Author’s Note: So, after a 6 month hiatus due to school and issues related, I finally have started posting stories again. My goal is to post one 1,000+ word story every week (likely on Sunday KST), and let people have at it. So, Sunday, I posted the first of a series that I plan to work on over this next year. Warriors of Honor is a series that details the life of five young ladies and how they deal with dual lives and faith. Two of the stories have been printed before on this blog, and they are going to be edited and released soon. However, if you like, you can read the first and main character of our series, The Fire Sniper. It is available for you to look over and enjoy. And don’t forget to comment! Now…onto the Fictioneers!
© The Reclining Gentleman
A Perfectly Good Guitar
by Miles H. Rost
“You have to make a choice. The guitar,” she said, pointing at the 1971 Les Paul Custom in the chair, “or me.”
“Corinne, how long have I been in music?” Mike asked.
“23 years.”
“How long have we known each other.”
“10 years.”
“How long have I had that guitar?”
“20 years.”
“Yep. A gift from Richie. Now, how did I meet you?”
“Through Richie.”
“That’s right. Now, how long do you think I will have this guitar for? And how long would I have you?”
She blinked at him, unsure of what to do.
He picked up and smashed the guitar on the ground.
“I had the guitar for 20 years. I’ll have you for the rest of my life. C’mere.”
Music and Fiction 
I shudder at the thought of the broken guitar (I play guitar), and at the thought that that wretched woman makes him choose between her and the guitar. Wouldn’t he love her more if he had her AND the guitar?
My husband plays guitar too, and I love it when he goes off to work on a difficult piece of music. It makes me happy.
Dang that woman in your story!
That told, I thought it was very well-narrated. Great dialogue, and an excellent back-story, too.
I think the idea was that he had enough of playing on the road, and the breaking of the guitar a symbol of ending his traveling music career. A “settling down” so to speak.
Yes … I see. 🙂
Good story.
Bad decision.
The song says it all. XD
Wow – I wasn’t expecting that end. Bet he ends up resenting her!
23 years on the road? Doubtful. 🙂
Time for retirement….such a sweet story, if we ignore that awful ultimatum.:)
Well, that’s the whole thing: She expected him to put up a larger fight, but he knew his time was up, so he decided to make it permanent.
Touch and go with a surprise ending. Good story.
Ω
I think she does not truly understand how much she is loved. Any other man would have take his smashed guitar and left.
He should have at least sold it on Ebay….lol.
Lovely.
That surprised me. He’s a good man.
I think we have to make our choices… we might not like it, but somehow there are things of past we need to drop….
I read that first sentence and saw “Les Paul custom” and thought this was going to turn out much worse for her. She might regret making him make that choice!
I hope she was worth it. Only he knows. (Grand gestures aside, wonder if she’s upset they can’t sell it and make some money yet?)
Nothing good comes from ultimatums. There must be a better way to show her he will leave the road for her without it coming down to the guitar or me… (though it is is a romantic gesture of sorts…)
A 1971 Les Paul Custom and she demands he let it go? He smashes it? He doesn’t deserve that guitar, but obviously he deserves that woman. Good story, raises my hackles. 🙂
Great story. I was sure he was going to pick the guitar.
Was…was breaking the guitar truly necessary? He could’ve given the guitar to someone and still proved a point! Lol, poor guitar. But great story 🙂
I guess that’s true love, although I don’t know about a woman who would make him choose. He should have sold it at least, but I guess this way is more dramatic. You kept me guessing what he would choose. 🙂
Loved it! I feel the same about hubs Ham radio set up sometimes.
I thought for sure he would pick the guitar, but I’m not a romantic. And thanks for the link to the song
Great story… but man, what an ultimatum! And an unfair one. I guess I am not very romantic and would prefer that my mate do what he/she loves most. To me, that is true love.. allowing your mate to be their authentic self. *shrugs* still, a good story for the romantics 🙂
Time to choose. Your story shows the tension between the two characters very well. You’ve suggested a backstory here – obviously the guitar somehow represents something that has kept them apart – who knows why?
Quite a twist at the end! I think that he would have better off KEEPING the guitar and writing/ singing her love songs…Too much of any one thing is not a good thing…. even love!