Advice for the Forlorn

"Dear Abby has nothing on me"

I thought you ought to know 

I’ve given up bobbing for goldfish, 

you’ll need to find someone else 

to lick the bowl clean from here on.

This, my friend, is how 

you write a goodbye note 

she’ll still remember 

a million years from now. 

We were having lunch 

at a roadside buffet, 

fish tacos and gravel 

grits of grievances --

I’d been summoned 

for being a cynic, 

so who better to assist 

in flushing a love down the drain. 

I thought you ought to know 

I’ve given up bobbing for goldfish … 

and dear God, whatever you do

don’t forget the flush.  

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

Quite a cynic too: even though this little tale is comic in some ways, it still has a bit of sobriety in it as well...the goldfish is st. elsewhere... but the luncheon is the best part of the piece: "how you write a goodbye note...."and "don't forget he flush" .....A very clever write Ken
Best, B

[willweb]

I thought you ought to know that the bobbing for goldfish line almost made me sick. I could picture it and feel it and almost taste it. I was reminded of a guy I saw on TV who could swallow a live goldfish and then bring it back up again. That still gives me the creeps. But, who better than a cynic to tell one how the cow eats the cabbage. Nicely said...sort of. : )

[Ken e Bujold]

well I have had visceral reactions to my work before, but this one will leave me laughing for quite some time. Thanks Will

[D. Mansfield]

Very clever, I love this. My father was a master with words and loved a good "play on words" But i find them difficult. You howevcer have mastered it, I enjoy your work

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks for stopping by D, glad you enjoyed

[Ayvid N]

Flushing it down the drain is a great strategy especially if you have a good friend who knows how to help you with it. Appreciated very much Ken.

[Ken e Bujold]

they certainly can be. this is just me having fun with language. As Winston notes, it is one of my guilty little pleasures. in this case took a physical thing, "a bowl" extrapolated what it could be...goldfish house, toilet bowl, ice cream holder and just a bit of juggling of those three ideas to construct a playhouse of lines

[W. Barrett Munn]

I do believe I've had fish tacos and gravel-a tad crunchy for my taste but who am I to complain-that was her job. Always a delight to see you play with the language.

Winston