Short Story

Just This One

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

In 2017, this was the first story
I wrote for The Elephant’s Trunk.

Rewritten for The Unicorn Challenge where we are encouraged
to write a story in 250 words or less using the photo below
as inspiration. Here’s the memory that was ignited.

© Ayr/Gray

“Impressive collection you have here” said Jackson to the record shop owner.

“Feel free to look around.” 

Jackson browsed the tiny store, appropriately named “The Inner Sleeve”, looking for nothing in particular.  

“Psst. Down here!” A battered box stashed in the corner called out. Jackson crouched down to wipe the dust off a yellowed label.

“SIDNEY BECHET” 

Feeling a jolt shoot straight to his heart, fingers raced through musty LPs and suddenly there it was – “Petite Fleur”.

“I’ll be damned”, whispered Jackson. No longer was he in “The Inner Sleeve”. It was Paris, 1982, in that enchanting café, he imagined.

Slumping against the wall, Jackson clasped the precious vinyl to his chest, caressing it lovingly with the same fingers that released raven hair from its ‘pince à cheveux’ and showered it across porcelain shoulders. The same fingers that traced Éléanor’s face as gently as butterfly wings from her widow’s peak to crystal blue eyes, her nose, her blushed lips. “Just this one time” thought Jackson. Just once before returning to his insanely mundane existence in Stamford, Connecticut.

Oh, for just one more taste of Éléanor.

Slowly Jackson stood, a sadness like none other enveloping him. He suddenly realized he had been crying and wiped at his eyes self-consciously. He wound his way through the maze of boxes overflowing with records that were meaningless to him. He had found what he didn’t know he was looking for.

“All done, sir?” the clerk asked. 

“Yes, thank you”, Jackson replied. “Just this one.”

NAR©2025
250 Words

Nancy’s Notes: This is the penultimate edition of The Unicorn Challenge; I small miss it.

This is “Petite Fleur” by Sidney Bichet

The Unicorn Challenge-18/07/25

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

44 thoughts on “Just This One”

  10. This is a beautifully written story, Nancy. I often wonder if men are as reminiscent of times past as we women can be. LOVE this piece of music, too!

    (By the way, it is cheveux… 😉 )

    That’s too bad that they are dropping this challenge. I’ve read quite a few lovely submissions.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Tanti, tanti grazi, amicu caru. I fixed it! 😘

      I think there are plenty of men who would react this way; they may not admit it but I can think of at least 5 right now and right here on WP who I can see doing the same thing. There’s hope yet.

      Yeah, I’ll miss the Unicorn; it always challenged me.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I knew you would not be offended 😘

        And yes, I think you are right. Why so many feel the need to hide it is from millennia of having “to be strong” – such bullshit. And yes, on WP is the place to find many who would!

        Bummer.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  14. Ah, nostalgia and Sidney Bechet – beautiful combination, Nancy.
    The contrast you bring out between the moment in Paris and his ‘insanely mundane existence in Stamford, Connecticut.

    It took me right back to Paris…
    “Ajoutez deux lettres à Paris : c’est le paradis. (Jules Renard)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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