PRETTY AS A PICTURE • by Bill West

Jenny sat beside her blind grandmother and typed ‘Golden Valley, Wales’ into Google Earth.

Planet Earth spun round. Jenny always liked this bit. Like flying–swooping down from outer space.

Aerial photographs filled the screen.

Her grandmother asked, “Can you really see it? White cottage, clipped hedges, flowerbeds and beehives. Pretty as a picture. Grandfather’s grave down in the churchyard beside the brook…”

Jenny found only hilltops around a flooded valley. Acres of water reflecting sky. The label said, Golden Valley Reservoir.

She glanced at her grandmother; her hands clasped together, her smile eager. Jenny blinked away a tear. A lump swelled in her throat.

“I can see it,” she said. 

Bill West writes out of Shrewsbury, UK.

Posted on April 26, 2008 in Literary, Stories
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38 Responses to “PRETTY AS A PICTURE • by Bill West”


  1. Sarah Hilary Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 1:20 am

    Wonderful, Bill. Such economy of style, every word resonating with the emotions at the heart of the piece. Moving, evocative, never sentimental. A truly great flash. 5/5 stars!

    Sarah

  2. Rosie Claverton Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 2:02 am

    This really touched me - the grandmother’s vivid description followed by Jenny’s simple one.

    Thank you.

  3. Sylvia Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 2:28 am

    This is really beautiful.

  4. sarah ann watts Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 2:54 am

    What a haunting story. Congratulations, Bill!

  5. Brian Laing Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 2:57 am

    Hi Bill,

    Great story, powerfully told.

    We have whole towns submerged when the Saint Lawrence seaway was built.

    Brian.

  6. Mark Dalligan Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 4:26 am

    Hi Bill,

    a sensitive look at time and the changing world.

    Cheers

    Mark

  7. Patricia J. Hale Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 4:30 am

    Artful use of flash medium, perfect.

  8. John Allen Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 5:19 am

    Bill

    Great writing from the master

    Cheers

    John

  9. Oonah V Joslin Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 6:05 am

    Brought a lump to my throat too, Bill. An excellent story told with both feeling and economy. Beautiful.
    Oonah

  10. jennifer walmsley Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 6:09 am

    A beautiful story that says it all.

  11. Judy Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 6:38 am

    Bill, This is great. Prefect read for a Saturday morning. :j

  12. Kevin Shamel Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 7:17 am

    Nice one, Bill. I hate it when my town gets flooded by the damn dams.

  13. Avis Hickman-Gibb Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 8:26 am

    Loevelt tale, well told, with a sensitive hand.

  14. Avis Hickman-Gibb Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 8:27 am

    …er I mean of course lovely tale. I’ll jusy go write that out a few times - to fix the phrase!!

  15. Greta Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 9:53 am

    Outstanding, Bill. I’m impressed. Beautifully crafted relationship between Jenny and Grandma. So many layers to Grandma’s loss. Spectacular job.

  16. M.Sherlock Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 10:16 am

    Simply fantastic

  17. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

    Thank you Sarah for your very kind words.
    Glad You liked it.

  18. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    Hi Rosie
    Thanks for reading and giving such nice feedback.
    Regards
    Bill

  19. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Thank you Sylvia.

  20. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Thanks Sarah.
    Glad you liked it.

  21. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Hi Brian
    Thanks for reading. It must be hard for people to accept that somewhere they call home can be swept away forever.

  22. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Thanks Mark
    I fear that with global warming there may be more than just a few villages under water.

  23. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    Thanks Patricia

  24. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    Hi John

    Thank you very much.
    Glad you liked it.

    Bill

  25. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    Hi Oonah

    Thanks. You are very kind.

    Bill

  26. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    Thanks Jennifer

  27. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

    Hi Judy

    Glad you liked it. Thanks for reading.

  28. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    Thanks Kevin
    I know. Its the pits isn’t it? :¬)

  29. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    Thanks Avis
    Bill

    Thanks Avis
    Bill

  30. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    Thank you Greta for your very kind words.

  31. Bill Says:
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    Thank you Michael.
    That is very kind of you.
    Thanks for reading.

  32. Vijayendra Mohanty Says:
    April 27th, 2008 at 1:23 am

    Very moving. Thank you for this!

  33. Bill Says:
    April 27th, 2008 at 1:44 am

    Thank you Vijayendra for your kind comment.
    I like your blog! Good luck with that novel.

    Bill

  34. Pat Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 1:01 am

    Great story, Bill. Keep up the good work and keep writing.

  35. Bill West Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 3:34 am

    Hi Pat

    Thanks for reading and commenting.

    Bill

  36. Hasmita Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 9:15 am

    Quite predictable, but sweet. Nice.

  37. Bill Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pm

    Thank you Hasmita

  38. B.Teuscher Says:
    July 12th, 2008 at 8:54 am

    Deft.

    Very Nice.

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