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Rebecca Detti

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2023

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56 Stories

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The true meaning of Christmas

Weekly Contest #335

"How you feel about your family is a complicated thing. Deep down, you'll always love them. But you can forget that you love them, and you can hurt them and they can hurt you, and that's not just because you're young." Old Man Marley, Home Alone. Oh here we go…brace, brace… "Good morning everyone, it’s Holly and Jamie here with you this morning on Heart FM It's the 1st of December and I’m so excited to play the lady of the season…Maria, take it away ’aaaayyyyaaaa I don’t want a lot for Christmas....." Major hot flush incoming, blood press...

7 likes 3 comments 3
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Rose tinted memories

Weekly Contest #328

“What’s for dinner mummy?”“I’m making a chilli tonight.”“Oh no, not more mince.” My son then uttered a guttural sound not dissimilar to something his father would mutter when he was despairing.“Well, I’ll put a bit more chilli in, so you won’t notice.”“Oh no it might be too spicy then.”“Seriously, George, I sometimes think you mistake me for a contestant in MasterChef.”“What’s going on here?” Luckily, Kieron popped his head round the door just as I was envisioning what George’s face would look like with mince dripping off it.In a slightly pa...

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Travels with my aunt

See you later boysSee you later mummyI’ll see you tomorrowWhat!?I’m staying overnight with aunty Dee, so I’ll see you tomorrow, George.OkIt’s ok daddy’s here and Johnny to terroriseOkBye Hun have a lovely timeThanks, you too, have a lovely time. Would you like some ear buds?Ha!No seriouslyI’ll be ok. Separate rooms this year so should be fine. No trying to nod off and then Dee mentioning something harrowing from the news. Ok see you boys tomorrow. Bye Johnny mwah.********Hi treasHi treasLet me open the car door for you so we can get out of t...

5 likes 1 comment 1
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Top dog

Weekly Contest #327

What’s going on? What’s that light? I like the dark and I like it here. Leave me here. Its not too hot and it’s not too cold and everything smells wonderful. It’s just right. Who’s touching my toe? Stop grabbing me. Is that you Patch? No, it’s not me Kit. Maybe it’s biscuit? If it is, just stop it! Ouch. Sharp pain. Leave me here. Rob he’s not coming out. I think I need to call the vet again. What’s a Rob and a vet? I’m not going out there. It hurts my eyes and ears and it’s nice and warm in here. I need to stay here to protect the others. A...

10 likes 0 comments 0
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Rooms with a view

The room is unfamiliar. And come to think of it…so is that stench. What is that? It smells like rotten fish seeping through the gaps in the venetian shutters determined to find a path up my nostrils.There is a loud screech and the sound of wheels coming to an immediate stop.“Vafancullo! Stronza! Ma che cazzo!”Was that something about a cat? Maybe Italians, sorry Sicilians, are just not that keen on moggies? I feel as if my senses are being attacked from every angle. Time for a deep breath. I can do this; I can do this. I am lying in a huge b...

13 likes 2 comments 2
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What’s your dream?

Weekly Contest #301

Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all is a form of planning.Gloria SteinemAs a rather unworldly fourteen-year-old growing up in the small town of Bude, North Cornwall, and attending some fairly sheltered schools including a convent school with actual nuns alive and kicking (with an emphasis on the kicking) my mind was absolutely blown the summer I watched Pretty Woman. I was a week into my nine weeklong stretch of the summer holidays and bored out of my mind. I’d already worked...

34 likes 21 comments 21
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Being human

There is no nature that exists devoid of nurture; there is no nurture that develops without nature. To say otherwise is like saying that the area of a field is determined by its length but not its width. Every behavior is the product of an instinct trained by experience.The study of human beings remained resolutely unreformed by these ideas until a few years ago. Even now, most anthropologists and social scientists are firmly committed to the view that evolution has nothing to tell them. Human bodies are products of "culture," and human cult...

17 likes 12 comments 12
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Whatta time is it?

