Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to everyone who has read any of my stories over the past year. I am looking forward to big things in the coming year.
By the way, this story takes place before COVID times. 🙂
Mixed Signals
I’d spent a week preparing for the Christmas party. We even got an eggnog fountain.
Little Ellie-Mae wanted to put a sign at the end of the driveway, so people knew where to turn. “Eggnog for all!” it would say.
Twenty minutes later, she was back. She’d made the letters too big. “Can it just say EGGNOG?”
Sure.
Ten minutes later, she returned. “How many G’s does ‘eggnog’ have?”
Three.
“Oh. I only put one in.”
EGNO? ENOG?
When no one showed up, I walked down to the road to look for cars.
That’s how we learned about Ellie-Mae’s dyslexia.
The Green-Walled Tower 
December 23rd, 2020 at 3:22 pm
Poor Ellie-Mae!
December 23rd, 2020 at 6:59 pm
Yeah, she tried her best to help.
December 24th, 2020 at 10:13 am
It’s the thought that counts, right?
December 23rd, 2020 at 4:16 pm
Great story, Dave!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
December 23rd, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Thanks, Susan!
December 23rd, 2020 at 4:43 pm
LOL funny story, David.
December 23rd, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Thanks! I like to write that kind of piece.
December 23rd, 2020 at 11:21 pm
🙂
December 23rd, 2020 at 5:18 pm
That made me laugh. Thanks
December 23rd, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Glad you liked it. 🙂
December 23rd, 2020 at 7:12 pm
Loved it!
December 23rd, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Aw, so sad and sweet too. I really enjoyed this, David! Merry Christmas to you as well!
December 27th, 2020 at 7:27 pm
Thank you, Brenda. I appreciate your reading it. I hope your Christmas was good.
December 23rd, 2020 at 8:39 pm
all’s not lost. there’s the new year to look forward to. 🙂
December 27th, 2020 at 7:26 pm
Very true. There’s always hope.
December 24th, 2020 at 3:20 am
Hahaha loved where you took this story.
December 27th, 2020 at 7:24 pm
Thanks! It started a bit differently at first and kind of evolved into that. That’s the adventure of writing though.
December 24th, 2020 at 8:24 am
A delightful tale David!
December 27th, 2020 at 7:21 pm
Thanks, Keith. 🙂
December 24th, 2020 at 8:54 am
What a cute chuckle that one brought! Merry Christmas!
December 27th, 2020 at 7:20 pm
Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too.
December 24th, 2020 at 10:11 am
I can relate to bad spelling. Of course, now I want Eggnog, one of my favorite beverages that thank God, is only seasonal, or many of us would drop dead from all that fat. As always, I love your knack for brevity, all the words carefully chosen as if you placed each one on the page with a tweezer. 🙂
December 27th, 2020 at 7:20 pm
Thank you, my friend. It usually takes me an hour or so to write one of these and I usually have about 120 words or so after the first draft and slowly pare it down to fighting weight of 100 words, taking out all the fat. I like eggnog too and I kept thinking of it when I was at the store but never ended up buying any. I’m sure I won’t starve without it though. 😉
December 28th, 2020 at 4:00 am
It’s so high in fat, you made the right decision. As for FF, it’s a challenge. Not so easy to shave one down. An art of sorts, and you always manage beautifully, I might add. 🙂
December 24th, 2020 at 10:13 am
PS I also love the title. Mixed Signals…that great David.
December 27th, 2020 at 7:18 pm
Sometimes I find titles hard and just settle for something boring and obvious, but sometimes I try to be clever. You’ve always got great titles too.
December 28th, 2020 at 4:00 am
I know what you mean.
December 24th, 2020 at 2:27 pm
Expertly crafted and funny as as a really funny thing.
Nice one, Dave
December 27th, 2020 at 7:17 pm
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
December 24th, 2020 at 4:35 pm
Teehee! What an imagination – an eggnog fountain. Can such a thing really exist???
December 27th, 2020 at 7:16 pm
Well, I’ve never seen one, but I’m pretty sure it’s possible. Hopefully there’d be a way to keep it cool. 🙂
December 24th, 2020 at 7:01 pm
Dear David,
Aw. Funny but kind of sad. I had a friend in grade school who was put in the remedial reading group. Always felt like a dummy. A few years ago, she told me that it wasn’t until much later she was found to have dyslexia. Anything but a dummy, this woman. At any rate, really well constructed story. Nothing less than what I expect from you, my friend.
Merry and safe and healthy samtsirhc,
Ellehcor
December 27th, 2020 at 7:15 pm
The school system has not historically been great at identifying special needs kids, or maybe too good at over-identifying them. Hopefully we’re doing better now or at least improving. Have a great week!
-David
December 26th, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Can’t believe I didn’t see that coming :). Well done!
December 27th, 2020 at 7:12 pm
Thanks, Linda. Merry Christmas! 🙂
December 27th, 2020 at 2:05 pm
I think Ellie-Mae just turned that into a private party. That’s kind of funny, kind of sad. It’s good to catch those things early.
December 27th, 2020 at 7:11 pm
Yeah, more eggnog for the family, I guess.