Archie stretched up and swung the hammer, managing to nudge the satellite dish.
‘How about now?’ he shouted through the window.
Agnes checked the television. ‘Still nothing.’
Archie sighed. He was not going to miss the first live football match in four months because the satellite signal was on the blink.
He made another lunge upwards. The hammer made solid contact. With a creak the dish toppled over.
Agnes watched the dish drop passed the window. There was some swearing. Then the ladders fell backwards and clattered onto the ground.
Archie’s feet dangled in air.
‘Everything alright, dear?’ Agnes called.

Written for Friday Fictioneers 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). After over three months, football (soccer) returns to the UK tonight – albeit in empty stadiums – another sign that things are gradually getting back to some sort of normality.
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
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Perhaps restarting the football was a mistake? Or perhaps the mistake was something else
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There’s a lot of ‘mistakes’ going around at the moment.
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Yeah, his team probably lost anyway.
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He has that kind of luck.
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Some things just aren’t DIY. Had a good chuckle.
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Excellent, thanks for reading 🙂
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A naive question? 🙂
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An ‘I told you so’ question. 🙂
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That happens to me when I obsess over something 🙂 🙂 🙂
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LOL 🙂
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Brilliantly witty (though I’m not sure Rod Hull would find it as such!)
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Ah, poor Rod – still an inspiration to us all.
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Hope he’s okay.
Football match isn’t worth this trouble. They could have watched with their neighbour.
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Ha, true, or just peered in his window 🙂
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Dear Iain,
I’d say he’s doomed as far as the football match is concerned. You did give me a chuckle.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Job done! Thanks Rochelle.
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Goodness, that was a very relaxed response from Agnes! Made me smile though.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Agnes is the queen of understatement.
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Oh what a bummer!
Great take on the prompt
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Thanks Sadje
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You’re welcome 😉
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I don’t think everything is alright.
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Not by a long shot! Thanks Danny
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A really great take on the prompt. You did make me laugh.
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Then my job is done! Thanks 🙂
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LOL I’ve missed Archie and Agnes. I would feel that way about baseball. Have a great week!
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You to Janet 🙂
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Poor Archie. It’s great to see this fun duo again. Thanks for the chuckle, Iain 🙂
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You’re welcome, thank you for reading 🙂
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You’re welcome. Always a pleasure reading your stories 🙂
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LOL Agnes is so calm. 🙂
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She’s used to him! 😉
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How long is she going to let him hang there, I wonder? 🙂
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As long as she thinks necessary! 😉
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Poor bugger.
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Oops. There is a reason there are experts in all fields. Poor Archie!
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And there is a reason Archie is not one of them!
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Great story, Iain. Really made me chuckle. Apparently, the hospital emergency rooms have been spared a lot of accident and drunken fight type injuries during lock down and there weren’t typical nights in emergency.
We’re coming out of lock down here in Australia. There have been some cases in Victoria but largely no local cases ust people returning from overseas. We went back to church for the first time last weekend and that was great, although not everyone was social distancing and it felt weird dodging hugs. It’s the first time I’ve ever played hard to get.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Ha, it’s hard to social distance when you see others not observing it, but I hope they understand. Glad you liked the story. Here in the UK hospitals did see a rise in DIY household accidents as those stuck at home decided to do home improvements – whether qualified to or not!
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Sounds like a perfect normal to me 😉
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I know several men like Archie for sure.
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Great physical comedy in this
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Thank you
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We have all been there, adjusting that satellite dish. I wonder if Agnes was ever going to say the signal was good. Why would she want to watch the football?
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You’ve made Agnes more cunning than I had imagined her to be! But you could be right.
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oh so funny. Makes me glad we haven’t got a TV anymore!
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Thanks Di 🙂
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Not the best day for old Arch, is it. “Some days are better than others.” — U2
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Good song. Yep, not his day at all.
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Whoops – oh dear! I hope there are bushes below to break Archie’s fall. Nicely written, Iain.
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Perhaps a neighbour’s trampoline will make a handy landing! 😉
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Oh my word! I was feeling bad for poor Archie, but you made me laugh out loud with his wife’s question. “Everything all right, Dear?” Hilarious!
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I imagine she said it with a raised eyebrow and a sigh! Thanks Linda 😉
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Might have wanted to use a little less force. 😉 Great story!
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Typical man, always lacking subtlety!
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Poor Archie. Something tells me she is not a “football wife” …
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I think she may have enjoyed the break from having to sit through the football! 🙂
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“Enjoyed the break” !!!!!! (I’m laughing out loud!) Good one … 😉
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If customer service over there is anything like it is over here, Archie took the less painful path. A fall might break his body, but calling customer service will break his soul.
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True, no chance they would get it fixed in time for the start of the game!
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reminds me of the Rod Hull tragedy, good take on the prompt, I don’t think he would have complained missing the villa sheffield game!!
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After 100 days of waiting – 0-0. 2020 at its finest there.
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With VAR screwing up royally!
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At least some things never change.
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it must be time to call a pro to do the work. 🙂
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It’s always the best way.
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Is Agnes related to Hyacinth Bouquet?
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Struck from a similar mould!
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Agnes sounds really, really concerned. 🙂 Thanks for some light relief.
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She has a knack for understated reaction. You’re welcome Sandra 🙂
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Well, Agnes doesn’t seem too bothered. Months without football, shame to spoil it now…
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She could probably do without it for a while longer 🙂
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I laughed out loud on this one, Iain! SO true, especially when it comes to adjusting antennae in the bad weather.
You get my first “five out of five” for the week — Five out of five broken satellites. 😀
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Thank you so much, I am suitably honoured 🙂
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Oh, that would be quite a predicament!
Ronda
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How will he get down?! Thanks Ronda
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OMG comedy of errors! No TV at all now. Seems somewhat symbolic !
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It sums up 2020 for most!
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It seems that the only goal was a home goal.
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🙂
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I had a nice chuckle at this slice of life. We’ve all had days like this, in one way or another. Oy!
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Thanks Brenda, glad you enjoyed!
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Thanks, Iain, for the Saturday morning chuckle.
It looks like he’s missed the game. He’ll feel better
if his team loses and he missed seeing it. 🤪
Isadora 😎
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Haha, true, maybe it was fate telling him not to watch! Thank you 🙂
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I think it’s a sign …
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It definitely was! 🙂
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Oops ! Is he okay now?
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Well, he’s still with us so he must have got down somehow 😉
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Such an imaginable scene. The comical ending made me smile !
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Job done – thank you 🙂
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So true to life I could hear the lilt in the wife’s voice. Good job.
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Thank you Dawn
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