55-er: When Venus Has the Upper Hand

As the name implies, 55-ers are posts which contain 55 words or less. There are some more rules for 55-word fiction according to wikipedia which I am reproducing below; but I do not think it is necessary to judge each 55-er based on all of these rules.


A literary work will be considered 55 Fiction if it has:

  1. Fifty-five words or less (A non-negotiable rule)

  2. A setting,

  3. One or more characters,

  4. Some conflict, and

  5. A resolution. (Not limited to moral of the story)

  6. The title of the story is not part of the overall word count, but it still can’t exceed seven words.


I find 55-ers to be a pretty interesting way to express your opinion – you need to be concise but clear (something I don't consider myself to be very good at). It is amazing how much can be expressed in 55 words. Check out Shail's Nest, and IndianPundit for a dose of excellent 55-ers.


This is my first attempt at 55-er.


************************

His bike kissed her car's bumper. Both drivers were at fault.


Out she came screaming. He removed his helmet to say sorry. She slapped him hard, his genuine apologies drowning when palm met cheek.


Maybe she's justified”, he thought. “Men often misbehave”.


Maybe I can get away with this”, she thought. “After all I'm female”.


************************


This is not entirely fictional. I witnessed something similar in New Delhi over a decade back.


4 comments to 55-er: When Venus Has the Upper Hand

  • Succinctly put. And yes, sadly this does happen.

  • Thats simply brilliant.

    Very true.

  • Yeah! This whole 55-er thing is damn interesting! And I wana try my hand at it too! It's like advertising, you know?? Keep it short and simple! Something tells me you gotta be really smart to make them!

  • @Shail: Ever since I witnessed that incident, I am terrified whenever I go out in crowded places or in buses, where I end up making physical contact inadvertently with a female. I kind of half-brace myself for a slap. I wonder how women can distinguish between a genuine mistake and a perverse touch! I think this would make a good topic for another post :)

    @IndianPundit: Thanks!

    @JSincro: Absolutely. When I first tried it out, I did so because I thought it'd be quick and easy. But turns out it isn't. It takes time to get the word count right. And unlike longer posts, the punch needs to be at the right part of the post. I discarded a couple of 55ers before I came up with this one.

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