This is my contribution to Friday Fictioneers (100 words) The picture had me stumped for awhile. My first thoughts were dour and sad. It took me a bit to flip them around.
Danika’s toes tingled. Her head was about to burst with excitement.
She couldn’t wait to tell Mom! Dad would explode with pride. She knew he would.
The best part was they wouldn’t get the news until she told them. No radio. No T.V. Couldn’t afford the newspaper.
Dad got back issues from the neighbor on Sunday. This was only Friday.
No phone. No computer.
People called them poor Okies. Perhaps they were.
Her family might live in a tumble-down shack in the woods, but they had love and smarts.
Lots of smarts. After all she’d just won the National Spelling Bee!
Up From the Ashes 
As a long.ago spelling bee champion, I couldn’t help liking this
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Larry, that’s so cool! I never was in a spelling bee, although I did try! Thanks for liking my story.
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I love your happy, gentle, non-sad tone. I, too, had sad thoughts when I saw this, but planned to write something completely different from my first thoughts. Thanks for a lovely story!
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Too many air tragedies lately. This needed to be on the light side. Glad you liked it. Alicia
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So sweet so good. And how great to keep the tension up.. A rare opportunity these days.
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Thanks, Bjorn!
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Interesting where you went with this prompt. I love the variety!
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The variety is awfully fun this week. Thanks for reading!
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Interesting take on the prompt. Well done.
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Thanks Sandra. As I said, I wanted to veer away from sadness concerning flight.
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I can picture her bouncing up and down in her seat with excitement!
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Great! She is truly one excited little girl. Glad you could “see” that.
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Dear Alicia,
What a heartwarming story from a precocious and precious child. Very well done.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks, Doug.
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Dear Alicia,
Such a feel good story of determination winning over circumstances. I felt the girl’s excitement and pride. You left me with a smile on my face. Thank you for a pleasant flight.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Too bad I couldn’t have added a package of peanuts. Thanks, Rochelle
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Alicia
Wow, well done and a reminder that the Digital Divide is still an issue.
Regards
Jim
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Thanks for reading and making such a thoughtful comment.
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This is such a lovely story, Alicia! It particularly appeals to the the (retired) teacher in me!
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Glad you liked it. Just lookin’ on the bright side.
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Alicia, I always love a happy ending. I also love hearing about disadvantaged kids becoming successes in the world. Parents have to be credited with encouraging that success. Often that and love are all they can afford to give, but many times that’s enough. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
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Thank you for the well thought out response. I picture Danika a thin, wispy haired blonde, with tons of freckles and a heart full of love.
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I love this one, Alicia. My parents didn’t have a phone either and we lived in the sticks. Dad had been in the fourth grade (don’t think he completed it) and Mom the eighth. Still, she could spell better than me. I’m one of those who spells sh*t with two TTs. 🙂
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Thanks, Russell. My parents grew up on farms in the heart of the dust bowl. Mom – who became a librarian – loved to read and hated horses. Every weekend she jumped on a horse and rode ten miles to the neighboring farm to pick up a week’s worth of newspapers. She and my dad are my heroes.
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This is great. I like how it could be really depressing if it wanted to be, but isn’t. It gives a really humble feeling (I think that’s what the feeling is anyway). 🙂
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Thank you. Danika is a humble yet proud little girl. I’m glad you noticed. Thanks for your kind comment.
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Very sweet story, well written.
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Thank you.
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Nice little story, even if I can’t connect it to the photo!
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Thanks! Think flying home!
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Great touching story! Glad she could spell so gud!
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Indud! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!! Cheerio.
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Alicia, I love the way you focused on the vegetation in the photo to find your inspiration. Excellent use of the photo prompt.
All my best,
Marie Gail
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Why thank you!
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Aw, bless her. I want to give her a hug and say Well Done! And that it doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s what you do with your life that counts! You got that over so well in so few words. 🙂
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Thank you, Joanna! I’ll give her a little hug for you. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
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You’ve got me smiling.
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Glad I brightened your day!
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It sounds like where I came from. It’s a good place. Thanks! 🙂
Lily
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What a wonderful statement – good places don’t need computers and T.V.’s as long as they contain family and friends.
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Good for Donika, and the dirt-poor Okies. Who needs email?
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Indeed.
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I can almost smell the hickory smoke. Good story
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Never thought of that! Thanks for reading/
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I loved how you captured the restless exuberance of children – “Danika’s toes tingled”, etc. My niece is just like that 🙂
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Thank you!
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I love the joyful tone to this entire piece, Alicia. It buzzes with excitement and pride!
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Thanks, Dawn. That’s what I was trying to do!
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There’s a kind of innocence in not having technology. A kind of pureness that’s maybe lost on us now. There’s something precious about getting news face-to-face. Great story!
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Thanks, Amy, Danika sure thought so. Wonderful pic of you and Dawn! She lives her in Bellingham. We run into one another every now and then. I love her smile. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Oh, that’s so cool you run into Dawn! Do you guys get together? After my post, I realized one of my blogging friends lives near me. We may meet up, too.
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Dawn is a very busy gal…. We see each other occasionally at concerts and used to see her at the office where I worked – before I retired. She is truly an extra-special lady.
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such a lovely story with a character that truly appreciates the important thing in life…love and family. no bitterness because of the family financial situation…just grateful and very happy over her victory. love your story, Alicia.
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Sun, I’m glad you saw that in her. Thanks for reading and leaving a lovely comment.
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There’s something so pure about a child’s excitement and you’ve captured it beautifully. Wonderful story.
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Thanks so much! Alicia
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She is sooooo excited and it shows. Love the idea that a plane will get the news there faster than any other means. Good on her for winning too. Lovely piece. (Can’t stop smiling.)
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Thanks, Sarah Ann, I’m so glad you can feel Danika’s excitement. She’s one happy little girl.
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Aw, this is adorable! Hearing it from the winner in person will make the news so much more special to her parents.
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I think so, too! Her parents really love her and she’s proud to please them. Thanks.
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How sweet. She would be able to tell her folks in person. What a win for a poor girl. Just poor in money, not smarts. Well done. lucy
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Sometimes “smarts” is all that’s needed. Thanks so much for going back to read this!
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I love this… our Rotary puts on the spelling bee in our town and the kids are so much fun… no, it does not matter where you are from.
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Thanks, Ted, seems you’ve been gone awhile. Glad you stopped by.
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