Felicia Denise's Blog, page 32
September 2, 2018
#52weeks52stories “Just Once”
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Drabble time!
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#52weeks52stories: Week 35
Word prompt: right
Word count – 100
Reading time – 24 secs.
~~~
The minister motioned for her to begin.
“Troy, my love, when we planned this day you said I wouldn’t make it to the end without crying—and neither would your mom and dad.”
Someone sobbed behind her.
“You said we’d get the perfect day with azure skies.”
Her eyes glistened with tears.
“You were always right… except when you said today would be our new beginning.”
She covered her mouth to muffle her sobs.
“Because instead of saying ‘I do’, Troy, I’m saying ‘goodbye’.”
Unable to continue, she placed a white rose atop the polished walnut casket and walked away.
~~~
Photo by Adi Ulici on Unsplash
©2018 Felicia Denise, All Rights Reserved
Song Lyric Sunday | “Little Red Corvette” by Prince
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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “car/cars.”
~~~~~
No one could push the envelope quite like Prince Nelson Rogers, known to the world as Prince. It took more than a few plays to understand his 1983 Little Red Corvette was about a one-night stand with a beautiful but promiscuous woman (the Little Red Corvette of the title); although he enjoys the experience, he urges her to “slow down” and “find a love that’s gonna last” before she destroys herself. In addition to the title, he uses several other automobile metaphors, for example comparing their lovemaking to a ride in a limousine.
Prince got the idea for the song when he dozed off in band member Lisa Coleman’s pink Mercury Montclair Marauder after an exhausting all-night recording session. The lyrics came to him in bits and pieces during this and other catnaps. Eventually, he was able to finish it without sleeping.
The song was from Prince’s breakthrough album, 1999, and rose to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Rolling Stone ranked Little Red Corvette #108 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and the guitar solo, played by Revolution band member Dez Dickerson, was ranked #64 by the readers of Guitar World as one of the 100 best guitar solos of all time.
Following Prince’s death in April 2016, Little Red Corvette re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 29. It rose to number 20 one week later. It has sold 1.08 million digital copies in the United States alone.
Enjoy!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.
~~~~~
Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
Little Red Corvette
by Prince
Written by Prince Nelson Rogers
[Verse 1]
I guess I should’ve known by the way you parked your car sideways
That it wouldn’t last
See, you’re the kinda person that believes in makin’ out once
Love ’em and leave ’em fast
I guess I must be dumb ‘cuz you had a pocket full of horses
Trojan and some of them used
[Pre-Chorus 1]
But it was Saturday night, I guess that makes it all right
And you say – “What have I got to lose?”
[Chorus]
And honey, I say Little Red Corvette
Baby, you’re much too fast (Oh)
Little Red Corvette
You need a love that’s gonna last
[Verse 2]
I guess I should’ve closed my eyes when you drove me to the place
Where your horses run free
Cuz I felt a little ill when I saw all the pictures
Of the jockeys that were there before me
Believe it or not, I started too worry
I wondered if I had enough class
[Pre-Chorus 2]
But it was Saturday night, I guess that makes it all right
And you say – “Baby, have you got enough gas?”
Oh yeah!
[Chorus]
Little Red Corvette
Baby, you’re much too fast (Yes you are)
Little Red Corvette
You need to find a love that’s gonna last (Oh, oh)
[Verse 3]
A body like yours oughta be in jail
Cuz it’s on the verge of bein’ obscene
Move over, baby, gimme the keys
I’m gonna try to tame your little red love machine
[Chorus]
Little Red Corvette
Baby, you’re much too fast
Little Red Corvette
Need to find a love that’s gonna last, hey hey
[Chorus 2]
Little Red Corvette
Honey, you got to slow down (Got to slow down)
Little Red Corvette
Cuz if you don’t, you’re gonna run your little red corvette right in the ground
(Little Red Corvette)
Right down to the ground (Honey, you got to slow down)
You, you, you got to slow down
(Little Red Corvette)
You’re movin’ much too fast, too fast
Need to find a love that’s gonna last
[Breakdown]
Girl, you got an ass like I never seen, ow!
And the ride
I say the ride is so smooth, you must be a limousine
Ow!
[Chorus]
Baby, you’re much too fast
Little Red Corvette
You need a love, you need a love that’s, uh, that’s gonna last
(Little Red Corvette)
[Chorus 2]
Babe, you got too slow down (you got too slow down)
Little Red Corvette
Cuz if you don’t, cuz if you don’t
You’re gonna run your body right into the ground (Right into the ground)
Right into the ground (Right into the ground)
Right into the ground (Right into the ground)
Compiled from SongFacts.com, Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.
