“Give me your tired . . . poor . . . huddled masses, blah blah blah.” Thompson stares at the replica of Miss Liberty where Mayor Bernard plopped her down at the entrance to the harbor. “Without askin’ a god damn one of us.”
Well, the masses came to huddle – everywhere.
“S’posed to be too cold for them to migrate here. Give me the creeps.”
Big ones, little ones, black, white, yellow, red.
“Even stripey.” Thompson grimaces. “Liberty and Bernard can have ’em all.”
Thompson starts his engine and pulls away from shore not realizing two enormous stripey snakes are huddled in his bed.
I do like where you took this, striped snakes indeed.. Poisonous too?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. It went from submarines and battleships during WW II, to Makah Indian whalers and finally to poor old Thompson and his snakes. No, they’re not poisonous. He just finds them creepy. Thanks, Bjorn.
LikeLike
I envisaged poison too. I think that says a lot about my mind…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh he deserves everything he gets.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps. Thanks fro reading and leaving a comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pets of Beetlejuice, I suppose?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite possible, dear man, quite possible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Snakes have always given me the creeps. What a creative take, Alicia. I was definitely going a different direction up until the stripes. Nice one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Amy. I looked up St. Patrick and the snakes after my mind took off on a snake invasion. That’s where I learned it was actually too cold around Ireland for there to be enough snakes for him to eradicate. P.S. I had absolutely no trouble cutting and pasting the picture this time. I always try that first. No need to download then find media. Go figure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, right! Of course, this is the St. Patrick’s story. Now I got it. Great weaving with the prompt.
P.S. Just know the pic could disappear. If it’s in your library the photo has a path. Sometimes I’ve lost them with a copy/paste job. Either way, it’s there, so good job!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank goodness they haven’t done THAT yet. Another surprise waiting to happen.
LikeLike
Very topical, nice piece!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I was trying to avoid being too political.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice twist there at the end. I was definitely on a different track up to then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sandra. Me, too.
LikeLike
I love this. And it’s timely and true. Poor snakes won’t be very welcome, I’m afraid.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you like it. Thanks so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicely done, Alicia, although I admit to being somewhat blindsided by the snakes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So was Thompson. Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment. I appreciate it.
LikeLike
Great write. No escape from stripeys anywhere in the globe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. And, yes, I do believe stripeys are everywhere. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i guess the snakes wanted to keep warm, too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Indeed they do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Alicia,
Those immigrants can stay away. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree!!! Thanks, Rochelle. Hope all is going well in your busy life.
LikeLike
Snakes! Didn’t expect that. Great twist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Margaret, they just kinda’ slithered into the tale.
LikeLike
I like the misdirection, right up to the word “stripey.” Well done!
LikeLike
Thanks, Jan. I wondered about the story so I’m glad you liked it.
LikeLike
I read people until I reached the end, and then I thought poison. Every reader sees something different = well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I appreciate your lovely comment.
LikeLike
Yeah, nobody wants the tired and hungry anymore. The next inscription will have “Give me your well fed, prosperous and with money to invest…..”. Ten points for Slytherin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think anyone ever really did want the huddle masses. Thanks for reading!
LikeLike
Haha..clever twist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good story, Alicia. Next time he sets out he better check his boat thoroughly. Kind of a grouchy old sailor. Maybe he suffers from arthritis. I enjoyed the humor in the story. Good writing. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Once again trying to go on the lighter side.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahaha! Oops! You captured that sailor really well, Alicia. Made me wish for 500 more words.
Five out of five copperheads.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are a very kind reader. Thak you.
LikeLike