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Saturday, January 29, 2011

“I wish you were dead!” –Commercial for child behavior program

Zaid clutched his father's cold hand and begged him to wake. He didn't move. The son of a genie should never wish his parents were dead.

10 comments:

  1. This stopped me in my tracks. At first I assumed you'd be poking fun of kids (as is your wont!) but those three sentences actually made me say "whoa" out loud. Not what I expected at all. Surprisingly and outstandingly (is that a word?) touching, sad, heartbreaking in so very, very short a tale. I mean, how many of us said, "I wish you were dead" but never, ever meant it. Yeah, yeah, I see the humour in it too but overwhelmingly I feel for the brat.

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  2. Nice one, John. Funny, yet sad (yeah, what Cathy said).

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  3. Wow. Just wow. There's so much emotion here. To evoke such a strong reaction in your readers in only 26 words is amazing.

    wowface

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  4. The son of a genie should probably be careful with that old, "I wish I'd never been born!" lament as well.

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  5. Especially if it's his third wish. :) Great little piece, John.

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  6. Talk about careful what you wish for...!

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  7. Could he wish them alive again? Though you could get into zombie territory there. :)

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  8. Hopefully mom didn't put him up to it. And also, what Cathy said.

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  9. Initially I thought it was witty and humorous and that morphed into disturbing and sad. You accomplished quite a bit with a very short post.

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  10. Children normal behaviors depend on various natural and environmental circumstances in which a child grow and observes the way for his best possible conduct within his reach and interact amongst those who respond his gestures and body talks.

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