August 26, 2018
#52weeks52stories The Problem Princess
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I’m having another one of those weeks. It will pass soon. 
Song Lyric Sunday | “For You” – Kenny Lattimore
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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “plan.”
~~~~~
I must be in a wedding-song mood this week as I stretch the theme out again to include this romantic ballad.
In 1997’s For You, artist Kenny Lattimore pledges his love and devotion… and a plan for life together to the woman he loves.
Written by Kenny Lerum, a high school classmate of Lattimore, the song reached number six on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard) and number thirty-three on the US Billboard Hot 100. For You received a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards but lost to R. Kelly’s I Believe I Can Fly.
It’s simply a beautiful song.
Enjoy!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.
~~~~~
Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
For You
by Kenny Lattimore
Written by Kenny Lerum
For you I’d give a lifetime of stability
Anything you want of me
Nothing is impossible
For you there are no words or ways to show my love
Or all the thoughts I’m thinking of
Cause this life is no good alone
Since we’ve become one
I’ve made a change
Everything I do now makes sense
All roads end
All I do is for you
For you I share the cup of love that overflows
And anyone who knows us knows
I would change all faults I have
For you there is no low or high or in between
Of my heart that you haven’t seen
Cause I share all I have and am
Nothing I’ve said’s hard to understand
All I feel I feel deeper still
And always will
All this love is for you
Every note that I play
Every word I might say
Every melody I feel
Are only for you and your appeal
Every page that I write
Every day of my life
Would not be filled without the things
That my love for you now brings
For you I make the promise of fidelity
Now and for eternity
No one could replace this vow
For you I’d take your hand and heart
And everything
And add to them a wedding ring
Cause this life is no good alone
Since we’ve become one you’re all I’ve known
If this feeling should leave I’d die
And here’s why
All I am is for you
Everything I do now makes sense
All roads end
All I do
Is for you
Only for you
Compiled from SongFacts.com, Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.
August 19, 2018
#52weeks52stories Wowie Zowie!
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~~~
#52weeks52stories: Week 33
Word prompt: flu
Word count – 2105
Reading time – 6 mins
~~~
She put off the appointment for too long and missed her chance.
Flu season had arrived with a vengeance and Teri Wilson’s doctor’s schedule was full.
She knew better.
Along with her daily meds, the yearly flu shot kept the chronic asthmatic out of the ER and off her nebulizer.
Now she stood in line at her local pharmacy to pay out-of-pocket for a flu shot from people she didn’t know.
All because she dreaded making that appointment.
Because Teri Wilson was afraid of needles.
Not just, oh-this-is-going-to-hurt afraid, but anxiety-laced, blood-pressure-raising, vomit-inducing, pass-out-on-the-floor afraid.
It was an irrational fear, she knew, especially for a woman of her years and medical history.
But when Teri looked at a needle, she didn’t see the long hollow pointed part of a hypodermic syringe used to deliver medicines or fluids to her body to help her. She saw a Viking’s sword, poised over her in battle ready to pierce skin and bone and eviscerate her very soul.
And no amount of counseling, sedatives, or taunting had ever been able to change her.
Family and friends who took turns escorting her to medical appointments to hold her hand—or hold her down—would be exhausted from the physical struggle.
Teri’s husband, Leonard, made fun of her and called her a big baby.
“Jesus, Teri. It’s just a tiny prick and over before you know it.”
His smugness annoyed her and wasn’t close to the level of compassion she felt a spouse should have.
“You’re right, Leonard. I should be used to it since I married a tiny prick and it always ends before I even get started.”
He wasn’t amused.
Leonard’s lack of support wasn’t the reason Teri filed for divorce six months ago, but she’d find room to squeeze it in among his long list of flings, affairs, overspending and other mid-life crisis issues.
As if on cue, a couple in line behind her sniped at each other.
“It’s a flu shot, Deb. Stop acting like it will save your life.”
“It might. Remember how sick I was two years ago, Larry? Nineteen days in the hospital. I got my flu shot on time last year and never even had the sniffles.”
“But forty dollars? Isn’t that pricey? I’ve seen them advertised for twenty-five.”
“Well, I didn’t find that price today, and it’s a small investment in my health compared to the visit to the doctor’s office that’s three times as much and not covered by our insurance.”
