Written for Fandango’s Story Starter.
Here’s my story, using Fan’s prompt line:
It had never entered Richard’s mind that his son
was not his own blood.
It had never entered Richard’s mind that his son was not his own blood. But then, Richard had a very limited imagination. Besides, he and his wife, Deborah, had never spent time apart …. that is, except for the night Richard stayed in the hospital after a routine appendectomy.
So, when young Timothy arrived in the world with his mother’s blue eyes, her musical talent, and her inexplicable dislike of mayonnaise, Richard simply smiled and said, “He’s got my nose.”
Timothy did not have Richard’s nose.
Timothy had, by all medical and photographic evidence, a perfectly normal nose.
Richard’s nose was a geological event.
But love, it turns out, is blissfully stupid. Richard coached Timothy’s football team, cried at his graduation, and remained, until his last breath, absolutely convinced about the nose.
NAR©2026
#FSS
This is “Papa Gene’s Blues” by the Monkees
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
My kids are nothing like me, not even their noses … now you’ve got me wondering!
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Eh, biology! Parenthood is an active state of loving and care, and Timothy got all from Richard.
💙💜💙
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Parents commonly look for physical and behavioral similarities in their offspring to affirm biological connection, a behavior driven by both emotional bonding and evolutionary instincts. Fathers, in particular, often focus on facial resemblance as a subconscious gauge for paternity confidence.
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Have we heard anything from Deborah? 😬
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Good thing those red hair genes are so dominant!
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Better hope he never needs a transplant…
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Nice take Nancy.
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Brilliant take an thanks for the Monkee’s track- when I was little I loved them, they had a programme on the TV I think Pete Tork was my first crush sadly he has since passed 🩷
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Aww, a very sweet story Nancy
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Love this 💜💜
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Great take, Nancy. Thanks for joining in.
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