This is The Unicorn Challenge.
Our objective: to be creative in
250 words or less, prompted by
the photo below. This is my story.
Battery Park. The glittering lights of tall ships parading up the Hudson River. New York at its brightest. The Big Apple â excitement and energy down to its core.
So how the hell did I end up in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, hopelessly in love with my Amish husband Abel, married for four years with three kids and twins on the way?
Good old revenge. I wouldnât play ball with my boss so instead of being assigned to photograph the tall ships in New York Harbor, I was banished for a month to cover the âPlain Peopleâsâ Summer County Fair.
What I thought was going to be a nightmare was a delicious surprise. When the handsome, lusty Abel Jansen and I locked eyes, it was âGoed gevoel” â a âgood feelingâ from head to toe and all parts in between.
Being accepted into the Amish community, let alone marrying, is difficult but we had a few things going for us. I was a city girl, not afraid of getting my hands dirty. We were mature. Most Amish were married before age 20; Abel and I were both 26.
But the clincher was the serendipity attached to my name …. Menno Jakob.
The most revered men among the Amish were Menno Simons and Jakob Ammann. The elders were convinced I was descended from them when I was actually an Italian Jew from Canarsie! Who was I to argue?
Abel was my tall ship and I was his splash of Manhattan sparkle. Nothing else mattered.
NAR©2024
250 Words
This is “Sailing” by Christopher Cross
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantâs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.
‘A delicious surprise’. I think this story is a delicious surprise. Every para brings a new dimension to your character. Brilliantly done. I love this.
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Delightful and greatly appreciated comment, Margaret.
I believe we all know when we’ve written something good and when we haven’t. This story was not all that obvious to me. Thrilled to know you loved this.
Thank you!
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What an original take on the prompt, Nancy!âNot that I could ever, EVER imagine living amongst these folks!
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No reflection on the good Amish people from Pennsylvania Dutch Country but neither could I, Dale.
Thanks so much for your comments!
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Absolutely not. I am sure they are good people. My beau lives close to them and has had regular dealings with them. To each theiir own, I say đ
My pleasure!
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A sweet story of love and acceptance, and a nice break from the masses of calumny the rest of us have written to this prompt.
Cheering and refreshing, Nancy!
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Haha! Calumny …. great word but not as many Scrabble points as bedizened.
Thanks, Liz. Not sure if I’ve been called ‘cheering and refreshing‘ on the UC before!
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đŠđđŠ
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Sailing into peacefulness..touching story…
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Thanks Dylan. We all need a little peacefulness.
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We certainly do Nancy..seeking peace…
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Lovely story and lovely song – and all the lovely people around the world. I’m feeling very chilled this Sunday. Have a good one, Nancy!
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It’s good to be feeling chilled, Chris! đ
Thanks so much for your ever-gracious comments.
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From English to Amish, one child at a time. Obviously the bonnet fits. đ
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Obviously. đ
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Ah, a nice little story for a very stormy day. Thanks my friend!
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My pleasure, D! We’re being hit hard right now, too.
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Still going strong.
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Here too. Hang tough!
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đŒđ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶
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Seems like not all the Plain People were so plain, hmm?
But they were clearly fertile lands!
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Things are not always as they seem.
There must be something in the water!
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There you are – a satisfying love story.
A vengeful beginning that led to a bigger adventure, love and lust, differences overcome, and that beautiful sentence: ‘Abel was my tall ship and I was his splash of Manhattan sparkle’ – everybody happy.
I nearly had to go and lie down at the thought of ‘3 kids in 4 years and twins on the way…’ on your MC’s behalf though – she must have been exhausted.
But all part of the happiness package – and probably welcomed by all religious variations mentioned?
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Thank you, Jenne. I had to laugh at your comment about needing to lie down. My mother-in-law had 4 kids in 3 years; one birth was twins. When I asked her how she coped with it all, she shrugged and said “What you do for one, you do for the other”. Like water off a duck’s back.
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yes it’s a lovely song Chris Cross ,a great voice đđ
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loveky story , greatâsong đ
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I was really getting into this song as I was writing my story; I’d forgotten how good it really is.
Thanks much, Willow. đ©¶
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I was born in Canarsie.
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No way! I don’t think I knew you were from NY.
I’ve never been to Canarsie but for some reason it sounded right.
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I was born in the same house that my dad was born in.
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That’s fascinating, Jim! If you haven’t already written a story, you might want to think about doing so.
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I am certain that I have mentioned Canarsie before on my blog, but I will keep that in mind for a future post.
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We all have a story about the how, where and when of meeting our mate. I’m glad this one worked out. There is IMO nothing more divisive than religion in families. I thought I’d heard it all when I switched from my mother’s church to another brand. She would switchâpositions in her grave if she knew I switched to the “nothing” brand.
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To paraphrase Jerry Lee Lewis “There’s a whole lotta switchin’ goin’ on!”
My husband and I certainly disappointed our parents over this “religious thing”. (Parents playing the disappointment card is highly effective).
Funny, though …. as I was writing this, religion was never at the crux; still isn’t.
Thanks for your thoughts, Sighs.
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Yes, understand the story wasn’t about any difference of religion. But as one reads any post our thoughts interpret through our own experience. đ
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How odd is this writing appreciation* thing?
My ‘smile-of-cool‘! moment came from a simple** phrase:
“…I was his splash of Manhattan sparkle.“
*including, but not limited to reading to improve one’s own craft
** yeah, as if! (well, in terms of execution, not readation***)
*** not a ‘real’ word
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It is most odd, Anonymous Clark.
One reader’s “tres cool!” readaction is another’s “whatthefuckedness?!”
It’s all relative and, at the same time, personal.
Grazie mille, professore!
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Gosh, Nancy, how did you know that was Clark?
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I have no idea what you mean…
She is simply a very perceptive Reader of story(s) and recognizerer of the more sublimy of writing styles
lol
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Yeah! What you said.
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Must be that witchy “Sicilian thing”!
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Very nice story my friend
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Thank you, Sadje. I appreciate that.
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Most welcome my friend
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The character’s refusal to ‘play ball’ with her boss landed her another great adventure elsewhere, meeting her soulmate and the desire of her (flesh or heart? hahah). Short and interesting is my description for it. I hope they didn’t just get dirty but actually married, huh. So lovely, Nancy.
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Your hope has been realized, Lam.
I’m grateful to know you found this to be “so lovely”.
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I’m glad to hear so. Yes, it’s interesting, and so lovely as I put it. Thanks for always lighting up my day with your posts.
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Beautiful Nance! A gorgeous love story!
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That is so very nice to know, CA. Thank you!
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