Short Story, Song, Theme Prompt, Word Prompt, Writing Prompts

The Fool’s Almanac: A Thursday Inspiration

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for Thursday Inspiration #325 –
“Evil Ways”. Here’s my response.

© Adobe Stock

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration, Jim Adams asks us to respond to the challenge by using the prompt word “dark”, or by means of the song “Evil Ways” by Santana or another of their songs, or a song where a guy is complaining about his woman, or a song where a guy issues an ultimatum to his girl.

This is my story.

The Fool’s Almanac

She walked back in wearing that half-smile …. the one I’ve catalogued, cross-referenced, and annotated in the margins of my better judgment. I could publish the field guide by now.

Chapter One: How She Tilts Her Head When She Wants Something. Chapter Two: The Laugh That Costs You.

I told myself last time was the last time. I have it in writing. I wrote it on a cocktail napkin at 2 a.m. while she was in the bathroom, probably reapplying the lipstick she’d use to press her case. I keep the napkin in my wallet like a restraining order I never filed.

Here’s what I know about myself: I am a man of conviction, principle, and catastrophically poor timing. She arrives and my convictions reschedule themselves.

She said my name the way a safecracker finds a tumbler …. with patience, with precision, with complete indifference to whether the door would open.

I let her in.

Of course I did.

When will I ever learn?

♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎

My song choice this week is all about a scorned lover addressing a manipulative, deceitful woman who has betrayed him. Written by Jeff Lynne, the song highlights themes of regret, heartbreak, and karma, telling a captivating, destructive figure that she has run out of people to use.

This is “Evil Woman” by ELO

Thursday Inspiration #325 Evil Ways

Many thanks to Jim Adams for this week’s inspiration. Thanks to you all for stopping by for a look and a listen.

That’s all she wrote, kids.

See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2026

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

16 thoughts on “The Fool’s Almanac: A Thursday Inspiration”

  3. Any woman that has red horns growing out of the top of her head is definitely trouble. Excellent song choice and I love the way you described the book, the cocktail napkin, the lipstick, letting her in again and never being able to learn from your past mistakes, Nancy.

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