IAIN KELLY

UNITED IN LOVE

‘Meet me at our favourite spot,’ she wrote two weeks ago.

Today was the appointed time. She sat by the river watching the water rushing along, mirroring the tumult in her heart.

Here they had first fallen in love, before circumstance and war had torn them apart.

She lay on the grass, listening to the birdsong, and waited.

***

He stood with his chilli dog and coke looking round the stadium.

This was their favourite spot, where they had first met, watching the Mets beat the Yankees.

No sign of her.

Still, the ball game was about to start. He took a seat.


dales-waterfall

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). 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 week’s prompt, visit HERE.


My new novel, ‘A Justified State,’ is now also available from Book Depository as well as Amazon in Paperback and on Amazon Kindle.
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105 responses to “UNITED IN LOVE”

  1. neilmacdon Avatar

    A lovely comedy of errors, Iain

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Neil

      Like

  2. pensitivity101 Avatar

    Sad, but obviously they had different ideas on their favourite place!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars…and so on 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. pensitivity101 Avatar

        So I understand………….. we’re all aliens and just passing through Iain!

        Liked by 2 people

  3. Susan A Eames Avatar

    Oh, that was brilliant and clever! ‘Nuff said. 🙂

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Susan, much appreciated.

      Like

  4. talesfromthemindofkristian Avatar

    I think that story’s fantastic. It is funny but also cuts to the heart of many situations where two people just think entirely differently. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Kristian, glad you liked it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  5. ceayr Avatar

    This made me laugh.
    Assumptions, eh?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Let’s be honest, men need to be given explicit instructions when it comes to things like this. Thanks CE

      Like

  6. jillyfunnell Avatar

    That anguished cry of “but you must KNOW I want” haunts this story. Great stuff.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Yes, I’ve heard that cry before! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  7. quiall Avatar

    hahah Not what I expected. I love to be surprised!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Glad you liked this one! I couldn’t bring myself to write a straightforward sentimental bit of romance!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    I find myself wanting him to catch a fly ball with his head. 😉 Loved this.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Rochelle, I suspect he won’t know what’s hit him once she catches up with him 😉

      Like

  9. k rawson Avatar

    Lol! Funny and entertaining. You capture them so well, each oblivious in their way.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    At least he’s not in the living room!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      That may be his only defence when she finds him!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Shweta Suresh Avatar

    Uh oh! Looks like the universe and fate have work cut out for them if they want these two to be together!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Maybe they’ll laugh about it…!

      Like

  12. Indira Avatar

    So sad but yes, man and woman do have different favorite places but to confuse between where they first met…funny and sad both. Nicely done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, I was going for funny!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Indira Avatar

        And you did.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. James Pyles Avatar

    That’s a sad bit of miscommunication.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I was going for funny mishap over sad. Hopefully they can laugh about it later… once she’s calmed down.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. James Pyles Avatar

        If she ever decides to see him again. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  14. granonine Avatar

    Did we do a time warp here, or is he really that clueless? My word. I wonder how long she waited. We know HE waited until the game was over 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Perhaps she rather enjoyed the quiet afternoon alone with nature in the end!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Clare Hempstead Avatar

    The art of communication! She should have been less ambiguous in her note – definitely her fault on this occasion!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      We’re men, we need things spelled out for us, otherwise it’s bound to end in disaster 😉

      Like

  16. Sandra Avatar

    Ah well, sometimes you just have to spell it out for them. Made me grin.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Sandra, nice to spread a bit of a smile 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Dale Avatar

    Oh, Snap!!! Communication breakdown…

    Like

  18. oneta hayes Avatar

    Great story. A flash of truth made funny. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much Oneta 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    It seemed such a good idea when they arranged it! Oh dear. I’m in Glasgow this weekend meeting my newly hatched granddaughter and I was wondering if you could organise some nice weather for us!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I will try, although the forecast does not look good! I am working all weekend, so if you see the big BBC Scotland building beside the river, I’ll be inside there. Congratulations on the new arrival! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  20. scr4pl80 Avatar

    A funny story to tell on their 50th wedding anniversary. Happy Thanksgiving Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Janet, hope you have a good Thanksgiving weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Magaly Guerrero Avatar

    Lack of communication is the culprit behind many misunderstandings (and breakups, too). I really like what this says about perspective, and about how we can never know what someone else holds dear… at least, not without asking them.

    And yes, the twist gave me a giggle.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Magaly – that was exactly what I intended to show, including the giggle! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Danny James Avatar

    World’s apart. No!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Bridges need to be built it seems 😉

      Like

  23. StuHN Avatar

    Silly woman: you always have to tell the guy exactly what you mean/want. Unless it’s stated outright, we are clueless. Clueless, I say.

    Oh, and I looked at this differently on a second read: Two different time periods; two different couples. Still stands as a good read.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      You were right first time with my intentions, nothing as fancy as different time periods, just 2 people getting crossed wires – but I like both ways of looking at it, so I will take all the credit 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  24. ForgivingConnects Avatar

    Oh wow Iain. I love this. What a great demonstration of the importance of clear communication, that each of us has our own unique perspective — Forgiveness and perception checking are such keys to bridge this. Can I share this post for #ForgivingFridays? If yes, it would be great if you can link back to my post from last week. And if not, no worries. Blessings to you Iain!

