by Kate Keeley
Member since:
March 4, 2007

Greta's Gold--100 Word Stories Week 6--Challenge

March 17, 2008 10:38 PM EDT (Updated: March 23, 2008 03:17 PM EDT)
views: 148 | rating: 10/10 (53 votes) | comments: 74

"Where's the rent?" Mr. Meanie said.

Greta held out her cat. Her lip quivered.  "Have Rufus," she said.

"I don't want a cat," he snarled.

"He's gold." Everything Greta had touched that day--from the coffee pot to her dinner dumplings--turned to gold. Even her tears, if she touched them. Before Rufus nudged her hand, wanting a scratch, he'd been a great cat. Now he was worthless gold. "You can have him."

"Debt paid." Mr. Meanie scribbled a receipt.

Greta just kept crying gold tears. Midnight struck, and her tears changed back. Rufus peered in the window and meowed.
link to this page
Bookmark this post:
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Buzz
More

Comments: 74

P.W. Dowdy Mar 17, 2008, 10:44pm EDT
Ha!

So funny! I loved it, Kate. Such a good twist and turn. Again, expertly done!
penni d. Mar 17, 2008, 10:45pm EDT
YEA!!! she got her cat back AND a paid receipt...:)
Marianne M. Mar 17, 2008, 10:54pm EDT
Fun and beautifully crafted drabble, Kate. And how fortunate for Greta that her dubious supernatural power had an early expiration date!
Jen M. Mar 17, 2008, 11:11pm EDT
I'm not a cat person-so the gold thing might have been ok with me-unless it was my dog.
Jen M. Mar 17, 2008, 11:11pm EDT
Great story as usual!
Susan B. Mar 17, 2008, 11:45pm EDT
Oh good!! I'm glad Rufus turned back :) Wonderful story
Sandy F. Mar 17, 2008, 11:46pm EDT
Terrific story, Kate. charming and a cautionary tale for Meanies.
Deborah J Ledford Mar 18, 2008, 12:26am EDT
Well crafted, indeed. So minimalistic, yet rich. Great job!
Nancy 67 Mar 18, 2008, 12:30am EDT
What a well-written 100-word story, Kate! I've never tried it. I'm glad that you left us with a happy ending - I'm such a sap! ;-D
Susan Budig Mar 18, 2008, 12:33am EDT
Isn't the cat still with Mr. Meanie? :-(
Elsie Duggan Mar 18, 2008, 12:47am EDT
Wonderful story and great drabble, I loved that the cat turned back, and came home,
Anita R. Mar 18, 2008, 1:08am EDT
Well done drabble. This is a well-written piece, I love that she got the cat and the receipt marked "paid." Good job.
dianne j. Mar 18, 2008, 1:57am EDT
She deserved to get her cat back. He was more important to her than the gold.
Alison Pearce Mar 18, 2008, 2:25am EDT
Great drabble!
Granny Janny H. Mar 18, 2008, 2:43am EDT
Complete, sweet, and neat. How do you do it?
Parul S. Mar 18, 2008, 2:54am EDT
Miodas and the golden touch......wonderful twist with super awesome cat.
KC Klein Mar 18, 2008, 3:27am EDT
Thanks for posting this to Short Story and More!
elizabeth e. Mar 18, 2008, 6:02am EDT
I really liked this Kate...such a great little take...you always come up with such a different take on a drabble.
Patricia F. Mar 18, 2008, 7:01am EDT
Great drabble, Kate....what a great cat that Rufus is!
Kristina B. Mar 18, 2008, 8:17am EDT
That was a great story Kate, a great way to start my day! Thanks
Kristina
Vicky Duggins Mar 18, 2008, 10:02am EDT
I really like this. Good for old Rufus.
Captain Ken Pothier Mar 18, 2008, 10:54am EDT
Fun short read, Kate!
Jim Ross Mar 18, 2008, 11:59am EDT
Cool way to pay the rent, Kate. Look at the deals Greta could have made through the day! But then, why be greedy. Excellent as always, and a golden read.
Haim Kadman Mar 18, 2008, 12:32pm EDT
A great flash story Kate. i've made a real effort to shed tears but they were salty, what's the trick Kate do tell me.
Jonathan S. Mar 18, 2008, 1:18pm EDT
Brilliant. A nice twist on the idea of both the Midas touch and "fairy gold"
William Dotani Mar 18, 2008, 1:51pm EDT
A bit of a twist on the Cinderella story. I like how you play out the scene with the dialogue. The ending was justice served.
Barbra L. Mar 18, 2008, 2:14pm EDT
Kate:

