Short Story

Desperation Calling

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Today’s Writing Practice #2
where we’re given the image shown below
and today’s prompt. Here’s my take on things.

The Prompt: A payphone in the middle of the desert starts ringing. There’s no one in sight for miles in any direction. The wind is hot and dry, carrying the smell of dust and something faintly metallic. When you pick up the receiver, you hear a voice you haven’t heard in years – and it says only four words before the line goes dead.

© Black Forest Labs

The sun beat down mercilessly. Dave trudged through the desert recalling the events that brought him here. He thought life in his Mexican jail cell was hell; it was nirvana compared to this. He couldn’t believe his luck the day of the prison explosion; the guards ran for cover while the prisoners ran for freedom. It was every man for himself and they scattered as fast as jack rabbits. Dave would give anything to be back there.

Every direction Dave looked was exactly the same and he soon lost his bearings. He stumbled through the vast expanse of nothingness; his eyes were parched and his throat felt like kindling. Just as he was about to collapse, Dave spotted a glint of metal in the distance – a pay phone, miraculously standing alone amidst of the dunes. With every ounce of strength, he dragged himself to it.

The phone began to ring, echoing in the silence. Could it be salvation? Dave picked up the receiver, his hands trembling. He managed to croak out a feeble “Hello?”  The voice on the other end was unmistakable and Dave’s heart starting thumping. He whispered “Mom?”. The voice of his mother was exactly as Dave remembered. She spoke just four words: “You’re such a disappointment” …. then there was silence.

Dave stared at the receiver in his hand. His eyes welled up with tears and he dropped the phone like a red hot branding iron. Now sobbing, Dave staggered into Gehenna, blinded by the sun, a lost soul.

NAR©2025

This is “Happy Trails” by Roy, Dale and the Pioneers

Today’s Writing Practice

All text and graphics are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

43 thoughts on “Desperation Calling”

  6. Oh dear, Nancy, parched, half dead, and the one voice he hears is his disappointed mum,…or … maybe he was so delirious and it was a wrong number? …nope, a marvellous storyline, … with a twist, loved it… 19° and slightly sunny here, … hope you’re doing better, ..💙

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    1. It was as real as a knife to the heart, Penn. Awful thing to say to one’s child, regardless of the circumstances.
      Yes, I’m good, thanks; no cold symptoms. It’s been raining since yesterday and unseasonably chilly. There’s a hurricane off the coast of N Carolina right now and we’re feeling the effects. Our beaches are closed and will probably stay that way through the weekend. It’s ok. We haven’t had a good soaking rain in weeks.
      Hope all is well with you, dear Penny. 💙

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      1. Strewth Nancy, …A Hurricane and here’s me complaining, …hoping all’s well, …And no cold symptoms is great, …( I was going to say I haven’t had a cold in ages … But now I’ve said it, what’s the betting? 😉) ….🤗💙

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    1. We reap what we sow, Jim.

      In my own personal experience as a parent, the joys far outweigh the grief. Additionally, in the rare instances I felt let down by my sons’ behavior or poor decisions, I never used the word ‘disappointment’. There’s no coming back from that.

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