“Vulcan, master of fire, celestial artist, lame and outcast – that’s your résumé, all of it?”
“It is.”
“It’s… fairly niche.”
“I suppose.”
“And why exactly are you seeking a new role?”
“The wife.”
“High maintenance?”
“And then some.”
“Ah… happens to the best of us.”
“So, do you think you have anything suitable?”
“It’s tricky in today’s climate, but… fire mastery – that’s a definite asset. There’s a call for that.”
“Really?”
“Mmm. Any allergies?”
“Me? No.”
“You’re ok with sulphur, for instance?”
“As far as I know.”
“Well, there’s a fanatical bunch seeking someone to blame. Bit downmarket for you, I’m afraid. Though you might get to star in a decent poem or two.”
“Fine, let’s give it a whirl!”
###
This piece of flash fiction was written for Friday Fictioneers: a story in 100 words prompted by a picture that Rochelle Wisoff-Fields posts every Wednesday. Here’s the link to the stories and this week’s picture is below, copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
Sweet FA by Blake 
It appears that blaming the Woman made it out of the Garden in Spades. ;-). Fun use of the prompt. Nicely done
Personally, I tend to blame the women for letting men write all the myths. Bonobos never stood for any of that patriarchal nonsense, so I don’t see why homo sapiens ever did 🙂
To be immortalized in poetry? Sounds fair enough. 😉
Lame and outcast – and with an ultra-high-maintenance wife. Poor fella.
Yeah, imagine – married to the goddess of love… Sure, it would have its good points, don’t get me wrong. But the pressure, sheesh! 😦
Enough to make any man crack! o.O
And a whirlwind it was 🙂
Cheers,
Ankush,
Catch my story on http://wheneveridontgetbored.blogspot.in/2014/09/fireflies.html
Brilliantly done. Really original.
Oh original might be stretching it a bit, since the characters are thousands of years old.. but thanks! 🙂
Brilliant.
A good use of the prompt. Funny.
Dear Sue,
Interesting and entertaining job interview.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks. I’m going for a job interview tomorrow though I’m doubtful that it will be at all entertaining… 🙂
fun piece, terse dialogue and interesting…. moves the reader right along.
i give this piece: two job interviews and one career change up!
Randy
That’s very generous, thanks! Although… one career change up from the underworld probably brings me right back to the start…
Nothing’s worse than being a god out of job.. but if you can stand the brimstone.. there’s always job in a hot place.
Oh I dunno, I get the impression that gods like taking it pretty easy. Creation took, what, six days? They botched that and they’ve been idling about the place ever since! Pfft.
Sue, Funny and well-written piece. 😀 It seems even gods have to go through job interviews. I think he’s bound to be hired though, with his talents. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
With his talents, you’d hope so! But, ah, it’s not what you know it’s who you know… 😉
Lovely! Ancient job interviews! Kudos.
Thanks. Well, they must have had interviews of some kind, I suppose – probably just not as ridiculous as ours. “So, where do you see yourself in five years time?” “Hmm probably thrown to the lions in the Colosseum…” I doubt if that would be a winning approach 🙂
I loved that you have included Ares (Vulcan) over here … He was a messy guy and caused trouble when he got in between Aphrodite and Hephaestus As a matter of fact he gave her two kids: Eros and Antheros!…
I loved your flash fiction, Sue.
Thank you and best wishes, Aquileana 😀
Dear Aquileana, I’m especially pleased that you enjoyed this little story since it was finding your blog that made me want to write a piece about Vulcan – my personal favourite among the gods. I used to have a far better grasp of all the mythological shenanigans that went on in old Greece and Rome, but I’m sure that reading your posts will jog my memory nicely 🙂