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.
Some of you non-fictioneers may have noticed that the Friday in Friday Fictioneers doesn’t appear to relate to the real Friday (you know, the one that normally follows Thursday), that’s because in Fridayfictionland Friday lasts from Wednesday morning all the way through to about Saturday lunchtime. Which is great because that means it’s always almost the weekend!
My story follows the picture prompt below, kindly provided by Claire Fuller. The steps made me think of those library step chairs – the ones which turn from a chair into steps.
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The Importance Of Being Bob
We all wondered how Bob could be so happy so much of the time. We discussed it in groups, in pairs, and even with our wives.
‘It’s no mystery,’ Bob said, beaming. ‘I’m happy because I take pleasure in the simple things. Like this library chair, for instance. Flip the back down and it turns… into steps!’
Bob laughed and clapped his hands.
‘Chair… Steps!’ Bob laughed and clapped again. ‘Chair… Steps!’ Laugh. Clap.
We backed away, slowly, exchanging looks, ridiculing him. But secretly, deep down, each and every one of us wished we were a little more like Bob.
(100 words)
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Never considered writing in first person plural? This story is inspired by Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris- a novel written from the perspective of the collective – well worth a read.
Wish you were a bit more like Bob? Play Bob’s favourite game: Don’t Shoot The Puppy.
Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!
EL Appleby: Brain Fragments 
We all need a bit of Bob in our personality!
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Yes, don’t we just! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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Simple pleasures are the best, partly because they’re the easiest to find. And if you lump lots of simple pleasures together, you get the big, complex pleasures. Good stuff, EL.
janet
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Thank you – those library steps would keep me amused for hours!
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Dear, sweet Bob. Dear, sweet, simple Bob. Yes, we all would do well to be a bit more Boblike.
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thanks – he’s a lovely man, isn’t he? If only he were real!
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Speaking of simple: I think you inadvertently spelled Bob’s name backwards.
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LOL – hold on, I think I may have spelt that backwards too – what is wrong with me this week? 🙂
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great story 🙂 finding happiness in the simplest things is a great gift. bob sounds like an awesome guy
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Hi kz
Yes, I think he is an awesome guy too – just wish I hadn’t made him up!
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Most cool. How funny that someone who gets so much enjoyment from life is treated as strange. And then the same people wonder why they don’t find enough happiness! Silly. Great concept and execution.
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Thank you for your lovely words about my story and my writing – much appreciated 🙂
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I liked the phrase ” we discussed it in groups, in pairs and even with our wives” Hell, not the wives surely? Terrific one EL, as always.
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Thanks Sandra – I don’t know where that phrase came from (my head obviously, but why?) – I think I was going for an office environment so it was about going home and discussing it at home. Glad you liked it anyway 😀
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Dear EL,
Your tale this week, while charming, is multi-layered and telling. Bob is simple. We scoff at him and, secretly, we envy his simple, cheerful view of life. Who’s the intellectual here? Nicely told….as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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thanks Rochelle – this comment means a lot to me. For me there was always a lot more to this story than the face value of it. Lovely that you saw beneath the surface. Thank you so much 🙂
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child like Bob yeah!? happy with the simple things of life.. nicely told
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thanks Shreyank. Glad you liked it 🙂
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Did you ever see the movie “What About Bob?” It starred Richard Dreyfus and Bill Murray. Murray played Bob just like this!
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Hi Joe
Just googled it (what did we do before google?) – I’ve never seen it, but i’m guessing he’s more annoyingly simple than my Bob. I’ll see if I can rent it at some point. Or I could wait until you incarcerate me for that murder in your FF story – I’ll have plenty of time on my hands then!
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I enjoyed your story and agree with the other comments, Simple is as simple does, a good approach to life, well written, thank you!
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Thanks Penny – glad you enjoyed my simple story!
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Very well written tale.
Loved it.
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thank you! that makes me very happy 😀
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Simple pleasures bring simple joy. I could get pretty excited about a chair turning into steps! Very amusing!
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Secretly, I am pretty Boblike. I have a side table with a shelf below which flips up to double the size of the table – it’s hard to explain so you’ll have to trust me when I say that it’s very cool and I often just flip it up as I’m passing because I like the mechanism. Then I have to flip it down again because there’s no room for it in it’s expanded form!
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Oh, I trust you, El. I can just imagine you enjoying such a mechanism!
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You’ve captured Bob’s happiness beautifully – maybe we can all become infected.
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Wouldn’t that be great! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I know those steps!…clever things they are. Joys in simple things are best. Spent a good part of an hour play with soap bubbles with my grandson this afternoon.
