GO GET IT! (Micro Fiction)

Posted on by Prior...

Hello Readers –

I am joining in with What Pegman Saw flash fiction challenge (write 150 words about a suggested location).

This week Pegman is in Ghana – HERE

 

 

Fiction Challenge: What Pegman Saw in Ghana

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 150

Title: Go Get It

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I’m a 62-year old white man.

Never thought an Oprah quote would change my life.

Let’s back up.

I was recovering from a business failure – stabbed in the back –  humiliated by partners.

I met Kojo on a trip to Ghana.

His blue-hut business was thriving. Not a lot of revenue in U.S. dollars, but number one in his market.

Kojo told me about a time he was STUCK. He made wrong choices, had big debt, and someone stole his ideas. It sounded eerily familiar. He was also extremely jealous of Chinleyuego, the mechanic across the way. People came from all over to have repairs done. 

Kojo said he then got UNSTUCK.

“How’d you do it?” I asked.

“Well, Oprah said, ‘The best revenge is success.’ So I released offense and tapped into Chinleyuego’s customers. They come here while waiting. 

With a fist up he said, “You can rebuild too. Go get it.”

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Author Notes:

1) I piggy-backed off of J. Hardy Carrolls’ entry: HERE

2)  I was inspired by the Oprah quote – to not focus on those who hurt or wronged you, but get busy working on your own success (no pun intended with the own). 

3) Many know this quote: “The best time to plant an oak tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

Well maybe for some of us it is not a matter of planting a new tree. Maybe we need to think in new ways – go tap into some trees that have already been planted – find what we need for our success – doing the best we can because we are not perfect – and never will be. But we can improve and we can rebuild – so yeah, if you need to rebuild or fix an area, my fist is up — reminding you to “Go get it.”

tree advice Ilan Shamir
advice from a tree

 

4) Oh and the “number one in his market” came from one of my favorite movies, Family Man (2000):

 

 

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34 thoughts on “GO GET IT! (Micro Fiction)”

    1. Hi – here is the full quote from Shamir’s tree advice -= I really like the “sink your roots deeply into the earth” and think the shorter versions should include it in…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hard to choose a favourite part, I like it all 🙂 Right now, I think I’ll go with “Seek nourishment from the good things in life” and “Feel the wind and the sun”….

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  3. That’s a nice little morality tale, Yvette. I loved the way you referred to Josh’s story – that made me chuckle, because you’re doing with Josh what Kojo did with Chinleyuego – using the other as a way of promoting your writing to the same audience. That was a lovely touch! Nice work.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Penny- I did not mean to do that at all – (doing with Josh what Kojo did with Chinleyuego) – ha – thanks for the nice comment

      Like

  5. (EN) Pleasant fiction,Y.The best revenge seems to be the growth like a tree ( tall and fruitful) and it sounds nice😊
    (IT) Fiction piacevole Y. La migliore vendetta sembra essere la crescita come un albero( alto e fruttuoso) e suona bene😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Now that is a wonderful way to revise the quote!
      love it – and personal success is so diverse to it makes sense to emphasize the growth (and fruitfulness – so good…)

      Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks Linda – and I usually watch that movie once a year – let me know if you find it – and I like it for the universal message – but also for personal reasons

      Liked by 1 person

  11. You need to look into motivational speaking, prior!😊

    Noce story, you hooked us with the incongruity of a mature, white businessman, down on his luck, attributing his success to Oprah. And then, finding out that his real inspiration runs a modest hut in Bamboi –but is top dog in his market–brings home the notion, that success is not in the nubers, but in ourselves. Very uplifting!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ahhh….. andypop – you know me so well and we have only known each other a short while –
      how affirming
      🙂
      and then your take on what I wrote was creative and not what I intended – and reminds me how this is what happens when we write – we do our thing and present it – and then many things can unfold.

      have a nice day

      Liked by 1 person

  13. I actually DO need to plant a tree. It’s going to rain this weekend (they say) and if so, I’ll shall buy it and get to diggin.
    It’s hard sometimes, not to stew in our victim mentality. I’ve noticed it’s most difficult around 1am when the mind runs. Why does a heavy heart lead a mind to default to wrongs? Why doesn’t it default to wins?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. oh your comment reminds me of the “wisdom of joeyfully-statated….”
      and you are so right how it defaults to wrongs – and humans need to try and learn how to identify and then correct it – ya know

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