No Child of Mine @ otoh

No Child of Mine

“No child of mine — ”

“Momma, please,” Samantha protested.

“Just look at what you’re wearing,” her mother continued. “Those bright colors… you’re not fit to be seen in public like that. And those shoes. How can you even walk in those?”

“You’re right, Momma. The shoes aren’t designed for comfort. They’re part of the overall look. And I’m not out in public that much — ”

“And that god-awful wig. What’s wrong with your real hair?”

“Nothing Momma.”

“And you must have a ton of make-up on your face. Do you paint that on with a roller? You have such a pretty face, it’s a shame to cover it up like that.”

Samantha’s frown could not hide her quivering lower lip.

“It’s just not decent I tell you. It’s disgraceful.”

Tears welled up in Samantha’s eyes.

“Go scrub that stuff off and change in to proper clothes. No child of mine is going to be a damn clown.”

.

.

.

.

.

photo by steenslag

Follow Friday Flash Fiction on Twitter, Facebook, and Mad Utopia.

Posted on January 29th, 2010 Tim 15 comments

FridayFlash, humor, otoh FridayFlash, humor, otoh
15 responses to “No Child of Mine”
1. snowelf January 29th, 2010 at 12:35
  
  Awwwww I almost feel sorry for the little clown girl.
  
  Happy Friday though. Not so sorry about that
  
  –snow
  
  Almost? Was it my writing or just how you feel about clowns in general? Happy Friday, Snow. Thanks for stopping in. ~Tim
2. Laura Eno January 29th, 2010 at 17:55
  
  I totally feel sorry for her. You got a strong reaction from me, which is excellent writing. Nice twist at the end too! I wanted to shove mama in a closet.
  
  Thanks, Laura. I think “Shove Momma in a Closet” might make a good title. ~Tim
3. Oliva Tejeda January 29th, 2010 at 19:25
  
  Oh, that Mama reminded me of Carrie White’s mother. EWwwww!! I’m not a fan of clowns, actually, but I’m even less of a fan of controlling mothers. You paint both beautifully. ~ Olivia
  
  Thanks, Olivia. Some days it’s a tossup whether mothers or clowns are more scary. [Apologies to all you moms out there, but seriously... y'all CAN be scary!] ~Tim
4. CJ January 29th, 2010 at 19:34
  
  Heh – I like this! I didn’t find it too heartwrenching, more sad/amusing. But then again, no kid of mine is going to be a clown. (We’re all a bit creeped out by them – but that’s a good reason, right?)
  
  Thanks, CJ. Don’t tell anyone, but I actually like most clowns. ~Tim
5. G.P. Ching January 29th, 2010 at 21:36
  
  AAAAH! I wasn’t expecting horror! As a child I was honest to goodness afraid of clowns.
  
  But on to your writing. This is a well thought out piece. I didn’t see the twist coming and the dialogue was quirky and entertaining. As far as the picture, I think I’m supposed to feel sorry for the clown but really I just want to run away.
  
  I suppose that’s my fault for marking this piece as humor. Thanks for the kind words and if you do run away I hope you’ll come back again. ~Tim
6. Estrella Azul January 30th, 2010 at 05:37
  
  This was great! I’m not a fan of clowns either (weird to see how many people aren’t) but the flash was very nicely written, you’ve captured both the controlling mother and the child’s feelings so beautifully!
  
  Thanks, Estrella. I’m surprised too at how many people don’t like clowns, but I’m glad you like the way I wrote it. ~Tim
7. shannon esposito January 30th, 2010 at 15:24
  
  If I had a mother like that, I’d want to hide in a clown suit, too! Short with a punch…perfect.
  
  Thanks, Shannon. I think I would run away and join the circus. ~Tim
8. AJ Campos January 31st, 2010 at 02:34
  
  Ha! While I was reading this I was thinking about what my sister had to go through with my parents as a teen. Fun twist.
  
  Thanks, AJ. I’m around teenagers a lot. The same conversations seem to be going on all the time. ~Tim
9. Heather lloyd January 31st, 2010 at 04:25
  
  Short, sweet and funny – an enjoyable read. The mother is well written and her complaints sound very familiar – what young girl hasn’t heard those same lines about too much make up and the virtues of practical shoes?!
  
  Thanks, Heather. That’s exactly what I was going for. ~Tim
10. Sam January 31st, 2010 at 06:30
  
  Excellent! I loved the twist.:)
  
  Thanks, Sam. I’m glad you enjoyed it. ~Tim
11. Carol Benedict January 31st, 2010 at 23:46
  
  I enjoyed this. As a mother of a teen daughter, I sympathize with both characters. And I love clowns.
  
  Thanks, Carol. I tried to get both sides of the conversation right. [and we seem to be in the minority liking clowns] ~Tim
12. Chance February 1st, 2010 at 02:22
  
  Dear sir,
  
  Whilst reading your story, I was surprised to find myself slipping over a giant banana skin. what made this more amazing, was the fact that I was sitting down when this happened.
  
  Good stuff
  
  Thanks, Chance. Are you ready for a cream pie in the face? ~Tim
13. mazzz_in_Leeds February 2nd, 2010 at 07:00
  
  I read this thinking, “Oh yes, I have been that daughter…”
  And then the twist! Well, my mum did think I looked like a clown, of course…
  
  Thanks, Mazzz. I think all of our parents thought we looked ridiculous at some point in our teen years. I’m around teens a lot and I think most of them look ridiculous. ~Tim
14. Mel Morton February 2nd, 2010 at 10:38
  
  I really enjoyed reading this and thought the dialogue was great. Mother and daughter relationships are never easy!
  
  Not sure how I feel about clowns. Will have to think about that as most people seem to be either for or against, and I feel undecided!
  
  Thanks, Mel. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who is neutral about clowns. ~Tim
15. Mark Kerstetter February 3rd, 2010 at 14:27
  
  It’s gonna take a lot of pancake makeup to cover those scars mama is leaving.
  
  Excellent observation, Mark. Thanks.