“I get it. This is about me switching to a cheaper health plan at work without talking it over with you first.”
Teri heard the woman scoff.
“Larry, this is about me trying to stay as healthy as possible this winter so I don’t miss a ton of work and can still take care of the kids.”
His voice softened. “I want you healthy too, Deb. I need you.”
Their voices lowered into cooing and breathy kisses and Teri mentally applauded the man for at last speaking from his heart and not his head.
She hadn’t been so lucky.
The line moved forward five steps and Teri craned her neck to see a divider was added to make second booth to assist with the small crowd.
Droplets of perspiration formed around her ears and hairline.
Don’t start this, Wilson. It’s just a flu shot. Stand still before you embarrass yourself.
She took two cleansing breaths to calm herself and went back to people-watching.
Her gaze fell on a dark-haired boy of about five three places ahead of her in line.
His mother had a firm grip on his hand while her other hand-held the ereader she focused on.
Teri watched the well-behaved child and smiled. He appeared to be talking to himself while waving his hand around in the air.
Was he doing jazz-hands?
Her smile grew into a grin as her curiosity got the better of her. Teri tapped the shoulder of the man in front of her.
“Sorry to bother you,” she tilted her head toward the child, “but can you hear what’s he’s saying?”
The young man in front of him turned around chuckling. “Excuse me for butting in but I was wondering the same thing.”
The adults took a step forward and leaned toward the child.
The first man frowned. “Sounds like ‘Wowie Zowie.’”
This got the mother’s attention, and she faced the small group, a sheepish look on her face.
“He is saying ‘Wowie Zowie.’ Nicholas is afraid of needles and my goofball brother taught him that so he wouldn’t be afraid.”
“Does it work for him?” the young man asked.
Before his mother could respond, little Nicholas looked up at the curious group. “Unkie Tate gave me magic. It always works.”
The young man laughed. “It does, huh? Always?”
“Yep. Long as you believe, anything’s possible.”
Both men high-fived the boy and knelt to talk with him as his mother looked on, smiling.
Teri was speechless, mesmerized by the child’s eyes. They reminded her of Boyd at that age. A chocolate-brown so soft it resembled velvet. What intrigued her about Nicholas’ eyes was the ring around his irises in gradient shades of gold. The contrast of the deep brown against near-platinum hues created a glowing effect.
At least it did to Teri. No one else appeared to notice. The younger man and Nicholas were in an animated conversation about Peppa Pig while his mom and the other gentleman seemed pleased to find out they were both single… and available.
“Next in line, please.”
A couple with two pre-teens moved to the reception counter and now Teri was fourth in line.
A dull roar sprang to life right behind Teri’s ears and competed with the butterflies in her stomach. Clenching her fists, she tried to will away the sense of dread moving through her.
“It’ll be okay.”
Touched by his concern, Teri looked at the boy… and gasped.
His beautiful eyes were glowing.
She looked around.
Nicholas’ mom was at the counter filling out forms. The two men discussed their last bouts with the flu. The line behind her carried on with their conversations, reading, and looks of boredom.
No one saw the golden light shining from the child’s eyes.
Except her.
Teri turned back to the tyke, but he was disappearing behind the divider next to reception with his mom.
She rubbed her temple, unsure of herself and what she saw.
His eyes glowed.
Listen to yourself, Wilson, you sound crazy as hell.
But you’re standing too close to miss it.
About to give in and ask the men if they’d noticed anything different about Nicholas’ eyes, Teri was interrupted by crying from the far divider.
Her mind remembered where she was and why and her anxiety rushed back to the surface.
More crying followed by soft wails assaulted Teri like a punch in the gut. She stepped around the two men in front of her to lean against the counter no longer trusting her legs.
The preteens reappeared ahead of their parents, heads bowed and clutching their arms. Not even their father announcing a stop for chili dogs and fries could raise their tear-filled faces.
“Guess I’m up next.” She heard the young guy say as he zipped behind the divider.
Why is he so happy? They’re about to plunge a piece of metal into his skin.
The pharmacy aide slid a health form over to Teri. Focused on not throwing up, she wasn’t sure what she put on the form but by the time Teri finished the young guy was waving and heading up front for the exit as the first man took his place.
Oh, God. I’m next.
Her vision blurred and Teri cursed herself for allowing pride and a bad attitude to let her come here alone today. She wanted to bolt but knew she’d never make it to the parking lot. Patting her coat pockets, she searched for her phone to call Boyd. Her oldest child was the only person who would come for her and not judge her. Much.
