NaNoWriMo novel--prompted writing wwe

     Far palmed his hair down and squinted at the camera box.  "Wexler Photography", said his brother, "use Wexler and he'll give you a deal." But no deal had yet emerged.
     Far cleared his throat.  From behind the camera that was balancing on a tripod, the photographer said, "One more minute, Mr. Erickson, please! I'm adjusting the meter."
Don't know why Astrid couldn't have just used the Brownie to take our family picture. Outloud Nils mumbled, "You push the button, we do the rest! Get on with it, man!"
     "Focus, I'm focusing! Look at my handsome picture of our brave President, Mr. Coolidge.  It's on the wall across from you.  Say now, stand still! Did the Missus shake itching powder in your trousers this morning?"
     Svea giggled.  I bit the inside of my lip.  Mamma sniffed indignantly, but the right side of her upper lip twitched and she winked at me.  "Should Aunt Märta and cousin Tor be in this picture with us?" I wondered.   

     Märta is Mamma's younger sister. She lives in the little house on our property. Auntie Märta is my favorite aunt.  She’s also Mamma to my cousin and best friend, Torsten.  He lives alone with his modar in that tiny shack on the north end of the yard.  Tor’s far was killed in the war back in 1917 before Tor was even born.  Auntie Märta says it’s better that way because then Tor can’t miss what he never had.  But I seen how he looks at me and Far when Far takes me fishing or shows me how to sight geese in the fall.  Tor knows what he’s missing. 
     I sometimes wish that it were Tor instead of me learning about cleaning the gun and stuff.  Far likes things done right the first time.  Tor's smarter than me so he can do anything right the first time and not have to learn the hard way.  That’s what Far says, anyway. 

“Boy, you missed  this here spot.  Hain’t you got eyes?”

“Yes Far, I’ll do it again, sir.”

“I don’t want you to do it AGAIN.  I want it right the FIRST time.  What’s the matter with you, boy?!”

“I dunno, sir.”

“Well, then, you’re gonna find out!  I want you to clean and oil both of these guns and then muck out the barn and milk those cows before supper.  If you’re late for supper, don’t even bother coming in, just go sleep in the hay loft.”

“Far, the cows are lined up already for their evening milking, sir.”

“Well, then, you’ll have to learn the hard way, won’t you?  Move yer butt!”

     The camera was finally ready, but Far wasn't paying any attention. He glared at me, the vein in his neck looking swollen and angry purple as if it would pop.  "This picture is for our family, Franciskus, that's all," he thundered.

      I felt the room begin to shudder and list as if I were on a ship.  Along my hairline, sweat formed.  Svea's eyes grew wide as she slid her hand between my shoulder blades.

     Suddenly Mamma's clear voice cut through the warring air, "Du gamla, du fria, du fjällhöga Nord, du tysta, du glädjerika sköna!"

     Svea, with a catch in her throat, joined in with the English words we had learned, "I greet thee, thou loveliest land on the earth, Thy sun, thy skies, thy verdant meadows smiling."

    A tear welled up in Far's eye and he abruptly turned toward the window.  "Å min kära Sverige, my dear lovely Sweden..."

Prompts for November 4th, due by next week, November 11th--Armistice Day.

• Include major world conflict as a theme or mere mention or something inbetween
• Something needs to =pop=
• Use the word focus
• Include a line from a National Anthem (any country)
• Optional--a famous person must appear in the article
• tag with wwe