    (Note that I may not do a post this Friday b/c of the Thanksgiving holiday.)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, I’m happy for you to share it and I will put a link on your post. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ForgivingConnects Avatar

        Great Iain – yay!! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving and blessings.

        Liked by 1 person

  25. jwdwrites Avatar

    Laughed at this one and had to share it with my wife. I wonder if I would know where to go if she sent me that letter! Well done Iain, great little story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      🙂 Thank you

      Like

  26. JoHawkTheWriter Avatar

    Hahaha. Good lesson on giving explicit directions. Nicely done Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Jo

      Liked by 1 person

  27. anuragbakhshi Avatar

    Ha ha ha, Mars and Venus clash again! And by the way, many congratulations on the book launch Iain, hope it takes your name to great(er) heights my friend 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, do give it a look if you get the chance! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  28. plaridel Avatar

    i guess they weren’t meant for each other.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Perhaps opposites attract?…

      Liked by 1 person

  29. draliman Avatar

    Haha, oh dear! He’s such a bloke… 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      There’s no denying we think about things differently!

      Liked by 1 person

  30. liz young Avatar

    Shame – she didn’t know him as well as she thought!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It appears not!

      Like

  31. notestowomen Avatar

    Oh Dear. I guess it would have been wiser to say, “meet me by the river” or “let’s meet at the stadium.” I wonder how long each of them will wait before they realize that they got their wires crossed? Great read, Iain 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Exactly, I wonder if they won’t both end up enjoying their time anyway, both doing what they enjoy! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. notestowomen Avatar

        I hope they do. And then have a good laugh about it afterwards.

        Liked by 1 person

  32. Liz H Avatar

    A doomed relationship, for sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Some relationships work best if they spend most of their time apart 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  33. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Oh nooooooo miscommunication of the worst kind. Well told Iain 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Yep, and they both think they are right!

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Abhijit Ray Avatar
    Abhijit Ray

    Serious communication gap! Are these two people waiting at different places expected to meet or are they waiting for different partners?

    Like

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Waiting to meet each other

      Like

  35. 4963andypop Avatar

    Looks like i missed the party doing the turkey yesterday. Agree with all of the above. Its funny because its so familiar and believable.

    As for the points on clear communication: I’m convinced this message was an email or text!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  36. ladynimue Avatar
    ladynimue

    That’s why they they details matter ! Unless mentioned there can be no same favorite place ! What a tragedy 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you – yes, the details are important! 😉

      Like

  37. Brenda's Thoughts Avatar

    I enjoyed their different perspectives and the comedy of error. I hope they find each other in the end (a bit of a romantic). =)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I think they will too, and laugh about it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Darnell Cureton Avatar

    Two people with their own idea of a place dear to them. Wonderful and sad.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I prefer to see the wonderful and funny in it – but you are not alone in seeing the sadness of it.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Darnell Cureton Avatar

        Yes it’s funny too. But I keep seeing that missed opportunity.

        Liked by 1 person

  39. Woman walking Max Avatar

    I really liked the subtle way you revealed the mis-match between their remembered experiences, by implication – very believable, and well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much 🙂

      Like

  40. Russell Avatar

    I can see it happening! She really should be more specific though. Great read!

    btw – I wanted to say thanks for your comment on my story. I’m not sure how, but I deleted it while replying. It’s somewhere in the WordPress wormhole now, and I can’t get it back.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Russell. Never mind, that was one of my best comments too! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  41. Today’s Forgiving Fridays: A Big Lesson on How to Let Go – ForgivingConnects Avatar

    […] of Iain Kelly Writing gave us a great short story demonstrating that each of us has perspectives that may well be […]

    Liked by 1 person

  42. michaelwynnauthor Avatar

    Oh dear, dim, insensitive and unthinking, he’s going to be in trouble. (Been there.)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Haven’t we all! I prefer to have exact instructions written down so I don’t go wrong 😉

      Like

  43. Rowena Avatar

    Iain, this was fantastic, even if rather tragic for the participants. I’d imagine a lot of couples could face this confusion. Hope they meet up.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I like to think it has a happy ending of reconciliation! Thanks Rowena

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Rowena Avatar

        I hope so.

        Like

  44. theministryofshrawleywalks Avatar

    Oh dear! I’d say he’s going to regret watching the ball game! Good stuff Iain

    Liked by 1 person

  45. Dawn M. Miller Avatar

    Haha…this is great!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Dawn 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  46. The Reclining Gentleman Avatar

    Haha! They’re not quite in synch it seems 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Not by a long shot!

      Like

  47. magarisa Avatar

    Ha! They didn’t know each other as well as they thought they did. Brilliant story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  48. Dahlia Avatar

    Hahah 😂😂 Brilliant!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Dahlia

      Liked by 1 person

  49. It’s Forgiving Fridays! Today’s topic is the Endless Gift of Self-Forgiveness – Plus More! :) – ForgivingConnects Avatar

    […] of Iain Kelly Writing gave us a great short story demonstrating that each of us has perspectives that may well be […]

    Liked by 1 person

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