Weekly Contest #297

‘In Venice they say, what time is it?’ Giuseppe started slurring his words in between taking a gulp of the local Donnafugata red wine we were all enjoying.‘That’s because we, we say, how do you say…the stereotype is that Venetians are always drunk.’ chimed in Chiara in her perfectly pronounced English.‘And in Milano they say, ‘Whattime is it?’ Giuseppe said very quickly raising the tip of his nose up with his finger. They have no time to even speak. It’s all work, work, work.’‘And then in Florence they say Madonna, fuck, what time is it? The...

21 likes 15 comments 15
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As one door closes

Weekly Contest #295

In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group o...

26 likes 6 comments 6
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How fragile we are

Weekly Contest #294

‘What time is it?’ I’m quickly rummaging through my rucksack to check I’ve remembered all my essentials. Looking at my watch, I’ve probably got ten more minutes.Day wear. Check.Evening wear? Mmmm, maybe I can buy something there? Wherever there is? A treat to myself for finishing my contract. Or maybe this daywear dress with this cardigan. That’ll do. Check. Pyjamas. Darn it, my rucksack is too small. Check.Copy of captain Corelli’s mandolin. Check.Pants. Check.Toothbrush. Check.Make up. Check.I think that’s it. Will take out the pyjama...

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It's not goodbye...it's see you later

Weekly Contest #293

Buon pomeriggio signore e signori, è il vostro capitano a parlare. Vorrei darvi il benvenuto a bordo di questo volo Alitalia per Roma. Vi auguro a tutti un piacevole volo.Good afternoon, ladies, and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I’d like to welcome you aboard this Alitalia flight to Rome. I wish you all a pleasurable flight.Short and sweet and a slightly different welcome from my last flight. Four months ago, I had been flying with British Airways from London Gatwick to Sicily after the Christmas break. Then, the captain thought ...

23 likes 16 comments 16
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Eyes like the blue blue sea

Weekly Contest #292

 ‘Oh, Louise, will you look at your gorgeous granddaughter there. Hasn’t she got eyes like the blue, blue sea?’  ‘I haven’t got eyes like the blue, blue sea. They’re green.’ I would reply to Sister Etna as a very honest nine-year-old.  ‘Oh, it must be your sisters’ eyes then.’ continued Sister Etna in her soft southern Irish tongue. ‘Well Louise hasn’t she got eyes like the green, green fields of home?’ When she turned to my brother Jimmy who was five at the time, he would say ‘my eyes are brown like poo.’&...

29 likes 14 comments 14
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Rack off

Weekly Contest #291

Rack off ‘Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain, Peter Jones speaking and I’m delighted to welcome you aboard this BA 537 flight from London Gatwick to Rome. I’m joined by First officer Simon Watkins who is an all-round top guy and top pilot you’ll be pleased to hear. I hope everyone's had a delightful Christmas. I know I had a bit too much turkey, so you'll have to forgive the extra baggage.'The air hostesses looked at each other trying hard not to let out a groan. They were clearly used to Peter’s wit. A passenger with a...

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She walks in beauty

Weekly Contest #290

“When I ask myself why so many come to Italy to find a larger version of themselves, I wonder. Is it Italy, or is this where you come when you’re about to bloom?” – FRANCES MAYES, WOMEN IN SUNLIGHTIt was 6pm on Wednesday evening and I was feeling pleased with my small achievements so far. I had successfully completed my first lesson with eight five-year-olds and no one had cried or wet their pants including me. I had survived a whole four days of my new job as an English teacher. And my biggest highlight so far was that no members ...

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Rooms with a view

Weekly Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. And then it all comes rushing back. I had been lying on my bed reading A Room with a View as a short break from my dissertation planning. I had been thinking I wouldn’t be disappointed with a view of anything in Florence right at that moment when the phone in the corridor rang. As I assumed I was the only one in, I pulled myself up and slowly walked towards the phone expecting it to be someone’s boyfriend as it usually was. But no. It was my friend Fiona calling to ask me out. It star...

36 likes 16 comments 16
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