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Lovely – the best thing about kids is all the playing you get to do (and grandchildren can be handed back at the end of the day so you get to sleep all night too!) Thanks!
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Hee hee hee! Very sneaky and fun! And, yes. We ALL should be like Bob! Great job, El, and thanks!
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We could start a Be Like Bob campaign – I’ll get some government funding and buy a load of library chairs to hand out!
Glad you liked my simple tale 🙂
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me too 🙂
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😀 (and me)
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Bob has the gift if happiness. no wonder people are envious of him..like this story
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thanks nightlake. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Bob’s my Uncle!
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Wish he was mine!
🙂
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Find the pleasure instead of waiting for it? I’m thinking I need to Bob myself up a tad!
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That would look great on a t-shirt: Bob yourself up a tad!
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I’m thinking about Forrest Gump now, (wonder why?) and how I haven’t seen it for ages. I really enjoyed this 🙂
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He was a bit of a Bob, wasn’t he? Glad you enjoyed my simple tale 🙂
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I’ve been reading about the science of happiness lately, how it is ingrained in us, but can be a learned skill. Some are dialed to happy, others need to be reminded it’s within their grasp. An interesting tool is out there – https://www.trackyourhappiness.org/ – a place where you can track what makes you happiest. I’m giving it a shot – I’d like to become more Bob-like. Nicely done!
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Best of luck with your quest for inner happiness. I checked out the link but it seems to be i-phones only. My mobile is old school – I’m waiting for it to become a collector’s item! thanks for your comment 🙂
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What about Bob? I like him! I’d like to be more like him too.
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I’m going to have to check that film out, aren’t I? I think I’ll find that Bob annoying though, not like my lovely simple Bob!
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One summer, I worked a farm job with a man named Claude Stringfield, who was a lot like Bob. He could get excited over a can of pork & beans. It seems like the more we have, the more it takes to make us happy.
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Claude Stringfield – what a wonderful name! He definitely sounds like a Bob 🙂
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I wanna be Bob!! I have to admit though, the older I get the less it takes to make me truly happy. Long live Bob!
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Let’s all be Bob!!!!
thanks for commenting 🙂
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I like the fear communicated in:
‘Chair… Steps!’ Bob laughed and clapped again. ‘Chair… Steps!’ Laugh. Clap.
We backed away, slowly, exchanging looks, ridiculing him.
You almost wonder if Bob might be crazy, a little dangerous… Which is the whole point of it, right – how much we, as a society – fear and dread that which is different? Anyhow, very well done, and especially in communicating the collective apprehension.
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Yes, absolutely – fear of people who you don’t get – and fear of people who are unreasonably happy (how dare they?)
thanks so much for your comment – glad you enjoyed my simple story 🙂
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I love this … and the secret of being Bob is what would save the world
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Unfortunately, Bob is too busy with his library steps (yes, he’s still there laughing and clapping), so I guess we’re all going to have to spread the message and save the world for him!
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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[…] Friday Fiction: The Importance of Being Bob (elappleby.wordpress.com) […]
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That made me laugh, just the simple childish pleasure of a chair turning into steps. It’s great to take pleasure in the simple things in life.
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thanks David
Secretly, I really want some of those library steps myself!
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Now I want to know who the “we” are that are observing Bob! Great story!
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Loved it..at first I thought of the importance of being ernest lol
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[…] Friday Fiction: The Importance of Being Bob (elappleby.wordpress.com) […]
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we all need to enjoy life the way Bob does… well done.
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I love this! Love Bob! Good job!
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I’m with you for the “Be Like Bob” campaign–if I volunteer do I get to keep a chair-stair?
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I like that you’ve highlighted the ‘herd mentality’ aspect of human nature, and using the chair/steps as a prop. The first person plural works well in this scenario.
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Hey Bob – .I wouldn’t mind having a chair like that. Where can I get one?
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Very creative take on this prompt. Good job, And I agree with Lora: I’d like a chair like that myself.
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That ending could have gone so differently. At this point, ‘‘Chair… Steps!’ Bob laughed and clapped again. ‘Chair… Steps!’ Laugh. Clap.’ I worried that Bob had flipped into complete hysteria and everyone was backing away in fear. 🙂
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Great story. Bob’s friends are lucky to have a friend like Bob.
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Great job, Bob 🙂
Er I mean, EL. I really cherish my streak of ‘Bobishness”. There is already a Church of Bob actually but I like your Bob better.
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Oh, that Bob! The life — and envy — of the party.
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[…] Friday Fiction: The Importance of Being Bob (elappleby.wordpress.com) […]
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