Lots of my stories are about romance in some way because romance and romantic matters are interesting, intriguing, fascinating and downright readable.
Some say that men and women tend to see romance differently. Perhaps they do but maybe it doesn’t matter too much as long as we are all have a chance at happiness.
There are so many different situations where romance, or something that could lead to romance, is the subject of free online stories.
In Cornish Guilty Secrets, a pub folk musician finishes his performance, looks across the bar and is captivated to obsession by a raven haired woman.
Guiltily, but with gathering obsession, for the rest of the evening, I watched her. I enjoyed her like a painting, explored the rhythms of her body as a musician would explore the cadences of a tune or an artist the shades of light on a canvass.
Another story where the romance comes as a ‘le coup de foudre’ is my free online novel / novella ‘Kingfisher Blue‘. Barry is a London barman and going about his work when in walks the lady of his dreams
She walked into Smokey’s Bar like the breeze that sometimes caresses your face on a gray day. Her fair, nearly blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail with two wisps hanging down by each eye. The bustle of the bar absorbed her into its midst and I lost track of her until she surfaced by the gamblers.
Both these stories feature ‘le coup de foudre’ (literally ‘bolt of lightning’). I have to confess that I do believe in ‘le coup de foudre’ and have, in my time, been fortunate enough to feel its’ effects. They are strong indeed.
In ‘Piano Accordions and Chat Rooms‘, Bertrand has a very much more matter of fact and indeed preditory attitude to women.
“So do you play a lot?†Nice touch, flirtatious and neatly ambiguous, I thought, hoping I wasn’t talking to a bloke.
The reply took a while. I entertained myself watching the accordion aviator bouncing up and down and dripping all over the place.
“My husband has just arrived home … I’ve got to go. I’ll private message the address of the pub where I usually play. Judge for yourself … creep.â€
Rock on! I’d struck gold!”
Yet he is not unmoved by her when they meet.
I was transfixed, such was the power of the scottish reel she was precisely executing, that I hardly noticed the other musicians as they beat their bodhrans, vigorously blew on their metal whistles, scraped their fiddles and generally tried to wreck or alternatively contribute to her performance.
Romance appeared to be the subject of ‘Sarah’s Price‘, but there is a dark undercurrent:
Sarah had always loved the countryside, especially the early evening fragrance of the heather and the chirrup of sleepy birds.
But this Friday afternoon was different. The weekend ahead cast a gloom over her darker than the shadows between the Mendip hills. Her future like the Welsh Coastline on the far side of the water was impenetrable through the haze.
The cause of her dejection stood besides her. About six feet tall and thick set with middle age, his face filled with a contented anticipation of the night ahead.
Why is Sarah with this man? What are her plans and will they succeed? The relationship is also governed by other factors than sheer attraction.
Even stories of the strange and unexpected can involve romance. In ‘Forever Flying Free‘, there is a romance but it is unseen, implied, hardly of this earth … and yet so strong.
This time spent quietly together had become more important than any number of moments of swooping and soaring. I remembered now, with shame, the envy that I had felt when I had seen them so happy.
Part of me wanted him to return to ease her sadness - but I also now wanted her for my own. My greatest fear was that she would never come again to our spot; our spot now, not theirs. But to be able to talk to her I had to give up flying. I loved flying - almost more than existence itself.
In ‘Blackberry Jam‘, romance has been lost and the feelings are as powerful as when the romance was new. But instead of happiness they bring the strong emotions of sadness and pain.
But, like the TV, it was a delicate balance. To the outside world, she seemed cool and collected; inside she felt deeply vulnerable. Strategies had been adopted for coping; new routines found, places that would stir painful memories strictly avoided.
Romance is the very substance of life. We are uplifted, saddened, intrigued, excited but never bored. I look forward to sharing romance and romantic moments of all kinds with you through this blog.
Until then … adieu!
Rob Hopcott
Copyright Rob Hopcott 1999 - 2006, all rights reserved.
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short story, short stories
romance short story, romance short stories
romantic short story, romantic short stories
le coup de foudre, coup de foudre
