Fiction Friday: Weekend Quickie #28

Every Saturday The Iron Writer posts a “Weekend Quickie” challenge. You get one image, one prompt and one emotion – and 200 words in which to write a little something-something. It’s a good way to practice your flash fiction, and if you’re interested in taking one of the official challenges, it’s also a great way to get your feet wet with some friendly competition.

Last weekend’s quickie #28 involved an arrowhead, serendipity, and an image of the El Rancho Motel and Restaurant. Here’s what I came up with:

On the Road Again

“How is a Native American arrowhead like a cheap motel room?” Sal asked me.

“Dunno, boss. How?”

“Both can really piss a white man off.” He scowled at the El Rancho Motel and Restaurant’s neon sign as we pulled into the lot.

We’d been on the road too long. Sal usually got grouchy about halfway through our tours, talking smack about the natives, the lack of proper nutrition at rest areas, and getting increasingly irritated by the no-star hotels we crashed in every night.

“Let me take care of this one,” I said. “You grab some grub.”

He harrumphed into his mustache and headed for the diner.

I hit up the front desk, armed with my Platinum AmEx.

“Sorry, we’re all full up,” the guy behind the counter greeted me.

“Name’s Johnny Whitefeather. I’ve got a reservation,” I said.

“I bet you do. Guess it’s your lucky day. Sheraton’s just up the road a piece.”

I raised an eyebrow. Sal and I never stayed in fancy joints like that. At least I had the AmEx.

“Serendipity,” I told Sal, back in the car, which smelled of burritos.

He just grunted and put it in gear.

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Want to play along? Just hit up The Iron Writer this Satuday to get the elements, then post yours in the comments!