“You are heaven-sent,” the frazzled mother said as she opened the door. The woman on the porch smiled. “Thank God for the AngelsInYourDooryard app*,” she added, jamming her arms into her coat. The woman nodded, placing her bags in the hallway.
“Oh, and a choir of heavenly angels sang when I read how musically-gifted you are. The children love classical music, medieval nunnery chants and advent-garde jazz.” Grabbing her purse, the mother called as she flew through the door, “Bed-time is before midnight.”
The sitter retrieved her instrument from its case, lovingly putting her pied pipe to her lips.
*as far as I know, there isn’t, yet, an AngelsinyourDooryard app to find baby-sitters . . .
A bit of heavenly devilery for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers. Rochelle’s post this week especially resonated with me. To those friends whose voices we miss . . . (Thanks, Rochelle)
feature image: @ DaleRogerson (the church spire)
click here to join the fun!
(Margie, this ones for you . . .)
Lorraine's frilly freudian slip 
October 5, 2021 at 1:54 pm
What an adorable modern-day kid’s story. Saying this as someone who always found pied pipers oddly … mesmerizing. So to speak.;-)
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October 3, 2021 at 6:53 pm
Oooooooo clever twist! A dark tale for Halloween month. Well done!
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October 5, 2021 at 3:28 am
Thanks. I used to do “count down to howlin’en in October — just haven’t had the energy this year. So, my mind was turning towards the dark side.
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October 3, 2021 at 7:41 am
I love the carefree beginning, almost magical, so the last line is a sinister slap in the face ! A well craftedstory.
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October 5, 2021 at 3:22 am
Thanks. I love the variety of ways folks interpreted the image. Guess I was feeling Poe-ish.
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October 3, 2021 at 12:03 am
When I think Pied Piper I think of the innocent being led away. Such ingenious bait for evil, a promise of respite for a harried parent. Very inventive imaginings, Lorraine!
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October 3, 2021 at 2:23 pm
Thanks. The idea of a female pied piper popped into my head, though that wasn’t the story I initially thought I’d write.
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October 3, 2021 at 2:47 pm
You’re very welcome.
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October 2, 2021 at 7:23 pm
Oh no! This is so sinister it gave me the shivers. Very well written piece, Lorraine. I loved it!
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October 3, 2021 at 2:27 pm
Thanks. I don’t know why my tale took such a sinister turn, must be the Poe-isness of my muse.
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October 4, 2021 at 11:39 am
My muse has a Poe-ishness about it as well!
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October 5, 2021 at 3:34 am
: )
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October 2, 2021 at 2:11 pm
Great story with a bit of evil in its tone. I think we’ve all had those frazzled moments.
Isadora 😎
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October 1, 2021 at 2:20 pm
This one made me smile, remembering times I would have given up my favorite slippers just to have someone take my place for a little while. That pied pipe was a bit scary, though, and I expect Mother is going to come home to an unpleasant surprise.
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October 1, 2021 at 7:27 am
This is so very clever… and sinister. That stressed-out mother is such a great contrast to the quiet piper.
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September 30, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Careful to whom you entrust your children. I have a bad feeling about this.
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September 30, 2021 at 8:17 pm
Yes, those apps that promise to answer our prayers are the modern equivalent to 19th centure snake oil — the easy out bites back.
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September 30, 2021 at 4:14 pm
Maybe not, but there should be. You had me hooked by this story. Reminded me of Mary Poppins, maybe.
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September 30, 2021 at 8:19 pm
Yes, could easily go the other way. In fact, I thought of seeing if there was a clip of Jane and Michael (in the Julie Andrews version) giving their father the list of things for a perfect nannie, and using that as a bridge — with more words, I might have used that as a template. The original books are a little more “creepy” that the Disney version. Haven’t seen the more recent remake.
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September 30, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Oh dear… Mother truly is way too frazzled… my antennae would be zipping and zapping with the lack of response from the person at the door!
Wonderfully sinister, Lorraine!
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September 30, 2021 at 4:04 pm
Yes, frazzledness can lead to lack of caution. And, never trust an app to answer your prayers for you . . .
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September 30, 2021 at 4:12 pm
Absolutely! And absolutely not!
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September 30, 2021 at 11:18 am
Lorraine,
Desperation can make us so gullible. The “angel’s” silence should have raised flags. Loved the pied piper touch.
pax,
dora
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September 30, 2021 at 4:02 pm
Yes, frazzled = less caution. Never trust an app to answer your prayers . . .
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September 30, 2021 at 11:16 am
Oh, dear. This is not going to end well. Nicely done.
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September 30, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Yes, beware pied pipers.
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September 30, 2021 at 6:38 am
I’m not sure I want to know what happened next! A really clever take Lorraine.
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September 30, 2021 at 10:10 am
I’m not sure I do either.
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September 30, 2021 at 5:42 am
Now, that’s an app!
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September 30, 2021 at 10:12 am
I had to google several versions of the name just to make sure I wasn’t equating fairy tale “villians” with modern day care.
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September 30, 2021 at 4:26 am
Sinister and lovingly told
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September 30, 2021 at 10:13 am
Thanks. I was in a devilsih mood.
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September 30, 2021 at 4:09 am
Loved it! It was clearly going to be sinister, but you didn’t signal up just how sinister until the end. Well done.
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September 30, 2021 at 10:13 am
Thanks. I was in a devilish mood this morning.
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