Startled by a sudden jolt, Teri looked down at her hand where the sensation started, to see Nicholas stroking her fingers.
“It’s your turn.”
She studied the child as she allowed him to lead her behind the divider.
His mother was fastening her jacket while the nurse gave her aftercare and injection site instructions.
Nicholas stopped at the small exam table and motioned for Teri to sit.
She considered him again. He was a compassionate young boy who could sense unease in others, one of those old souls people spoke of. Teri chastised herself for thinking Nicholas was anything else.
“C’mon, Nic, we have to go. Tell the nice lady goodbye.”
His mom held out his jacket for him, but before walking away, he gripped Teri’s again.
“It’s gonna be okay.”
“Thank you so much, Nicholas. It was nice meeting you.”
He ran to his mom and slid into his coat.
Teri removed hers while the nurse changed gloves and readied a new tray.
Teri’s brow knitted in confusion. She was rolling up her sleeve as a nurse prepared a flu injection a few feet away.
For her.
And she wasn’t freaking out.
The anxiety and nausea which plagued her only moments ago were gone.
No perspiration trickled down her back.
How had she conquered a lifelong fear in a few minutes? And why today of all days?
The nurse sat the tray on the table next to Teri.
She still wasn’t happy about the shot but she was no longer crippled with fear or filled with dread.
Teri watched the nurse open the alcohol swab and wipe a spot on her arm.
“Remember.”
She looked up to see Nicholas peeking around the divider.
“Wowie Zowie!” He waved his hand through the air, then ran off.
“You’re all set.”
Teri jerked her head back to see the nurse removing her gloves. She looked at her arm and her eyes widened to see a band-aid in place.
“That’s it? You’re done? I never even felt the poke.”
“These new flu shot needles are smaller with a finer point. They make less of an impact on the skin… and patient’s nerves.”
The two women chuckled. Teri hurried to get her coat back on, only half-listening to the nurse’s instructions.
She had to catch Nicholas.
Thanking the nurse, Teri headed for the front of the store. As she passed the flu shot line, she froze. Teri opened her change purse and took out two twenty-dollar bills and folded them in half. The couple who’d bickered over the cost of the shot were now near the front of the line. Teri grabbed the surprised woman’s hand, placed the bills in her palm and folded her fingers over them.
“I hope you both have a nice day.”
Smiling, she turned and rushed toward the exit in search of a special five-year-old.
Her heart fell as she stood in front of the store and looked out across the parking lot.
Nicholas and his mom were nowhere in sight.
What just happened? I’ve never gotten a shot in my life without putting up a fight or getting sick, and today, I didn’t even feel it.
Resigned, she headed to her car, replaying the last hour in her mind. Teri thought she was in the wrong row until she saw the bumper of her Altima sticking out just past a large, windowless, commercial van.
Her smiled returned as she passed the van. Between the van and her car sat a Nissan Xterra. The woman sat in the driver’s seat talking on her cell. Teri looked inside the car as she opened her own door, to see the child fastened in a mini car-seat.
She heard their engine start and waved to get his attention.
He glanced in her direction and smiled, returning her wave as his mom pulled out of the parking space. Holding Teri’s gaze, Nicholas waved the same hand through the air… and his eyes glowed.
They drove off, leaving the dazed woman standing there, her own hand held up in a frozen wave.
Teri dropped her hand, looked around to see if anyone witnessed what just happened, then got in her car.
Sitting behind the wheel, Teri Wilson tried to make sense of her situation.
A lifelong fear… gone.
An adorable little boy… with glowing eyes.
No one else appeared to notice.
And no one would ever believe her story.
She started her car and left the parking lot.
Remembering the child’s words, Teri decided being believed wasn’t important.
Because she believed.
~~~
©2018 Felicia Denise, All Rights Reserved
Song Lyric Sunday | “Neither One of Us” – Gladys Knight & the Pips
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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “fear.”
~~~~~
It’s my first time repeating a song in the challenge. I posted this one back at the end of January as a “goodbye” song, but even as I considered other songs for fear, this Grammy-winning hit wouldn’t go away.
Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) by Gladys Knight & the Pips released on December 26, 1972 on Motown’s Soul Records and became one of their biggest hit singles to date and was also the last single the group released prior to them leaving Motown for Buddah Records in February 1973.
