CAN I HAVE MY BALL BACK?

~ Iain Kelly

The chairs and table sat in the centre of the garden, with uplighters in either corner. Around the four flawlessly straight sides a selection of rare flowers and plants, all in symmetry.

The gardener snipped the last piece of grass with his lawn clippers. A smile spread across his face. He had taken the patch of poor quality soil and created perfect harmony.

He could hear the children playing nearby. The sound of a ball being kicked. He raised an eyebrow in disapproval at the thought of the lawn being trampled.

There was a louder kick. Looking up into the sun he watched in horror as the ball dropped over the wall. It cannoned off an uplighter, knocking it over, ricocheted into a plant pot that smashed, rolled across the rare and fragile Jamesia Americana, before settling on top of a miniature Chusan Palm.

After a moment the doorbell rang. He stormed to the door and flung it open, to be greeted by a small boy.

‘Please, sir. Can I have my ball back?’

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Copyright Yarnspinner

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.

To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Published by Iain Kelly

38 year old, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry.

55 thoughts on “CAN I HAVE MY BALL BACK?”

  11. Wonderful story. You know what I love about so many of your stories, Iain? Well, I mean, besides how well written and engaging they are. So many let the reader take the ending and add a little extra scene of their own. Which is kinda cool. Nice job here, I loved it.

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  19. The poor gardener! Although I couldn’t help but feel a smidgeon of sympathy for the boy. A humorous take on a very common situation. Let’s hope the boy got his ball without too much of a lecture.

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  21. Great story, Iain, that brings back many memories. My brothers were always kicking their footballs over into neighbouring gardens when we were kids. For some reason I was always the one who ended up going round to ask for them back! 🙂

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  22. Great story. (I can recall a neighbor getting hostile with me when I simply stepped on her grass! I felt from then on…she was a mean old woman!) Hopefully, he calmed down when he saw the child! Perhaps he suggested they repair the garden together which would teach the child to be more careful, ability to become friends, and learn a bit about gardening. A lesson he would probably never forget. Thinking on the positive side today…. 🙂

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  24. Aw, probably frightened the poor kid. It’s damaging to his garden but I’m sure the kid will be terrified of strangers if the Gardner is mean. Especially if he’s carrying certain tools around – hedge clippers?

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