Flash

Uncle Bobby And The Spiders From Mars

The Sicilian Storyteller

Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are
encouraged to write something creative in
100 words or less using the photo below as
inspiration. This is my 100-word story.

Photo © Mr. Binks

Uncle Bobby had this irrational fear of spiders. Well, it was irrational to his family; for him it was very real.

So when the new amusement park ride Spiders From Mars opened, Uncle Bobby wouldn’t go near it.

Everyone tried convincing him the ride wasn’t jinxed or dangerous but he wasn’t buying it. All their urging and encouragement fell on deaf ears. Uncle Bobby watched from the shadows as his nieces and nephews went for a spin.

That night the ride malfunctioned; several family members were killed, unceremoniously hurled out of the park.

Guess Uncle Bobby’s fear wasn’t so irrational. đŸ•·ïž

NAR©2024
100 Words

31 May 2024

This is “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

82 thoughts on “Uncle Bobby And The Spiders From Mars”

    1. The fear is very real. No need to overcome it; fear keeps us from doing something we will undoubtedly regret. Take a tip from Uncle Bobby and respect the fear.

      You’d have to bind and gag me and physically carry me onto that ride. This is nothing I would ever do willingly.

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  4. Yikes! A disaster tale delivered with chilling understatement. This is a great phrase – ‘unceremoniously hurled out of the park’. Phobias aren’t always bad. Great title, and song clip.

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    1. Thank you, Margaret!

      I truly believe phobias are meant to keep us in line and from doing something incredibly stupid …. like signing up to appear on an episode of Naked and Afraid. Fears don’t always have to be overcome. Be like Uncle Bobby and respect the phobia.

      No one was more successfully cutting edge than Bowie.

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  9. Last month I listened to Liane’s Moriarty’ Truly Madly Guilty, one of the many backstories (to explain why each character did what they did) was carnival ride that killed many people. It happens! I’m with Uncle Bobby.

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      1. You’re welcome. With a phobia, there’s usually a sensitizing incident with it. Odds are it’s something ordinary. Odds say you’ll be running across that something sooner or later. This is what I mean when I say prophecy here. Nothing too scary — except to the phobic!

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    1. All the spinning while twirling while levitating rides make me sick. The only ride I was ever on that got stuck was a Ferris wheel; we were pretty high up and that was no fun at all! I think the guy manning the ride went for a few beers while we were stuck up there! 😂 🎡 😳

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      1. That would have done me in right then and there! I don’t like heights, but in a Ferris wheel if it is moving I don’t seem to mind, and that motion doesn’t make me sick unlike most of the others. But if I stopped for any length of time I’d certainly be panicking.
        I’m good on the kiddie train though!

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  13. I recently saw an article that they found spiders on Mars. My first thought was, “Bowie was right all along!” Of course, it was just texturing that looked like spiders. Oh well, it was still pretty cool. As for Uncle Bobby, being right is no fun if there’s nobody left to brag to about it.

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    1. Well those spiders would have been really cool to see, and freaky, too, considering life is pretty close to impossible on Mars. NY subway cockroaches, now that’s another story. I’m sure they’d find a nice spot on Mars to call home. đŸȘł

      Uncle Bobby is something of a legend back at the bar where he hangs out and a bit of a ladies man, too. He built a space ship in his backyard a couple of years ago so he’s a local hero with a lot of people he can brag to. 🚀

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  20. It’s always a worry at these parks. I used to think the travelling carnival rides must be the most dangerous. But then, I also figure, these are taken apart and put back together so they must be even better verified than for the parks dedicated to rides. Will I go to a travelling one? Nope. Will I go on the spider? Yep. 😉

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  23. Great story! Maybe they were all sucked up into his mind?

    One of the best tracks on what is still one of my favourite albums, more than fifty years since I bought it 😊

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