I suspect it is something that like sees like when I'm not really clear. In my case (yeah, that was autobio) it was me & my dad when I was an early teen. I'm over it in the sense that I love him dearly, faults and all, and CAN love him faults and all. But it was a rude awakening at the time and probably a harsh and early wake up. It was .. harsh. And shocking.

Sara, for what it's worth, I totally got it. Nice job.

I got it, and haven't had the experience. The opposite, in fact--I had two younger brothers and they would do stuff like that (and worse) during arguments all the time, but my parents would listen to my side. My mom was a state debate champion, so she always fell for a good argument.

Sara, for what it's worth, I totally got it. Nice job.

ditto. I can see where the words doubled back on themselves, but that kind of echoed the qualities of a frustrating argument, for me.

Yeah, my not getting it may have been due to the reader rather than the writer. We all have stupid moments; I hope mine are not too frequent, but not understanding what was going on was probably one of mine.

The parting shot challenge is now closed.

This week's prompt is bells and whistles.

Bells and whistles

It’s dented in a couple places, the back fender striped with rust. The black paint gives way to dull gray primer on the driver’s side door. The backseat’s upholstery is held together with duct tape in two places.

“Give it a try?” her father says, handing over a pair of keys on a simple ring.

She slides in, turns the key. The engine rumbles to life with a satisfying growl, runs smooth.

“No bells and whistles.” Her father is looking at his shoes.

She puts a hand on the dash, smiles. The steady vibration hums through her. “Doesn’t need any.”

His new command. The navy was trusting him with a ship again, despite the fact that his last one now lay lost and broken, scattered across the bottom of the sea. He supposed getting all but four of his crewmen off alive before she sank made up for the loss of her, at least in Uncle Sam's eyes. The faces of the four lingered behind his own, though.

He stepped out of the car, squared his shoulders, stepped up to the gangplank. The bell on deck rang the hour, and as he reached the ship's rail they piped him aboard.

::whistles appreciatively at the first two belles::

The Sinking Ship

Ting-a-ling, rang the bells on his hat.

Tootly-toot, blew the wiley whistle.

He pirouetted down the lane, colors a-flashing, legs a-scampering.

Come out to play, sang the pipe; it is a fine day. Come see the river, the bank, the water. Don't let's bide inside, come out, come out, come out to play!

Ting-tong rang the bells of the church.

Woe-whoo blew the pipes of the organ.

They went to play that fine day. Their eyes did sparkle as they followed his way. They followed the whistle, the bells while they swayed. Down to the river and there they stayed.