(photo: copyright John Nixon)
Before I leave my room each morning, I carefully select the appropriate cane from the umbrella stand next to my door.
I collect canes, you see. I carry a staff with a hand-carved dog’s head when I go to the park. Lunch at the Ritz warrants a sleek, black ebony beauty, with a silver band bearing my initials. It’s aluminum with a fold-up seat for days at the track. And a hand-polished walking stick made from a gnarled root for O’Leary’s Pub.
Today, I choose undistinguished bamboo for a walk to the thrift shop where I’ll seek out new treasures.
(Written for Friday Fictioneers, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. September 20, 2013.)
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I see you are a fan of canes as am I! Nice work!
Thanks. I have a friend who has an amazing collection–some gorgeous examples of form and craftsmanship.
A cane connoisseur… quite a unique take on the prompt.
One wonders which came first: the collection or the need to use a cane. Either way, he’s found his niche.
A cane for every occasion / nice take on the prompt
Many thanks. Our boy leads a full life.
And if all else fails you can use it to whack people lol
Or pull them off the stage like they did in the days of vaudeville.
A lovely slice of life. I hope he has a cane with a sword inside, too, my personal favorite.
janet
Don’t know about the sword, but he definitely has one with a flask. (He’s a Swingin’ Senior, you know.)
I’d choose the one with the folding seat on a day like this. Thanks, very nice.
Very handy, that one–good choice.
First person perspective works well here.
Carrying a cane does come in handy – projects and protects 🙂
Dear VB,
Does he carry a candy cane for very special occasions? Sorry I couldn’t resist. 😉 I enjoyed your unique take on the prompt. You gave the old gent quite a personality.
shalom,
Rochelle
Hope he finds another great cane for his collection. Nicely done!
It’s good that you went down a different path here – I liked this. An original take on the prompt.
Very charming. I think some people like to get used to a particular walking stick, but others can see the value of an additional accessory–I’ve seen people like this, and also with umbrellas – thanks for the snippet of a person! k.
Haven’t thought about this before, and it’s a clever take on a story, to describe the appropriate cane to bring with you on different trips. I bet the sleek beauty turns heads admiringly at the Ritz.
I love how he has a cane for every locale–especially loved the one for O’Leary’s. 😉
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/reminiscing/
Lovely take vb I enjoyed this piece.
Dear VB,
You meditation on a cane for all seasons was well written and a great take on the prompt.
Aloha,
Doug
I don’t know much about walking sticks but certainly have raised some Cain in my life.
I love clever intricate canes as well.
Hi V.B.,
I think it was very inventive to base your story around the cane, and getting the descriptions of all those canes and the situations was interesting. Also liked the use of present tense. Ron
I’m sure that I will end up a cane colloector one day.. each age has his gadgets… great story, and you described him very well through his different canes
My dad had a cane that was called El Toro. It was made from a bull’s pecker. quite a conversation piece.
Your Citizen Cane is a man of many parts, each symbolised by a different walking stick.
We have our shoes and purses, he has his cane collection. I also like the first-person narrative.