Rosebud

The cellar was black and musty and cool. He leaned heavy against his cane, placed his feet with methodical care. He conquered the darkness light switch by light switch.

There had been parties down here, once upon a time, the after-hours kind where one sends the household staff home. There had been Cuban cigars and Russian women and gambling. Afterwards, there had been companionable regrets.

It was all gone now: the friends were spent forces, like him, or dead; the women had found husbands or self-respect. One couldn't even get Cuban cigars today.

All that was left was the booze.

14 comments:

  1. Just have to make do with the booze then... shame really.

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  2. Is the title a reference to Citizen Kane and that simplest things in life sometimes give the most pleasure - I hope I've got that right. Nice story.

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    1. It's sort of a twisted version of that, yeah. Instead of feeling nostalgia for his innocence, he's feeling nostalgia for his defilement. It's 'Citizen Kane' for the Wolf Of Wall Street generation. :-)

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  3. I was thinking "Citizen Kane" as well.

    janet

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  4. Thank you for the comments.. yes the reference to citizen Kane was clear all of the sudden.. very good.

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  5. Citizen Kane, a box of Cuban cigars and expensive wine... oh what times those must have been! Very nice writing! :D

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  6. Dear David,

    A drink and regrets in the night then.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  7. A common predicament, but told with uncommon finesse within the confines of a set of words.

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  8. Hi David,
    Things have certainly changed. Great write.
    LHN

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