Split decisions

d’Verse prosery

“I never thought I’d see you again, Meir. Bissel¹ of a schlep² from LA.”

“Tateh’s³ dying, Elisha.”

“So?”

“He asked me to come, Bruder⁴. He wants to see you.”

“Takeh⁵? Just like that? Gut⁶, I’ll get Charlotte and the kinder⁷ – I’m sure he wants to…”

“No, Elisha. Just you.”

“They’re his grandchildren, Meir. I’m not – ”

“They’re not Yidden^8,9, Elisha.”

“Yes, and I’m dead. The mamzer¹⁰ said kaddish¹¹ for me, Meir! Go home.”

“Bruder…”

“Get out of here. You’re wasting your time unless you’ve come for some fresh oysters¹².”

“Elisha, biteh¹³!”

“Look around, Meir. What do you see? This is Tomales Bay!”

“He’s dying!”

“So? Anyone can do that. I did once already! You know, I used to cry every night, Meir, but my tears dried up years ago. No. I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.”

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The prompt

d’Verse prosery is flash fiction with a beginning, a middle and an end, in any genre of the author’s choice, no longer than 144 words. This very short piece of prose must include an assigned line from a poem, within the 144 word limit. Writers may change the punctuation of the assigned line, but they may not insert words within the quotation.

The assigned quotation was:

No, I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.

–Zora Neale Hurston, from “How Does it Feel to be Colored Me” in World Tomorrow (1928)

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Footnotes

1. Bissel (Yiddish): A bit
2. Schlep (Yiddish): A tedious or difficult journey
3. Tateh (Yiddish): Daddy
4. Bruder (Yiddish): Brother
5. Takeh (Yiddish): Really
6. Gut (Yiddish): Good; Okay
7. Kinder (Yiddish): Children
8. Yidden (Yiddish): Jews
9. According to traditional religious law, one is born a Jew only if born from the womb of a Jewish woman
10. Mamzer (Yiddish, Hebrew): Bastard
11. Kaddish (Yiddish, Hebrew): Prayer for the dead
12. Eating shellfish is forbidden according to traditional religious law; i.e., not kosher
13. Biteh (Yiddish): Please