How to Write Flash Fiction (4)
One new fact everyday
His father had great ambitions for him. At dinner he would often shoot, “What’s 8 times 9?”. Or “What’s the French for camel?” But above everything the boy had to learn one new fact everyday. It was what drove him to learn the capitals of all the countries in the world, the distances between the planets
and the sun etc… Some days he forgot, but until now, hoping Da wouldn’t remember, he’d blurt out an old fact. He knew all along that he was skating on thin ice, and he wouldn’t want to be exposed to the old man’s ire. Today not only had he learnt nothing new, but neither could he remember any fact. And just his luck, his father seemed in a bad mood.
-Well lad, what new fact have you learnt today? There was no point time-wasting.
-Well Da, I learnt nothing new,’ he watched the scowl appearing on his sire’s face. ‘Some days, you know, however hard you try, you simply cannot learn anything new.’ To his amazement, the scowl failed to materialise, and in fact changed direction and turned into a smile.
-‘That,’ said the old man, ‘was one valuable lesson.’
