MOTHER

‘Hey, sis. Who’s strangling the cat?’

‘I got her one for her birthday. Decorated it like her old one.’

‘Did she recognise it?’

‘She recognises less and less. She probably won’t recognise you.’

‘You remember how she used to play?’

‘Every night, while we were going to sleep.’

‘Bach, wasn’t it? Her favourite.’

‘The Chaconne from Sonata No. 2 in D minor.’

‘That’s the one.’

‘I put it on for her every night. Wish we’d stuck with our lessons.’

The old woman in the corner smiled at them, blankly. She picked up the violin. Her children stared as Bach’s music filled their hearts once more.

Copyright Amanda Forestwood

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).

Click to go to YouTube and hear Bach’s The Chaconne from Sonata No. 2 in D minor.

To read more stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

‘The State Trilogy’ and ‘The Barra Boy’ available now. A chance this week to pop into some Waterstones bookstores around Glasgow and see The Barra Boy’ out in the world.

58 responses to “MOTHER”

  1. Lovely, Iain, just lovely

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I can relate to this 100%, working in aged care. Beautifully done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you , much appreciated

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Music is truly a lifelong treasure! Nice story.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Great story. Something stay forever, and music is usually the last thing to go.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Trent, much appreciated

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Shared memories are the ones that stick with you & keep the ties going. Lovely!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. So lovely, if sad, and so real too. Music so often stays after other memories have gone, and you captured this beautifully. I’m glad the children could still feel that connection.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Incredible how the human mind works, and how music becomes so wound up in our memories. Thank you

      Like

  7. Nice opening line. Her family clearly loves her.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re welcome, Iain.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Beautiful story, Iain and very true to life. My grandmother was an international concert pianist and she ended up with dementia and it wasn;’t too bad at this point, but I remember her sitting down and trying to recall Moonlight Sonata which was really well below her pay grade and she played snatches of a range of very complex pieces trying to jog her memory.
    My mother was my grandmother’s pupil which is how my parents met. She now also has dementia but still plays well. She’s particularly fond of playing Happy Birthday which she plays with such a flourish. We had a singalong the other day as she played “I Still Call Australia Home” while my dad retreated to the far corner of the room in case he caught covid from the singing.
    Hope you’ve had a good week.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks Rowena, glad this story spoke to you and was realistic to life. Not something I have had to go through so far, but such a powerful and painful experience for those that do.

      Like

  9. This is so sweet, it brought a tear to my eye.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Dawn, much appreciated

      Liked by 1 person

  10. I’m not crying. Really beautiful story Iain.
    Well done on your publications.
    Tracey

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks so much Tracey

      Like

  11. Excellent story, Iain. And relatable for so many. Memory is such an interesting thing, and too often a terrible loss.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks Bill, endlessly fascinating how memory can work, and misbehave.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The most unreliable of all narrators.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. I recently saw a video of an elderly ballerina. When her care giver played songs she used to dance to, she would sway and gracefully move her arms as she did way back when. You captured that same feeling.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks Alicia – music certainly is a kind of therapy.

      Like

    2. I saw that too and that was what came to mind immediately when I read the story.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Such is the magic of music. A touching tale, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Lovely story, Iain. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Aw, that’s sweet! Nice one.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Oh beautiful ! They say music might be one of the things you lose last. This brought a tear to the eye.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Laurie, much appreciated

      Liked by 1 person

  17. You wrote this in a way that there is beauty in the sadness. How comforting to know that some of the things we love remain with us until the end.
    And the pictures and presentation of your book look great! Congrats.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much for both compliments 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Awww, some things the mind does not forget.
    Great story Iain

    Liked by 1 person

  19. i don’t know what to say, but what a touching story. well done.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. The music was still inside her. A very heartwarming story, Iain. I love it!

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Music is indeed magical lovely story 💞

    Liked by 1 person

  22. It’s incredible that some patients with dementia can’t remember their own children, but the muscle memory of an instrument is no problem. A horrible but fascinating, but horrible and cruel, illness.

    It’s April, so I’m focused on the #AtoZChallenge.
    Proof of Existence, book two in my dark urban fantasy series, is out this month. Very exciting.

    J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Reference& Speculative Fiction Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It is a very cruel thing.

      Good luck with A to Z this year. I wish I could find the time – maybe back next year!

      Like

  23. Very moving – it’s incredible what gifts remain when all else vanishes.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Music is a rare real magic in our world.

    Congratulations in getting Barra Boy out in the world.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re welcome.

        Liked by 1 person

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