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101 Word Short Stories

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When Edward’s Mother Tied His Dickie-Bow…

May 26, 2025 5 Comments

By D. X. Lewis

…for the 94th concert, a string snapped inside him. He would never do this again. This would be the last time he dressed like a penguin; the last time she’d post vaunting videos on social media. He was sick of scales and arpeggios, sick of memorising millions of notes, sick of being hailed and feted worldwide. He was piano-ed out. Mothered out. Powdered, polished, pampered out.

So after his last ‘Moonlight Sonata,’ last Chopin nocturne, last virtuoso rendition of Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto, Edward glared at her gloating face, bowed to his last standing ovation, and threw himself into the pit.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura Besley says

    May 27, 2025 at 4:16 am

    Good one!

    Reply
  2. Janet says

    May 28, 2025 at 9:24 am

    Word choice is incredible!

    Reply
    • Susan J Distefano says

      May 28, 2025 at 1:30 pm

      How sad. There are other ways out of situations but the frantic desperation clearly shines through in the excellent use of language and repetitive musical references. Well done.

      Reply
  3. Sharon Murphy says

    May 28, 2025 at 11:42 am

    Love this. Can just picture his mother’s face. Well told.

    Reply
  4. Geraint J. says

    May 30, 2025 at 1:38 pm

    Superb piece, punchy & sharp. That “piano-ed out” is wonderful.

    Reply

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