PHOTO PROMPT © Fatima Fakier Deria
Yew Tree Memorial
In our eulogies, we promised to gather beneath the yew and play canasta.
Our descendants keep the place fresh and painted in the summer
and, in our honour, they place the cards.
I dislike their stinking cigars.
They have forgotten we played outside in the fresh air away from satanic dens and we thanked the Lord for our community spirit, friendly companionship and enjoyment in life.
We cough and splutter as their foul smoke drifts through the branches disturbing eternal peace, we wait for sundown.
In eons, we have evolved our wisdom and take our seats to play Battlestar Galactica.
James McEwan 
It sounds like the old ways were a touch more sophisticated. Nicely done.
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Superb.. 😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀
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Better than a thousand No Smoking signs! Bravo!
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Wonderful read. Yes, the good olde days…
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This has a cold feeling to it, as if “they’ are watching and waiting. Nicely done ~ including the stinking cigars.
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Thank you.
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Very well-written there.
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Thank you.
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Ha! Damn cigars!
Okay, let me make a stab at this. Are the old ghosts pissed because of the cigars and the disruption of their eternal sleep? I’m not quite sure as to how Battlestar Galactica fits in, but, well, that’s probably me.
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I know, even I don’t get it at times. Normally we think of death as the end and becomes static in the moment. The descendants follow the wishes and lay out cards every anniversary. The deceased spirits are in the tree and the smoke annoys them (afterall fire scares the tree)and every one thinks the ghostly guys play canasta.
However, the old guys have found that their is a future SciFi to you and me – so they play a new game.
Yea I am just making it up as I go – hope you are entertained.
Thanks for reading.
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The youth of today, no respect. Though, to be fair, Starbuck did enjoy a nice big cigar while playing Pyramid…
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Despite the cigar smoke, you have to commend the descendants for faithfully following their ancestor’s wishes. The younger generation is always quite annoying. 🙂
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Those were the days my friend! Nice one James.
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Quite the evolution.
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Nice take. Lovely read.
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thanks for the memories. 🙂
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How nice that the descendants honoured their memory and placed playing cards for the ghosts. It wasn’t their fault that the ghosts were fresh-air fiends who preferred Battlestar Galactica!
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I enjoyed this take on ‘modernized’ ghosts 😀
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Ancestors playing Battlestar Galactica! how original! A mix of tradition and sci-fi. Intriguing take on the prompt, James.
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There is a magical feel to this lovely story which has some nice grounding and earthy touches.
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The ending was quite a surprise!
I could hear the ancestral spirits coughing at the stinking cigar smoke.
Great narration.
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Well, what a bunch of grumpy ghosts – we all need to be grateful if we’re remembered at all, smoke or not! Original tale James
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such an imaginative take on the prompt. Its nice that the descendants at least honor the ancestors by keeping playing cards for them. I wish there was a way for the ancestors to convey the descendants of how much they disliked the smoke. great message in your story, James.
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Maybe you would also get slightly bored with playing canasta forever… but patience… cigars will soon be outlawed.
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A wonderfully imagined story, merging the spectral, with the foul smelling cigar smokers and space travel. A really good read.
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Thank you for reading and your comment.
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A magically creative story, with a touch of humanity–complaining. 🙂 I want to know more about these ghosts.
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Maybe one day we will all meet them?
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Hahaha love that twist!
And I relate. I hate the smell of smoke! Blah
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