Friday, April 10, 2015

Ridin' Them Rails (FF)

copyright Jennifer Pendergast

From the time he was young, Vladimir Prohofsky Jr. loved to ride the rails. He'd hop a train and ride in the cattle car, freight car, or empty boxcar all the way to the end of line and then hop another.

Over the many long years he rode this country from Maine to California and Canada to the Rio Grande.

One day in a box car to St. Louis, Vladimir awoke with a start.  "I must be less forgetful," he thought.

That evening Vladimir checked into the Four Seasons, ordered a $5,000 bottle of wine, and was seen arm in arm with doubtless the most beautiful woman in St. Louis. Vladimir was heir to the Vladimir Prohofsky Sr. fortune, estimated at 75 million dollars.

Vladimir was not an eccentric.

He just had a very poor memory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm hoping that Vladimir Prohofsky Jr.'s  poor memory may distract you from my poor word counting abilities, this piece coming in at over 120 words.  At least you and I and Vladimir got to travel the country for the extra few words in this, my weekly Friday Fictioneers entry based on the picture prompt above.

If you feel like heading to the end of line yourself, click below to hop aboard the entries of the other Friday Fictioneers.

All aboard!  Watch out for that poop in the cattle car.

39 comments:

Russell said...

I've tried telling myself to be less forgetful, but still have not inherited a fortune. However, I do have the finest two-seater outhouse in the Ozarks which I'm sure my grandchildren will be thrilled to enjoy as their inheritance. Go, Vlad!

Douglas MacIlroy said...

Dear Perry,

I'm forgetful, too. Have completely forgotten all the money I think I should have. Will try to remember. (Great story, i think. What was it about again?)

Aloha,

Doug

Subroto said...

I can relate to this memory lapse. I too find myself sitting in an office in the city, when I should clearly be outside having fun.

Alicia said...

Perry, at least when Vlad's memory kicks in he has a GREAT time.

Anonymous said...

Dear Perry, Great story and WOW - he's loaded all right so he could probably hire a body guard to follow him around and keep him out of trouble. Nan

Anonymous said...

I'm laughing so hard because your story reminded me that one of our sons recently told us that when we pass away someday, he is going to take his share of his inheritance and go spend it all buying a "White Castle" greasy hamburger and a soft drink (total of $1.55). Ha

Too bad his name isn't Vladimir, ha, ha.

Rosey Pinkerton said...

A bad memory could be fun! After all you never know where you're going to end up or how you got there!

brudberg said...

I do not think I have ever forgotten a thing like that.. on the other hand I'm not ride trains like that either...

Sandra Crook said...

I'm sure I'd remember if I were rich... oh wait... Nice one Perry.

liz young said...

If you're that rich, a poor memory will be forgiven. I hope the wine was worth the money.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like Vladimir is an adventurous chap. I can't imagine he'll go back to riding the rails anytime soon. That bed at the Four Seasons must have felt mighty nice! What else is he forgetting? A wife? Kids?

Anonymous said...

I might have met Vlad. Though I can't remember. I must admit I'm not a rich man. I don't even like boxcars, because the dust makes me sneeze. I do like the thought of seeing all the scenery in the United States, from California to Maine. It is a dream of mine, if I can only remember to go.

Now what were we talking about? Oh yes, Vlad. I made one time in a boxcar. He gave me five hundred dollars. He couldn't remember why he gave why he gave it to me or why he had he even had that much money. Now that I think about it, I'm not even sure if it was Vlad. I really can't remember.

Your friend... what's my name?

Anonymous said...

Now what were we talking about? Oh yes, Vlad. I met him one time in a boxcar. He gave me five hundred dollars. He couldn't remember why he gave it to me or why he had he even had that much money. Now that I think about it, I'm not even sure if it was Vlad. I really can't remember. Did i tell you this before. seems like i did - but with many typo's and repetitions... repeating myself.. a lot....

Your friend... what's my name?

Dawn said...

I wish I had a memory like that!
Ooops..sorry, yes I won't be into my manufacturing job tonight, I forgot I am a millionairess.

Unknown said...

I'm sure he'll have a great time with all that money.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Perry,

I'm forgetting, are you guys supposed to be paying me for steering this train? Perhaps not. Ah well, y'can't blame me for trying. As for the extra words, I'd never have noticed if your own guilty conscience hadn't caused to spill your kishkas.

Shalom,

Rochelle

PS I'm still trying to catch up with last week's stories, Oy vey iz mere.

Anonymous said...

The most original twist I have read so far! Fun read...I need to go now maybe I'm forgetting something :)

Perry Block said...

I think you've forgotten that you married Vladimir Prohofsky Jr. in a same sex marriage in Arkansas seven years ago. So I'd hurry to St. Louis and ... and, oh wait, you were already married. Okay, hope your grandchildren enjoy the two-seater.

Perry Block said...

Doug, thanks for writing. Yeah, I have the money that's yours. Try to forget that again between now and the end of this note. There is only one most beautiful woman in St Louis and not enough to go around!

Perry Block said...

I'm outside right now. It's not that much fun. Get back to work!

Perry Block said...

Yeah, it's a shame he's 87.

Perry Block said...

He had a bodyguard. The guy was run over by a train 45 years ago. Vlad doesn't remember it anyway.

Perry Block said...

That would be quite a trick in this part of the country - no White Castles anymore. We should all try to get adopted by Vlad because we could also afford an order of biggie fries.

Perry Block said...

True, you might meet a particularly affecting cow in a cattle car one fine day. No end of thrills.

Perry Block said...

Ridin' the rails can do that to you, especially when you only have 75 million.

Perry Block said...

That's right, Sandra, you are! Umm, will you marry me?

Perry Block said...

Doesn't matter if he poured it down the sink. There's lots more where that came from --- if he can remember.

Perry Block said...

You're right,Amy. He's forgetting that his wife is Scarlett Johansson and it doesn't even matter who his kids are. Hope he remembers sometime soon before he's too old to reap the benefits.

Perry Block said...

Vlad says he meant to give you 10 million dollars when he gave you the 5 hundred. He can't remember why. He's back on the rails. If I were you I'd get with it and see if you can find him somewhere between California and Maine.

Perry Block said...

Actually you forgot that it was Vladimir Prohofsky Jr. who is the millionaire. Get that lunch bucket and get into work!

Perry Block said...

I could have a better time. I'll bet you could too.

Perry Block said...

I'm still trying to catch up with February's stories. Maybe if I just used less words...

Perry Block said...

I think you have forgotten something. If you think this is the most original twist you're forgetting all the other stories!

Dawn Q. said...

Right now, I'd like to forget about budgets and check into such a room... I might save some money and buy lovely drinks at the bar, versus one bottle of wine, but to forget and just enjoy... ahh. That sounds nice!

Perry Block said...

Hey, Dawn, congratulations on your latest published writings, worth far more than 75 million dollars. Well, you might want the money too! Keep up the great work.

P.S. Joshi said...

Perry, I'm sitting here trying to remember if I was left a fortune, but no luck. I'll be sure to watch out for the cattle car poop, although I know s**t happens to the best of us. Funny stuff as usual. :D --- Suzarnne

Anonymous said...

if only I'd forgotten something so valuable, then I could get rich remembering again. Sadly, I suspect I'm stuck in terminal forgetfulness and poverty, until someone realises the genius in my writing and starts paying me $100,000 for every 100 word story...

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Suzanne. I'll try to leave you an extra million or two; I'll see how much is left over after my bequest to keep Greece afloat.

Perry Block said...

I realize it. Unfortunately I remember too clearly I ain't got nada ...