Wednesday's Three Word Wednesday

The word prompts over at Three Word Wednesday are deliberate, intervene and nourish.

Boast
The lie he told was perpetuated without explanation or denial.
It was told, deliberate, in a crowded barroom where no one dared question him. They heard it, yes, they heard him, but they all looked around, looked at the floor, looked as if they wouldn’t intervene. Call his bluff, call bullshit.
He did it, said it there at that time and place, to bolster a reputation. It carried with it the desired effect; people talked and the lie would ripple like waves from a pebble dropped in a lake.
All he had to do was sit back, keep his mouth shut.
Fine. He was down with that.
But what he really did with the lie – and he knew it down to the gristle of his soul, the lips-pressed-thin smile – was nourish an identity.
Hide a secret.

Comments

Paul said…
How often do we all (what I really mean is do I) behave like this and for the self same reasons. This piece really hit home.
Large Marge said…
Yup. There it is... Maybe the secret is that you should stick to fiction, and not poetry ;-) Ouch!!!!!! That's what you get for never calling me back. ;-)
anthonynorth said…
That seems to me to be real life for most of us.
quin browne said…
why are you this good?


*sigh*
Anonymous said…
sounds like everyone knows he's lying but nobody want to say anything, that must be some secret
Anonymous said…
The Secret is that he's just a big, fat fake ;-)

-- Snarky Strikes Again
rebecca said…
Liked the last paragraph (for it says it all), especially "gristle of his soul."

One does not have to do much to create an identity - it takes on a life of its own once certain words are put out there. Many reputations are made or broken by it....

Clever and nicely done. I liked it.
Tumblewords: said…
There's a lot of this going on! Grin. Nice truthy tale!
RachelRenae said…
I liked it.
Anonymous said…
A great write. You do have a secret sounds like a sequel coming right?

ps I write on this other site occasionally. This time.
Anonymous said…
"Nourish an identity.."

This might just inspire me to write poetry, which I have been unable to do so for long..






Thanks!
TC said…
One of these days you'll have to flush out your super shorts into something more.
Gemma Wiseman said…
A very nifty piece of writing! Like a one minute intense psychological study!

NOTICE!

Just letting you know, for some reason Wordpress on 3WW is treating my posting as SPAM! I have left a comment and link to my blog on 3WW, but it is not going through for some reason!
TC, I know, I know. I owe everyone longer pieces. But with writing for a newspaper and freelancing for a regional California magazine, it's hard to concentrate. Soon. I promise.
Gemma Wiseman said…
Back again!

I have now found out that I am being caught by Akismet!

Would you please fish me out of the SPAM queue on 3WW so that my comment and link to my post appears! Apparently, that helps to stop Akismet catching me!

Thank you for your trouble!
Yes i did like the poetry. Well done.

I might note that I am trying to post a story from Blogspot and I am sure it is going into the spam bucket. I really like this site but have had it happen before.

b

http://torristravel.blogspot.com
a blog about traveling inside my brain. I am not a travel agent. Just made a bad choice of url name. Sigh!
Oh, I forgot to say...thank you!

b
Oh, I forgot to say...thank you!

b
Melody said…
I love the "gristle of his sole."
Great piece.

I also tried posting my first piece on 3WW, but it won't post? Am I doing something wrong.
Neat site, thanks.
susan said…
I really enjoy your candid, on mark observations of human nature. Now I'm not one for blowing sunshine up writer's backsides; I say what I mean so Thom, when are you going to miss the mark so I can stop worrying if I look like a hopeless fan? lol
Susan, I hope never. It's good to have fans. As I am a fan of yours.
Vinz said…
its perplexing how u write a fiction piece with few words..?

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