Okay, I know it isn’t Friday yet, but I couldn’t wait any longer! I don’t read anyone’s story before I’ve submitted my own and my inbox is filling up with tiny tales desperate to be read. Surely it must be Friday somewhere?
For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link at the end of my story to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.
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Copyright-Renee Homan Heath
Sex On The Beach
The hypnotherapist asked Martha to think of somewhere she felt comfortable and relaxed. She lay back on the couch, closed her eyes and pictured a tropical paradise, gentle waves lapping at her feet as she breathed in and out. Under the palm trees, semi-naked waiters were serving exotic umbrella-laden cocktails…
‘On the count of three you’ll be wide awake and fully refreshed,’ said the hypnotherapist, invading Martha’s dream. ‘One … two …’
Martha pressed her fingers into her ears and held them there.
‘Waiter, be a darling and bring me a cocktail,’ she said. ‘And make it a large one.’
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Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!
Yes, stay in the world of dreams and come out with a hangover.
That would be too sad – to get dream-drunk but come out with an actual hangover!
Hahah – that’s a great one! I wanted to stay in the photo too.
Thanks Sheila, glad you liked it. I didn’t want to leave the photo either – it’s a lovely prompt for a cold snowy day!
May I join you?? A place to stay for sure. Great story.
Thanks Jackie – come on in, the water’s lovely
Please ask the waiter to make it two.
Consider it done!
I made enough of those damn things at the Baja Beach Club in Chicago, in the ’80s. I liked how she put her fingers in her ears to try to stay in the dream. Good one!
Thanks Ted, glad you enjoyed it. The Baja Beach Club sounds like fun!
It was a zoo!
Too funny!! I really enjoyed that.
janet
Hi Janet
Thanks for commenting – glad you liked it!
Hehe.. Nice.. Too cute the way she put fingers on her ears,, sometimes all one wants is to run away from reality into a dreamland and of course sip a large cocktail.
Yep, I think we all feel like that sometimes. Glad I made you laugh
Semi naked waiters? Could I have that hypnotheraist’s number? Nice dream and an entertaining story, El.
Hi Rochelle – I think the hypnotherapist will have Fictioneers queuing up to book an appointment! thanks for your lovely comment.
I like your protagonist — she is very wise
Also like the title, of course! Very well done, with a fabulous ending!
I still can’t believe we chose the same title! Thanks for your lovely comments
I wish I was there as well! Great post.
Thank you. Me too!
I’ll have what she’s having–reminds me of Office Space where the guy was hypnotized–great!
I’m going to have to watch Office Space again as I don’t remember that bit, but it’s been a few years since I saw it – glad you enjoyed my little story and thanks for commenting
hahaha loving Rochelle’s comment just as i love your story.. WHERE IS THIS PLACE??? would love to see some semi-naked waiters of my own.. haha
HI kz. Sadly, I think this place only exists in Martha’s head, and she only exists in my head, so I guess you’d have to crawl in through my ear… Hmmm, maybe not
A great short story. How long can she keep the hypnotherapist at bay?
More importantly, how’s she going to drink that cocktail with her fingers stuck in her ears?!
thanks for commenting
It’s good to see the patient take control. Nice one, made me smile.
Thanks Sandra, glad I made you smile
I have to say this is exactly what I would do, except I think I’d tell the therapist to take a hike. This is awesome, well done!!
Thanks Tony. Maybe she should tell the therapist to take a hike, although she might have to wake up to do it! Thanks for commenting – see you next Friday
I would like to try the hypnotherapist too! Good one!
Thanks Parul
Hehe, great story – I wonder how long she can keep those fingers tucked in her ears?
I reckon she’s going to have to come back to reality at some point – but maybe she’ll start travelling and see if she can find her tropical paradise for real. Thanks for commenting
Me thinks the hypnotherapist bit off more than he could chew in this session.
I think so, I can imagine him trying to pull her fingers out of her ears, and her resisting – a proper slapstick scene! Thanks for commenting!
gotta get me a hypnotherapist! well done. well imagined, and well played by martha.
Thanks Rich – glad you enjoyed it.
If there’s any hypnotherapists reading this who specialise in tropical paradise trances, I think they may have found their target customers! Thanks for your comments
Believe it or not, I once bought a self-hypnosis tape that was supposed to enable you to achieve, ‘X’. The first part consisted of imagining you were lying on a tropical beach, palm trees swaying, ocean lapping. I ended up living where I’d imagined! But never achieved the ‘X’. Ann
Hi Ann
Wow, you found your paradise then? And if you’re living there then who needs the ‘X’?!
thanks for your comment
I’m not living there now. Not Paradise. There was a pleasant resemblance (I hope). You know, I even took that CD to the beach to check how closely it resembled my visualisation! It taught me you have to be very careful what you visualise!
If I cannot hear you, you cannot stop me from imagining…well you know. Nice use of the 100 El.
thanks Joe. Not sure she’ll be able to sustain it though – she’s going to have to come back to earth at some point. Glad you enjoyed it
I don’t blame Martha. Why come back to reality when the fantasy is this good. The title grabs you right from the start. Ron
Thanks Ron – I’m glad you liked the title (although it wasn’t original and Jan Brown used the same one, albeit for a very different story). I need to work harder on titles, mine are normally rubbish two word affairs – first word ‘The’ – so this is an area I need to improve on. thanks for commenting.
Did she wake up? I wondered if he didn’t bring her all the way out, and the waiter was going to get lucky!
Hmmm… interesting theory Bill! I think she had to wake up at some point – plus, I bet she didn’t take any sunscreen, so she’d want to get back before she got sunstroke or turned into a lobster!
nice work here, love the fingers in ears part.
thanks train-whistle. Glad you enjoyed it
Way to go, Martha! Stay there forever. Great ending!
Hi Perry, Thanks for your lovely comment. Glad you enjoyed it
Very enjoyable story! I think Martha’s on the right track!
You’re the one who inspired me to join. I don’t remember how I found you blog, but I liked your story and wanted to do my own.
Lovely. If only putting our fingers in our ears could work like that.
Perfect! I’m relaxed right where I am, thank you very much. Hmm, maybe I should look into going to a hypnotherapist. Then again, if Office Space taught us anything… well, no, I guess Office Space didn’t teach us anything, did it. Okay, yellow pages here I come.
That was brilliant! Very, very funny!
A great one!
Thank you – sorry I haven’t been over to your place much lately, my internet connection is crap. I’ll be back soon, though. Still a fan
Hey, there’s no need to apologize–are you kidding? Didn’t even think about it. Just keep writing–that’s the task.
~Asher