Happy Weekend Everyone!
Remember my 55 word microfictions from a few weeks back? I included a silly story called, I Won! Well, I found a file where I experimented with that snippet in ever inreasing word increments. 55 to 100 to 250 to 500 words.
Retitled, My Song Request, read the four different versions below and let me know which one works best for you. Fun way to end the week, don’t you think? (grin)
My Song Request, an experiment in flash fiction through four iterations © 2022 by Lyndon Perry
My Song Request (55 words)
“Song request?”
“Sure,” the DJ says. “You’re also a winner.”
“I know.” Positive self-image.
“You won a lottery ticket, I mean. It’s at the studio.”
“Okay.” Radio station here I come!
“Yes?” the receptionist asks. She’s pretty.
“I won a ticket.”
“Congratulations. Sign here.”
“Sure.” I fidget.
“Anything else?”
“No one took my song request.”
My Song Request (100 words)
“Can I request a song?” I ask the DJ.
“Sure. You’re also a winner,” he says.
“I know.” I have a positive self-image.
“No, I mean you won our lottery ticket giveaway. Come by the studio and pick up your prize.”
“Okay.” I hang up and drive to the radio station.
“May I help you,” the receptionist asks. She’s pretty.
“I’m a winner,” I say. “I won a lottery ticket.”
“Congratulations. Please sign here.”
I sign the receipt and start to fidget.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asks.
“I never got to request my song.”
My Song Request (250 words)
Lazy afternoon, listening to the radio, wanting to hear ‘American Pie’ for some reason.
DJ comes on and gives his phone number, says something about the tenth caller. Don’t care about that. My heart’s set on Don McLean.
Busy signal. I try again. Busy. I redial. Busy again. Last time. I can probably find it on YouTube.
Starts ringing. Keeps ringing. Rings some more. I’m about to hang up and fire up my laptop.
“You’re the tenth caller,” the guy on the other end announces.
“Can I request a song?” I ask the DJ.
“Sure, but you’re also a winner.”
“I know I’m a winner. My mom tells me that all the time.”
And I do have a pretty positive self-image.
“No, dude. What I mean is we’re giving away a lottery ticket and you won this afternoon’s prize.”
“Cool. You sending it to me? You want my address?”
“You can come by the studio and pick it up, Monday through Friday, 9 to 4.”
I look at the clock. It’s 3:30. I jump in my car and head to the radio station.
When I arrive, the receptionist asks, “May I help you.” She’s pretty. I get distracted.
“I’m a winner,” I say. Oh brother. “I mean, I won this afternoon’s lottery ticket.”
“Congratulations, sir. Please sign here.”
I sign the receipt and start to fidget. She looks up from her desk.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asks.
“I never got to request my song.”
My Song Request (500 words)
It was a lazy afternoon, I was listening to the radio, wanting to hear ‘American Pie’ for some reason.
The DJ comes on and gives his phone number, saying something about the tenth caller winning a prize of some sort. Didn’t care much about that. My heart was set on Don McLean’s classic.
So I punch the number into my iPhone. I get a busy signal. I try again. Busy again. I wait a moment then redial, getting a bit antsy. No dice. Okay, one more time then I open YouTube. I can probably find a lyric video posted by some dweeb. Song might even be on Spotify.
Unexpectedly, the phone starts ringing. Then it keeps ringing. And then rings some more. I’m about to hang up and fire up my YouTube app.
Suddenly, a guy on the other end of the line announces, “Congratulations, you’re the tenth caller.”
Who cares? I surely don’t.
“Hey, can I request a song?” I ask the DJ.
“Sure,” he says, “but you’re also a winner.”
“I know I’m a winner. My mom tells me that all the time.”
Yes, I do have a pretty positive self-image.
“No, dude. What I mean is we’re giving away a lottery ticket every afternoon and you won a prize.”
“That’s cool, I guess. What do I have to do? You want me to give you my address?”
“Can’t mail lottery tickets, sorry. You have to come by the studio and pick it up Monday through Friday, any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.”
I look at the clock. It was 3:30. I’d be cutting it close but I jump in my car and head downtown to the radio station.
I arrive just in time. As I enter the lobby, the receptionist asks, “May I help you?” She’s pretty and I get distracted.
“I’m a winner,” I say without context. Oh brother, what a dweeb. “I mean, I won this afternoon’s lottery ticket. I’m here to pick it up.”
“Congratulations, sir. Can I see your driver’s license?”
“What?”
“You have to be eighteen or older to receive a lottery ticket. State law.”
“Um. I’m seventeen.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Not that you’re seventeen.” (I blush) “But that you can’t have the ticket. But we do have a selection of CDs you can choose from.”
CDs? Really?
I give it shot. “Do you have American Pie by Don McLean?”
She gives me a puzzled look. “Um, I don’t think so. Here are your options.”
The receptionist hands me a bin full of discount CDs I could have picked through at Walmart.
I see an old Bob Seger album. I grab it and say, “This will work.”
She makes me sign for it, but I have no idea why. She says congratulations again.
I start to go, but then turn back. She is very pretty. I start fidgeting.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asks.
“You know, there is. I never got to request my song.”
So there you have it. Let me know which one you liked best. In the meantime, more fun content, writing updates, what I’m reading, and all that kind of thing is on my blog, Lyndon Perry, Writer. I try to have new posts every fews days. Drop in and say hi.
Until next time, have a great weekend and happy reading!
BTW, image used above is by Vectronom Studios and licensed through Pixabay.