Mr. Jenkins disliked me on sight. That was surprising. I’m as pleasant as the next guy, and he couldn’t see well.
“I can smell a Jap a mile away,” he said. “How I survived.”
I ignored the slur. “Ready for your walk, sir?”
“You mean for my push?” He shrugged. “Sure.”
On the paved walk by the river, he said, “You’re not gonna drown me, are you?”
“No! Why would you ask such a thing?”
“I drowned a man once.”
“You did?”
“On the Burma Road.” He shook his head. “The war had its moments, but the pacing was terrible.”
I wrote this story for the 100 Word Challenge #349 at Velvet Verbosity.
What notgnirrupannig said. Great pacing as well. 😉
Agh, what a horrid old man! I’ve been a caregiver (currently a nurse) for a good portion of my working life. Sometimes one does encounter the most awful people, but in the capacity of caregiver I had to hold my tongue.
A vivid story in a few brushstrokes. Well done!