You've done an excellent job of keeping the reader glued to the content. Every line seemed to pull me into the next one; and the ending was just 'white magic'!
Maureen Sullivan Stemberg Mar 18, 2008, 7:22pm EDT
Kate, great job...beautifully done! ~mo-zy
What a delightful fun tale. Love the way your brain churns : - )
Sheila Deeth Mar 18, 2008, 8:36pm EDT
Wow. That was a really fine 100 words. Great job.
Marge H. Mar 18, 2008, 8:58pm EDT
Worthless gold indeed. :) Love the ending too.
John Harris Beck Mar 18, 2008, 9:27pm EDT
Kate, you're a born fabulist. Are there more in your portfolio? And I do so love the happy ending. You've made a new classic.
Ann R. Mar 18, 2008, 11:32pm EDT
Our pets are worth more than gold aren't they? And they would gladly pay the rent for us too if they could. This was a golden story.
David S. Mar 19, 2008, 10:35am EDT
Tidy and tight, Kate! Very well done!
Ruthe M. Mar 19, 2008, 4:15pm EDT
This was a clever one! It doesn't pay to be mean or greedy!
Becky Powell Mar 20, 2008, 9:19am EDT
Great story. Like a fairy tale or fable. Thanks.
Kay M. Mar 20, 2008, 10:07am EDT
Great story
Lynn Doiron Mar 20, 2008, 11:02am EDT
Loved it. One of my favorites, again. You never disappoint, Kate. Thanks for posting on my folktale and fable group, too. Love that the cat came back -- Meow.
Donald M. Mar 20, 2008, 5:30pm EDT
If you let something you love go free it will come back to you. That was good.
Wanda H. Mar 20, 2008, 8:54pm EDT
Loved the midas touch, then the kitty comes home. Handy power to have once in a while
Tracey W. Mar 20, 2008, 9:03pm EDT
Wonderful! I'm so glad Rufus came home. Excellent drabble.
Donald M. Mar 20, 2008, 10:55pm EDT
Kate this was so great I had to come back and read it again.
Jo C. Mar 20, 2008, 11:44pm EDT
Good story and timely, too, with all the news about gold lately. Clever, to combine current events with an engaging and touching story.
Jan S. Mar 21, 2008, 2:47am EDT
Wonderful story!
Mary Z. Mar 21, 2008, 1:38pm EDT
Loved this drabble on many levels, Kate. She is able to pay the rent and she gets her cat back so she doesn't have to cry anymore. Well done!
Linda K. Mar 21, 2008, 7:39pm EDT
Well done!
Charli Mills Mar 22, 2008, 12:43am EDT
I love that Rufus returns! You do a great job at creating an undercurrent of emotion in your drabble. Well-written.
Kushal Poddar Mar 22, 2008, 1:45am EDT
so deep and allegorical!
Terry M. Mar 22, 2008, 9:32pm EDT
I like the pic of the cat.
Ruthe M. Mar 23, 2008, 9:49am EDT
Congratulations on your honorable mention!
Tracey W. Mar 23, 2008, 10:19am EDT
congratulations, Kate, I adored your story!
Marianne M. Mar 23, 2008, 10:24am EDT
Congratulations on winning Honorable Mention, Kate! Loved your story!
Barbra L. Mar 23, 2008, 10:45am EDT
Congratulations, Kate!
Jim Ross Mar 23, 2008, 12:02pm EDT
Totally enchanting story, Kate, that leaves me chuckling every time I read it. Congratulations on your Honorable Mention Award. It is so well deserved. Good job!
Charli Mills Mar 23, 2008, 3:49pm EDT
It just delights me every time that Rufus comes back. I am beginning to wonder if the cat is the magician orchestrating the gold enchantment. Congratulations!
Alison Pearce Mar 23, 2008, 6:27pm EDT
Congrats Kate!!
Marge H. Mar 23, 2008, 8:36pm EDT
Congratulations!
Anita R. Mar 24, 2008, 12:00am EDT
Kate congratulations, you certainly deserved it for this well written imaginative drabble!
Tara T. Mar 24, 2008, 5:28am EDT
congratulations Kate! Great drabble, creative and touching, I really enjoyed it. You portrayed the necissity of money yet showed it can't replace a friend, wonderful.
Kay M. Mar 24, 2008, 9:09am EDT
Congrats Kate!
sheila h. Mar 24, 2008, 6:30pm EDT
that cat should be named Midas!
great short..imaginative..congratulations!
Sheila Deeth Mar 24, 2008, 11:09pm EDT
Congratulations!
Ann R. Mar 26, 2008, 10:34pm EDT
Congratulations Kate on another very enjoyable 100 words!

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Make New Friends | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Health | Moms | Money | News | Politics | Spirituality | Sports | Travel | Writing
Version 16836, "Oz"; Copyright © 2009 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.