"Oh, Jeff... I love you too... but..."
"It's not me, it's you?"
"Well, not exactly, but, kind of..."
"It's kind of me, and kind of you?"
"Yeah, kind of, I guess," she said. "I don't know."
"It was never me you loved, but the fantasy about the life you thought you could make with me."
"No, I do love you, it's just..."
"It's anything but Just, Karen. But I understand. I'm hardly a man anymore since the accident. Just hang up, please! Just do me that one favor and hang up so I don't have to. Please! It's the last and only thing I'll ever ask of you. Please! Just hang up!"
On the other end of the line, she cried quietly, but didn't hang up.
One minute turned into five.
"Oh, Jeff..."
He hung up instead, then blocked her number.
He never talked to her again.
***** * *****
This is an entry to Raymond G. Taylor's "Oh, Jeff..." Flash Fiction Challenge.
About the Creator
C. Rommial Butler
C. Rommial Butler is a writer, musician and philosopher from Indianapolis, IN. His works can be found online through multiple streaming services and booksellers.
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Prom Dresses
The sun fell in slanted beams across the wraparound porch, and Jim held court from his favorite rocker, twirling a lollipop between his fingers and occasionally popping it in his mouth. He’d been doing this since he stopped smoking, and the young’uns didn’t remember the cloud of Pall Mall that used to shroud his face as he told his tales. The kids were playing in the yard and under the porch, escaping the brutal shafts of September sun in the cool sand with stripes of light interrupted here and there where an adult’s frame blocked the sun from shining through the gaps between the slats of the porch floor. Presently, a grubby face appeared over Jim’s shoulder. The kids wanted to go down to the creek to play.
By Harper Lewisabout 14 hours ago in Fiction
Comments (11)
Please forgive the clumsy cut and paste. I would like to publish your entry (or entries) to the Oh-Jeff challenge in an upcoming book and of course need your permission to do so. Details are all here: https://todaysurvey.today/writers/oh-jeff-the-book%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E Thanks, Ray
So many reasons for “Oh Jeff…”. An imaginative take on the challenge ✅.
At first, I assumed you were playing this for laughs, Rommi. But it packs an emotional wallop! Really well done! Excellent challenge entry!
I feel the pain, goodbye is never easy, hey, at least she cried, feelings were there once, maybe still.
I saluteeee you Jeff! I wish I had self respect like you!
Oof this was a painful read. Well done, Rommi!
This is good and dealing with a personal issue of the character. Good work.
Brilliant work!
Great dialogue. But, poor Jeff.
Excellent! Loved the dialogue in this. I need to think for something for this challenge. So many good entries.
Hahahhaha, what a mess! Great read!