ha ha, very good!
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Oh dear! That’s their romantic weekend scuppered! Very fun, Iain. ๐
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Thank you!
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Haha! Great story Iain. The unpredictability of weather can spoil so many plans. And I loved the title too ๐
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Thank you, you’re the first to mention the title, glad you got it!
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The Murphyโs law of romantic weekends, when you have kids.
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Oh no. A downpour on his plans. Rain washed away his play! So realistically funny!๐๐๐๐๐
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Thank you, glad you found it funny ๐
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Not so much funny as the irony of it! And so realistically close to real life!
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Oh dear, a golfer with man flu. What a combination D:
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๐
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