Challenge No.43 - What's in a Name?
Build a character's traits based on the meaning of their first or last name. Write a scene or story starring your new character.
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At one end of the spectrum, there are funerals that unfold with calm and dignity, at the other end there are funerals with enough drama to make a reality show proud, but the vast majority fall in the middle with a little bit of both, such as the funeral of Abercrombie Bachelor Cane.
The funeral director peeped through the curtain at the twenty-six women scattered around the chapel. He knew none of them. The client had no family, many years ago, he'd taken a funeral package. Clients carried a card indicating who to call. Once the call came, then it was just a matter of formalities. Many single people found the offer advantageous. Such folks had an empty chapel, maybe one or two attendees to have twenty-six! Mr Lazarus didn't know what to make of it.
He stepped forward, coughed politely and intoned. "Good day. Welcome. We are here to celebrate the life of Abercrombie Bachelor Cane also known as ABC."
Someone snorted.
"Ah... well... yes..." Lazarus fidgeted under the spotlight of twenty-six pairs of eyes.
"Would anyone like to say a few words?"
The room went still. No one seemed inclined to move. The moment dragged on, becoming awkward. Just when Lazarus was about to move on, a dignified, mature, woman stood. The spotlight shifted to her and tracked her to the podium.
"Hi... I guess it falls to me. My name is June. I went to school with Cane. Lots of people called him ABC. But I called him Cane. We met at daycare and we've been friends ever since. When we were old enough - we became lovers."
The announcement caused a ripple through the room.
"Indeed. Abercrombie Bachelor Cane had one philosophy on life. It was a simple one: bachelor in name, bachelor in nature and if you didn't know that you soon found out."
"I'm sure by now you realise that there are twenty-six of us here today. All women, not one man. I had no expectations of Cane; we were friends with benefits. But I dear say that some may have held the hope of becoming Mrs Cane."
"Since coming here this morning and noting our numbers, a theory has presented itself. We are strangers I know, but we have at least one thing in common - Cane."
"What is it you want?" A voice floated forward.
"There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet, there are twenty-six of us. I suspect that he slept his way through the alphabet. With your permission and cooperation, I would like to test that theory. If I'm right, then I'm J"
Lazarus watched in fascination as one by one the women introduced themselves. June was right. From Annette to Zelda, every letter was in the room. The youngest were Laura and Xena at twenty-five, the oldest were Natalie and June at fifty-two. A number of them had children with him - he supported them all. He'd married none.
Bachelor in name, bachelor in nature.
© 12 April 2022
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