The Judge
About herself, she says "I am a wife, mother of three, and a writer."
The Prompt
The Rules

- The story must start from the prompt. This means the prompt must be the first words in the story.
- No more than 500 words (not including the prompt). No less than 100 words.
- Any genre (in fact an unexpected genre will get you more points.)
- Entries must be submitted by Tuesday Noon EST
- The winner of each week's competition will be invited to judge the following week and post the winner's badge similar to the one on the right.
- Have fun!
Example
By Wakefield Mahon
I never thought I’d see you again. Though I can’t say I’m really surprised, you were always the one friend I could depend on when the missus went on a rampage. Well she’s good and mad now. Liza’s done run off and left me for good this time, I know it.
See it all started this morning when I went to fetch a bucket of water from the stream so I could lubricate the whestone. Wouldn’t you know it? There was a big old hole in the bucket. So I says to my dear Liza, “There’s a hole in the bucket.”
Well she rolls her eyes but says real patient-like, “Then fix it my dear Henry.”
Now I don’t know ‘bout you but when I get someone who talks to me like I ain’t got a lick o’ sense, I kinda get testy. But I tried my best to mind my tone. “What am I supposed to fix it with, dear Liza?”
“Um, with straw, dear henry.” That time I knew she was being smart.
So I gave it right back to her. “The straw is too short, dear Liza.”
Then her feathers got all ruffled up. “Then CUT it dear henry.”
“And what do you figure I’m a-gonna cut it with, dear Liza?
“Well, dear Henry, I suppose you might cut it with an AXE.”
“Yeah, I got that, dear Liza, but the axe is too dull.”
“Confound it, dear Henry, why don’t you go sharpen it then?”
“’Cause I ain’t got nothing to sharpen it with, obviously, dear Liza.”
“What about the WHETSTONE out by the barn, DEAR Henry?
“I might use that if it weren’t too DRY, dear Liza.”
“Are you puttin’ me on? My dear Henry if it’s too dry, then wet the dadgum thing!”
Now I was getting to my point so I lowered my voice smiled real wide-like. “And how do you suppose I wet it?”
She lowered her voice too, but that usually means she awfully sore. “Most folks would do it with water, dear Henry.”
“And how in tarnation do you expect me to fetch the water, dear Liza?”
I knew she was fuming now cause she still didn’t get it. “With a bucket, DEAR HENRY!”
“There’s a hole in the bucket, DEAR LIZA!”
“For goodness sake, Henry why didn’t you just say so in the first place?”
I was going to tell her I did say so but she stormed out of here without saying another word. She took her money bag with her, like the time she stayed at her momma’s.
So like I said, it’s just you and me, old friend.
“Oh for crying out loud, Henry, put the bottle down! I just went to the market to buy another bucket. Did you know they make them out of plastic or metal now ? I bought two, just in case.
500 silly ineligible words