You Can’t Go Home

69 Replies
under-bridge

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

The authorities cleaned it up, removing all of the people.  No homeless ever lived in their town.  Nope.  Now the kids owned the place, riding their dirt bikes and shooting beer bottles in the stream.  Good wholesome, American pastimes.

It had been many years since I had been back.  I found the old stones and put them into place.  It was silly, really.  The kids would just knock them down again, perhaps break them up this time.

All signs of the community were erased.

I heard the rev of an engine and said my last goodbyes to Mom and Dad.

***

Word count = 100

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.

69 thoughts on “You Can’t Go Home”

    1. trentpmcd Post author

      They were living outside of society and didn’t have money for a proper funeral and the people of the town weren’t rushing to pay for it… Of course it could just be that is the place they died, which the son or daughter marked, since the bodies were taken away and he/she never knew what happened to them – this was the last place with any connection to them.

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  5. Brenda's Thoughts

    A powerful piece, I was not expecting the ending. The child gives tribute to the parents. Why is it we are so afraid of those who do not live and look like us? Those who are in need? The response of the have’s to the have not’s. A lovely tribute through your story.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks, Brenda. I’m not sure what it is about those who are different that frightens us. I think the very poor and homeless are reminders that our prosperity is not for everyone, a reminder that some people hate. So they blame the poor for all of their problems and push the homeless out of town – out of sight, out of mind.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I’m not sure. i think it might be the idea of “we are prosperous!” being given a lie by people who are not doing so well. We need to cover it up to show the holes in our society. Thanks.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      It would be nice if they understood. I’m not sure if the MC is at a place where he/she can understand the enjoyment the others have from the place – perhaps they all need to respect each other. Thanks.

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  16. Abhijit Ray

    Homeless do not have many places to go. May be that is the reason they are homeless. Someone must think why people become homeless in a prosperous country!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      People almost worship that prosperity and so do not want to be reminded that not all are prosperous. They do not want to see poor people, so instead of helping, they push them out.

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  17. 4963andypop

    Good, wholesome American cruelty. You tell about the round up and clearing out, non-judgmentally, facially, even approvingly. But your last line makes clear the bitterness and condemnation in his tone. There is nothing wholesome about treating living beings like so much clutter.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I couldn’t help but put a little political commentary in this story, I’m just surprised you are the first one to bring it up. Sometimes it seems that our society smiles on destruction and that disregard for life is encouraged. Those who deserve sympathy and help are shown hatred and scorn.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      There are too many heartbreaking stories about people living on the fringes of society. At least we can assume that the MC was able to pull himself (or herself) up and would never live in a situation as desperate again.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      No, he wasn’t responsible. It was “natural causes”, if you can call malnutrition, exposure to the elements, disease from unsanitary conditions, etc. “natural”. Thanks.

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