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101 Word Short Stories

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Beautiful Things

January 22, 2025 4 Comments

By Samantha Kelly

The filigree box felt cold on that single afternoon the boy was permitted to hold it.

All morning he’d been riding his sister’s bike, with its beautiful basket and bell, until the bigger boys who lived at the bottom of the lane pounced. They bloodied his nose and bent the frame of the bike, so that his family’s sympathy soon shifted to anger.

All apart from his grandmother, who sat the boy down in her drawing room, rested the filigree box on his palm, and told him that it was OK to enjoy beautiful things as long as they were yours.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    January 22, 2025 at 7:25 am

    A (very) painful example of how to learn the hard way. Well done, Samantha 🙂

    Reply
  2. Ed Kratz says

    January 22, 2025 at 10:22 am

    Lovely story. So much below the surface, and so subtle.

    Reply
  3. Mike King says

    January 22, 2025 at 3:18 pm

    The grandmother was very wise.

    Reply
  4. Sarah says

    June 22, 2025 at 2:48 pm

    Strong story.

    Reply

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