Mother Knows Best
January 24, 2018 at 9:50 am 45 comments
For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 26 January 2018
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Photo Credit: Sandra Crook
Dino was talking his mom into buying a car. He thought he deserved it. He’d gotten good grades. Most importantly, he put the trash out without being told.
“Mom, don’t you think it’s time? I don’t mind if it’s a used one.”
The ever-diplomatic mother answered with another question.
“Would you rather have a car or live in this rundown apartment forever?”
End of discussion. To an immigrant family, owning a house was top priority.
A year later, there was enough money for down payment on a property in Queens. It was the first time Dino saw his father cry.
Entry filed under: Blogroll, friday fictioneers. Tags: 100-word challenge, fiction, humor, immigrant's tale.
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Musings of a Random Mind 
1.
James | January 24, 2018 at 9:55 am
I checked and the most inexpensive home I found in Queens was a foreclosure that could go as low as $15,000. The next least expensive was $200,000. After that, it was a half million and up through about a million and a half. Yikes. No wonder they had to save every penny for a house.
2.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 12:36 pm
james:
it’s always about location, location, location. 🙂
3.
Sandra | January 24, 2018 at 10:28 am
Good one. I agree, a home comes before everything else.
4.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 12:35 pm
sandra:
yes, dino’s excited he has a room all to himself now. 🙂
5.
Cara Hartley | January 24, 2018 at 10:37 am
Beautifully told.
Housing in the area where I live is insanely expensive, and I’m rather underemployed due to health reasons and needing to keep Medicaid. Hence why I live in a broken-down mobile home with no hot water or working furnace.
6.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 12:35 pm
cara:
thank you. i’m glad you liked it.
7.
Christine Goodnough | January 26, 2018 at 5:28 pm
I hope you live south of th Mason-Dixon line or on a tropical isle. 🤔
8.
plaridel | January 27, 2018 at 3:00 pm
christine:
what a wonderful idea! 🙂
9.
Susan A Eames | January 24, 2018 at 10:38 am
Dino learnt an important lesson.Good story!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
10.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 12:35 pm
susan:
yes, he did. thank you.
11.
pennygadd51 | January 24, 2018 at 12:01 pm
How touching that Dino’s father should be so moved by achieving his aspiration. I should think Dino was very glad he hadn’t been given a car.
12.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 12:33 pm
penny:
it was the fulfillment of a promise he made to his father-in-law. it took awhile, but he finally made it.
13.
Iain Kelly | January 24, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Nice story. A family home is something special. He can save up and get a car in the future.
14.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 11:01 pm
iain:
that’s so true. it helps keep the family together and build memories.
15.
Alice Audrey | January 24, 2018 at 1:17 pm
Kids got no perspective. Spoiled even when they are raised right.
16.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 11:01 pm
alice:
if anything, they grow up. 🙂
17.
Moon | January 24, 2018 at 9:15 pm
A beautiful story and superb storytelling.
18.
plaridel | January 24, 2018 at 11:00 pm
moon:
thank you for the kind comment. much appreciated.
19.
anuragbakhshi | January 25, 2018 at 12:31 am
Awwe, such a beautiful story.
20.
plaridel | January 25, 2018 at 8:40 am
anurag:
i appreciate the comment. thank you.
21.
subroto | January 25, 2018 at 2:22 am
Hard work does pay off in the end and is probably more satisfying too. Nice one.
22.
plaridel | January 25, 2018 at 8:40 am
subroto:
yes, most immigrant family can relate.
23.
Keith's Ramblings | January 25, 2018 at 3:32 am
That scene will have a lasting effect I’m sure. Delightful.
Click to read my FriFic!
24.
plaridel | January 25, 2018 at 8:40 am
keith:
i think you’re right. thank you.
25.
draliman | January 25, 2018 at 4:33 am
Priorities. Nice one!
26.
plaridel | January 25, 2018 at 8:39 am
draliman:
as the title says, mother knows best. 🙂
27.
rochellewisoff | January 25, 2018 at 6:44 am
Dear Plaridel,
Lovely story. I do have two grammatical nitpicks. “he’d got good grades”…should be gotten, I think. The end…first time Dino saw his father cried. …should be ‘cry. Still a wonderful story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
28.
plaridel | January 25, 2018 at 8:39 am
rochelle:
duly corrected. glad you liked it in spite of the grammatical transgressions. thank you for bringing them up. much appreciated.
29.
rgayer55 | January 25, 2018 at 2:50 pm
A touching story with a good lesson. Well done.
30.
plaridel | January 26, 2018 at 2:25 pm
russell:
it was based on the story of someone i know which would remain anonymous in the name of national security. 🙂
31.
Dale | January 25, 2018 at 3:31 pm
And that’s why immigrants are so successful! They know where their priorities lie, they are not lazy and will work day and night to get their property!
32.
plaridel | January 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm
dale:
i guess they have to. they don’t have a choice. 🙂
33.
Dale | January 26, 2018 at 2:26 pm
They might not but I truly think some cultures have a better work ethic than others…
34.
plaridel | January 27, 2018 at 3:00 pm
dale:
it’s possibly true. such is life.
35.
Norma | January 26, 2018 at 6:42 am
I loved the term “the ever-diplomatic mother”. She saw what was best… At least now Dino will have his own room. Well done!
36.
plaridel | January 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm
norma:
blessed are those mothers, indeed. 🙂
37.
Christine Goodnough | January 26, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Well told. Hurray for them. For too many people poor housing can be tolerated as long as there’s money for beer.
38.
plaridel | January 27, 2018 at 2:59 pm
christine:
well, it maybe true in some cases. 🙂
39.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | January 28, 2018 at 3:00 am
What a great lesson… getting a home comes first (after getting food and the table and a good education)
40.
plaridel | January 30, 2018 at 10:42 am
björn:
i think that’s the way it should be for everyone.
41.
magarisa | January 28, 2018 at 1:06 pm
What an important lesson for Dino. Great take on the prompt!
42.
plaridel | January 30, 2018 at 10:41 am
magarisa:
thank you for reading. i appreciate the comment very much.
43.
magarisa | January 30, 2018 at 12:13 pm
You’re welcome, Plaridel.
44.
Dawn M. Miller | January 29, 2018 at 1:23 pm
I always say you gotta pay the rent/mortgage first. It’s a top priority. Good lesson here.
45.
plaridel | January 30, 2018 at 10:39 am
dawn:
i agree. a roof over your head should be at the top of the list for every family.