Brilliant flash fiction writing contest

Today I checked back on a flash fiction contest that I entered to discover that I was longlisted. Yippeeeee! Not sure if it means anything other than that I was one of the entrants, but nontheless enjoy the winning entries here: Brilliant flash fiction Mag – overseas travel and hopefully enjoy my story below.

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Just Ask

I climbed off the bus and looked around for any clues as to where I was. From the animated waving arms motioning to the back of the bus and the numerous mountains her hands had motioned over, I presumed the old woman I’d asked about San Sebastian was telling me that I had slept way past my destination. This one main street town wasn’t about to have an airport to take me back to my parents in the UK or anyone who spoke English. Before finding my way back I had to eat. In the only establishment offering food, I did my well-practised charades. I sandwiched my hands together, flapped my arms and strutted in a circle and finally pretended to squeeze a sauce bottle over my slice of bread hand.

“¿Qué” The good looking young man behind the counter held his hands out up to his hunched shoulders.

This had worked in most of the other little towns I’d visited. I re-enacted my arm flapping including clucking sounds this time and a cock-a-doodle-doo for good measure.

“Would you like that chicken mayonnaise on white or brown bread?” he asked in perfect British English once he managed to stop laughing.

Glowing scarlet I banged on the counter. “You could have saved me the embarrassment you know.”

“And miss out on an award winning theatrical performance?”

“Yes.”

“In Arano Spain, where the bus from the big city only comes once a month and no entertainment exits, we take what we can get.”

“Why didn’t you stop me and tell me you could speak English before I changed colour?”

“You didn’t ask. You jumped straight ahead to presuming you knew something about this little nowhere one horse town.”

“I’m sorry. I did.”

Debbie Gravett © 2017.03.15