April 18: Flash Fiction Challenge – Gender

19 Apr 2019 51 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: , , , , , , ,

Charli’s Carrot Ranch prompt this week:

April 18, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about gender. It can be fixed or fluid. Explore the topic on your own terms and open your mind to possibilities and understanding. Go where the prompt leads!

East to West – Which Gender is the Best?

“Hmmm, what is it?”
“Not what. Who!”
“Huh?”
“It’s the scan picture! There. That’s your grandchild right there!”
“Looks like an alien.”
“Well, we all know where the weirdness will have come from, Dad!”
“So, a he or she?”
“Does it matter?”
“No, not to me. Just as long as the child is healthy and happy, that’s all that matters. But you know what the rest of the family will be like…”
“I know, they’ll all want a boy. Typical Indian families.”
“Gender doesn’t make someone right or wrong, it’s their actions. Teach your child well. Make me proud.”

Ritu 2019
April 18: Flash Fiction Challenge

51 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Norah
    Apr 30, 2019 @ 12:16:59

    The wisdom of the last speaker is best. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Trackback: Gender « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

  3. Charli Mills
    Apr 24, 2019 @ 04:12:38

    I love the banter between family members, and the final bit of advice.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. papershots
    Apr 22, 2019 @ 09:38:29

    So true. The way it should be, but often isn’t.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. D. Avery @shiftnshake
    Apr 22, 2019 @ 03:03:44

    That’s all that matters. True that.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Violet Lentz
    Apr 21, 2019 @ 12:28:17

    I think male offspring is a universal preference. Why i do not know as few of us need help in the fields any more.. Excellent write, Ritu.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. willowdot21
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 22:55:17

    Life is strange , I agree with Erika, my mum had more girls than boys while she longed for boys… I had three boys , lost two girls possibly three …also two grandsons… At least our dog is female. 🤭🤭🤭

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. Erika Kind
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 21:51:28

    I think even though people don’t say it is important which gender the child has, in many minds there is still the hope for a specific one.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. Jennie
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 20:06:02

    I loved this, Ritu, especially the end! 😍

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. robertawrites235681907
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 18:54:37

    African people like to have boys too, Ritu. When I had my two boys, the African ladies in my office said I was a very good wife.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. macalder02
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 17:13:12

    You meet the challenge with a lesson of height for the family. You are well presented.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Book Club Mom
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 16:33:22

    That’s the key – love them all!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. syl65
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 15:55:02

    Love your children and let them know they are precious from the start.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. Annette Rochelle Aben
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 14:27:03

    Teach your children well! for sure

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. chris jensen
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 14:10:03

    i thought i would try a story challenge,

    Am i a boy or girl?

    only makes sense you follow for some reason maybe i should pay more attention to yoiu….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Trackback: Am i a boy or girl? – deletedangel

  17. OIKOS™-Publishing
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 13:47:08

    Wonderful story. As new born children most of em looking like aliens. 😉 Here in the region alsways the birth weight was important too. As long as they bought not to much boy clothes for the unborn “Ritu-boy”, it seems OK. Lol Oh my dear Sis, can not really imagine you as a men. Lol Michael

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. H.R.R. Gorman
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 13:06:08

    “It looks like an alien.”

    Haha, that would be a surprise!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. joylennick
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 12:23:15

    Thank you, Ritu. Well said. Gender shouldn’t matter a toss to a mother. When I had my third son, someone said: “Oh, you must be so disappointed.” I could have slugged the woman…..(and I’m a pacifist!) The ‘fist’ part of the word may have spurred me on… x

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      Apr 19, 2019 @ 12:27:45

      When I was born, a woman in the family started lamenting that it was such a shame I hadn’t been a boy, since my maternal grandmother had flown to the UK From Kenya to help my mum.
      My Pops had a go at her and told her she should be ashamed to even think like that, being a woman herself.
      Going on, he distributed sweets to the family, usually only done for boys at that time, over 40 years ago.
      I’m just glad times have changed enough that younger generations are celebrating a baby’s birth, not just a boys!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  20. niasunset
    Apr 19, 2019 @ 12:02:15

    Yes, make proud… beautiful dear Ritu. Thank you, Love, nia

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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