Flash, Mini Story

At What Price?

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Our gracious host, Rochelle, is asking us to get
creative in 100 words or less using the photo
seen below. Welcome to Friday Fictioneers!
This is where the prompt took me.

Photo Prompt © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Melody had exactly $4.73. She wandered the thrift store aisles, fighting back tears. Christmas was just two days away.

Past the chipped dishes and worn clothing, she spotted it – a blue ceramic bird, paint faded but intact. $3.50.

She remembered Mom pointing out birds through their apartment window. “Cardinals mean hope, honey.”

This wasn’t a cardinal, but it was beautiful in its own weathered way.

At the register, the cashier smiled. “For someone special?”

Melody nodded.

 On Christmas morning, Mom cried holding that little bird. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

Sometimes love doesn’t cost much. Sometimes it costs everything you have.

NAR©2025
100 Words

This is “Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

5 December 2025

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

63 thoughts on “At What Price?”

  16. Love this Nancy.
    I remember buying my Mum a pair of glittery dancing shoes for sixpence (my pocket money at the time) at a jumble sale. They were a perfect fit, very comfortable, and she wore them to functions where dancing might be on the agenda. I could sit and watch my parents waltz or quickstep for hours.

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  17. I love the way you ended this post, Nancy. “Sometimes love doesn’t cost much. Sometimes it costs everything you have.” This is my first time hearing this Tom petty song and it is giving me the Christmas spirit. I am wondering if you ever had any of those Beatles Christmas albums that they released in their early days.

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    1. Thanks very much for your beautiful comments, Jim. I’m very happy with how this little story turned out. Regarding your question about the Beatles Christmas albums, I did not have any. I could be wrong, but I was under the impression they were only available for official fan club members. As big a Beatlemaniac as I was, I never belonged to a fan club. I imagine it would be pretty difficult for someone to get their hands on those records now.

      This Tom Petty song is from the movie “Home Alone”, which I must admit, I’ve never seen in its entirety. I’m glad you’re starting to get into the Christmas spirit; I am too! I addressed all my Christmas cards before my surgery, and we will mail them out soon. 🌲

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      1. I thought you might have been in the fan club, but I guess you may have been just a tad bit young when these albums were made. Home Alone is a great movie, and I never realized the Tom Petty song was in it. I have most of the Christmas decorations hung up already and I won’t need to climb up on that ladder anymore.

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  22. Dear Nancy,

    What a sweet story. Some of the greatest treasures in life have the least monetary value. Of course I had to wait until Tom Petty finished singing. 😉 Lovely reminder for the holidays.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thank you for your most gracious comments, Rochelle. I can remember some dime store presents from my kids; they were the ones that meant the most and I still have a couple of them. I’m sure that’s something you can relate to. Love the Tom Petty song; I think it goes well with this story.

      Shalom

      🕊️

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