On March 17, 1973, the song reached number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, staying there for four consecutive weeks. Due to the song’s strong crossover appeal, it eventually peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, with Vicki Lawrence’s The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (another Song Lyric Sunday feature) blocking it from number one. However, it went number one on the U.S. Record World and Cashbox charts. It also crossed over to the adult contemporary chart, peaking at number 15. Worldwide, it was also successful, peaking at number 9 in France, number 11 in Canada and number 31 in the UK.
Can you say H-I-T?
The video is from a Soul Train appearance and the Pips are just so, so smooth!
Enjoy!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.
~~~~~
Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
Neither One of Us
by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Written by Jim Weatherly
It’s sad to think we’re not gonna make it
And it’s gotten to the point
Where we just can’t fake it
For some ungodly reason
We just won’t let it dieI guess neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say good-bye
I keep wondering
Wondering
What I’m gonna do without you
And I guess you must be wondering the same thing too
So we go on
Go on together
Living a lie
Because neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say good-bye
Every time I find the nerve
Every time I find the nerve to say I’m leaving, old memories
Those old memories get in my way
Lord knows it’s only me
Heaven knows it’s only me
That I’m deceiving
When it comes to saying good-bye
That’s a simple word that I just cannot say
There can be no way
There can be no way
This can have a happy ending
No, no
So we just go on
Hurting and pretending
Convincing ourselves to give it just one more try
Because neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Farewell my love
Goodbye
Compiled from SongFacts.com, Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.
August 12, 2018
#52weeks52stories “John & Stella – A Limerick”
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Weird week. Hard to concentrate. Too many personal things to deal with, especially with the mister’s and my mom’s health.
Didn’t want to give this week a pass though, so this is my brain under stress. 
Song Lyric Sunday | “Mercedes Benz” – Janis Joplin
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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “drive/driving.”
~~~~~
Still going my own way with this week’s theme to post this Janis Joplin classic which has been a part of pop culture for almost five decades.
Mercedes Benz was written by Joplin and the poets Michael McClure and Bob Neuwirth at Vahsen’s, a Port Chester, New York bar, on August 8, 1970 during an impromptu poetry jam. The lyrics were inspired by the first line of a song written by McClure, “Come on, God, and buy me a Mercedes Benz.” Janis would sing the song for the first time at a concert later that same night.
The song is about the search for happiness by the pursuit of worldly goods. It’s a classic hippie rejection of the consumerism that was already a big part of American society.
Recorded in one take two months later, Mercedes Benz would also be Joplin’s last recorded song. She died three days later on October 4, 1970 of a heroin overdose. Janis was just twenty-seven-years old.
The song has been covered dozens of times by artists and groups around the world including Elton John, Taj Mahal, and Pink, and used in countless movies and advertising campaigns. Many may be unfamiliar with Joplin and her music but most have heard this song at least once since its release.
Enjoy!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.
~~~~~
Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
Mercedes Benz
by Janis Joplin
Written by Janis Joplin, Michael McClure, & Bob Neuwirth
Intro]
I’d like to do a song
Of great social and political import
It goes like this
[Verse 1]
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
[Verse 2]
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me
I wait for delivery each day until three
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV
[Verse 3]
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town
I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down
Prove that you love me and buy the next round
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town
[Verse 1]
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
Compiled from SongFacts.com, Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.
August 10, 2018
“I absolutely loved this novel.” Amazon Reviewer
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~~~
Severely injured in an accident that forever changed her life, 10-year-old Olivia becomes another faceless, under-served child in foster care. With no time to mourn or grieve, the young girl is easy prey for uncaring social workers and ambivalent foster families.
Olivia quickly learns to hold her tongue and mask her emotions. Even when exposed to neglect, bullying, and assault, no one seems to care. Holding fast to the teachings of her late father, Olivia ages out of the system broken, but no longer a victim.
Now a successful child advocate attorney, Olivia is a passionate voice for children. However, a routine case assignment by the court plunges Olivia back into the trauma of her childhood. If she doesn’t face her demons, a child will be sent into foster care, and Olivia will lose the only chance at love she’s ever had…or wanted.
Foster care for her young client is not an option. But Olivia’s emotional scars run even deeper than she realized. Reconciling with her past means Olivia must confront the one woman she blames for her battered soul.
A woman who has no idea who Olivia is.
~~~
Amazon US http://bit.ly/BestInt
Amazon UK http://bit.ly/BestIntUK
Amazon CA http://bit.ly/BestIntCA
Amazon AU http://bit.ly/BestIntAU
Goodreads http://bit.ly/BestIntGR
~~~
