Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Friday Fictioneers

Posted Wednesday October 12





I was King of my Kitchen! My empire, my territory, my domain.

In my pristine whites, I was master and mentor.

Tradesmen came and went. Butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers and poachers. I wheeled, dealed, passed cash over and under the counter!

My aides prepared, peeled, chopped and one washed pots.

It was my consulting room, advice centre, surgery. I witnessed teenage angst, advised on relationships, stuck blue plasters on bleeding cuts.

It was my studio, workshop, my laboratory.  I designed, experimented and created , surrounded by cookery books, hastily written recipes and copies of old menus.

My orders arrived on little pieces of paper, some scribbled, often illegible!

Do I miss it?

No way!

Thanks to Rochelle at  Friday Fictioneers both for hosting and providing this week's picture prompt








.

24 comments:

  1. Dear Keith,

    I was a cake decorator in a grocery store bakery for a number of years. Do I miss it? No way. Good one.

    shalom,

    Rochelle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To be honest Rochelle, I do miss it! Thanks for the prompt

      Delete
  2. Wonderfully written! My brother used to be a chef and left that high stress job to work for our father years ago. What a shame after all that schooling, I always thought.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I went into cheffing quite late on. I only wish I had started earlier. Thanks Darla

      Delete
  3. I love this. Great pacing. It brings out the stress, and the last line comes as a relief.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely story well written. Nicely paced too. Makes me envious of not having experienced that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have to say, it was more factioneer not fictioneer! I enjoyed it more than anything else I ever did. Thanks Graham

      Delete
  5. There is a lot of truth in this "fiction". When we are younger we thrive on the challenge of being in charge. The older we get the happier we are to abandon all that responsibility and stress, and do something much more relaxing with our lives... like write! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since I gave up, my favourite pastime is ....cooking!

      Delete
  6. Hi Keith - I can imagine it's hugely morale boosting for a while ... but equally I can understand it'd be a healer for one's self-esteem to get off the roller-coaster of cheffing day in day out ... but you'd have lots of stories to tell though ... cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I certainly do Hilary. I wonder if I ever cooked for you!

      Delete
  7. Yeh you totally emerge in your work passion and then you move on and don't look back. great piece of writing Nice to read your stories again :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great to see you again Marja. You've nudged me to drop into your place again

      Delete
  8. I imagine I will say that once I retire. Great story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Retirement 'aint all it's made out to be, believe me! Thanks Lore

      Delete
  9. Hah. Good twist. I thought you'd say very much in the end.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not entirely escaped - my nickname is still 'chef'! Cheers Lux G

      Delete
  10. I think after such creative boost you deserve some rest.. do you say the same half a year later?

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the use of the prompt! Very original.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I enjoy cooking but don't think it would be as enjoyable if I had to do it for a living.
    Nicely written ... I felt myself being drawn into the story.
    Isadora 😎

    ReplyDelete
  13. It is a blessing to enjoy what you have to do. Well written.Sometimes we miss if the job was enjoyable.

    ReplyDelete