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101 Word Short Stories

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His Last Wish

December 28, 2024 7 Comments

By Haley DiRenzo

Dad couldn’t swim. He had spent his whole life on shore watching the waves bob with a knot of dread in his throat, picturing the wild riptides dragging him under. No deep-sea fishing or cruises to tropical islands for him.

That last summer, we tried to coax him on the sailboat, our hands gently waving him toward the dock. But he quietly declined, like always.

So when we gather here the next year without him, the handfuls of his bones we each cradle is a new life as we toss him into the sea. Finally, he could be there without fear.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dart humeston says

    December 28, 2024 at 6:42 am

    Fascinating story.

    Reply
  2. Michael W King says

    January 1, 2025 at 7:22 am

    I’m sad and happy all at the same time. Great story!

    Reply
  3. PK says

    January 1, 2025 at 10:47 am

    Poignant and moving.

    Reply
  4. Janet says

    January 1, 2025 at 11:19 am

    Wow

    Reply
  5. Haley DiRenzo says

    January 1, 2025 at 1:30 pm

    Thank you all!

    Reply
  6. RC says

    January 3, 2025 at 10:42 am

    Bravo, Haley! Well done, as always 🙂

    Reply
  7. Alan Moskowitz says

    January 3, 2025 at 5:20 pm

    Very well done, heartfelt, got me feeling and thinking. However, I wonder: if Dad was terrified of the water, and wouldn’t even go sailing he’d probably prefer being interred on dry land.

    Reply

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