copyright – Liz Young
Company rules be damned, Sean wouldn’t do this job without a bottle in hand. He’d signed to maintain railway lines, there wasn’t mention of collecting body parts.
At least they’d found the head today. He stared through death’s pallor at the wide eyes, the freshly applied make-up. “Were you trying to look your best? Presumably, nobody told you how pretty you were.”
He took a swig before, grabbing hair and avoiding the ragged scarlet ring of decapitation, he placed the head into a sack.
His thoughts turned to the driver, “Poor Larry’s just returned from the stress of the last one.”
Written for Friday Fictioneers – a 100 words story based on a photo prompt. Hosted by Rochelle. Read the other entries here.
Fine writing, you handled this well. I know that dealing with these types of incidents hurts.
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Thanks, I don’t think I’d be able to manage it that’s for sure.
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I like the title. Mirrors the theme song for the film and TV show M*A*S*H.
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Thank you. It was a play on that great song, trying to it affects and distresses more than just the victim
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Dear Michael,
Grisly tale well told. That would be a tough job. Apt title.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, when I heard it’s the ordinary bods that have to do the clean up, I felt for them. It’s not something I’d be happy with
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Grisly is the word, not the sort of job you can do and then forget about when you clock out. Good writing.
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Thanks Iain. It was from a conversation with a rail worker and thus is fairly accurate. Gory and grisly hardly cover it
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This actually happened to my dog… The railway guys called me to tell me they had her collar… I’m sure this “clean up” is not part of the job description… I couldn’t do it!
Very well done, MIchael
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Thanks,it’s funny you should say that because it was based on a conversation with a rail worker shortly after there had been a suicide. He said it was very traumatic for the driver, as well as those who have to clean up and sometimes they couldn’t find the head.
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A gory job to be sure. Well written.
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Apparently, that’s how it’s done. It must be hell for the workers
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Well done – I always think of the driver when I hear such news stories.
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Thanks, it’s virtually as it was told me by a railway worker who said the poor driver has I think 3 months compulsory sick leave after each incident and is retired after 3 such events, if I remember correctly
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It’s a cold world where a railway worker is in charge of picking up human body parts. Well told.
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Thanks, it is sort of how it was told me by a railway worker and sometimes they couldn’t find the head.
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Some poor soul has to do it, don’t they? You’d have to remain detached from the reality of what you’re seeing or you’d never sleep. It’s the kind of thing that changes people.
Sadly apt story for the prompt, Michael
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It comes from a conversation I had with some rail workers when a suicide had occurred. I was shocked to find they had to do it and I think if a driver is involved in three incidents, he’s retired.
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I think this is, probably, a gruesome job no one wants to do. It’s a well-told story, Michael. I could feel the stress in your character. Have a nice weekend.
Isadora 😎
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Thanks Isadora, you too. I’m glad the stress came through because I sensed that when the rail worker was telling me how they have to do it.
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He’d signed to maintain railway lines, there wasn’t mention of collecting body parts — few would sign if they did put this in the contract. Grisly and well told. I like the line about no one telling her she was pretty. That really hit home for me.
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Thanks, I as looking for sympathy for all the characters in this, the victim and those caught up in the aftermath like the driver and the workers. I’m glad you picked up on that line, the inference I wanted was that if people had told her she was beautiful she may not have felt so alone enough to commit suicide. It’s hard in so few words though, isn’t it.
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You succeeded on all points here. There were no winners in this scene.
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That’s what I was trying to create, a feeling of sympathy for everyone concerned, thanks for recognising that.
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It is, but you did it.
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Oh I do feel for the train drivers.
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Yes, they go through it. As I understand they have to take compulsory retirement if they are involved in three instances. The nightmares must be horrendous.
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it must be part of the job description but still… hopefully, he’s paid well to compensate for the stress.
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I don’t think the money’s that good, unfortunately and the work is as horrific as it gets, I think
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Yikes, Mike! This reminds me of when my dad had gotten a call from the county (he was a reserve policeman in the late 1950’s) and was tasked to help to pick up pieces of two little old Norwegian ladies whose car had hit an on-coming train.
The macabre part of it is, he was living with his mom at the time and then he came home, she made spaghetti and meat sauce for supper.
Five out of five little old Norwegian ladies.
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Great comment and thanks for the 5 Norwegian Ladies, I’m sure no one else will be getting any of those this week. 🙂 It is a macabre situation whichever way it’s handled, but one we tend not to think about, all the attention normally being focused on the poor suicide. I understand the finances of not being able to have a specially trained team to do it but employing ordinary workers to do this work seemed extremely harsh on them.
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Yeah, it stinks when there are budget cuts. 😦
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Congrats on scoring 5 on the Norwegian Ladies scale. The highest total I’ve seen going into this week’s contest was around 3.6. If this had been an Olympic competition, you sir, would have won the gold.
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Thanks, it’s much appreciated, I’m currently preparing my victory speech but struggling with the timing of the point where I break down into uncontrollable sobs while thanking my parents, children and anyone who knows me.
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Yes, timing of the sobs really sells it for the cameras. Can’t wait to see it on film.
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Gosh! If I had to do that job, I would be the one jumping in front of the train someday. Grisly but well-told.
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Thank-you, it is one of the most unpleasant jobs I can imagine
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I’d never realised that it was railway workers who had to clear up the bits after a suicide. When someone is desperate enough to commit suicide in that way, I guess they don’t give a second thought to the trauma their action will cause to others. Maybe, often it’s a spur of the moment thing. They think “jump” and just jump.
When I was a teenager, the station was closed just before I was about to catch a train, because someone had jumped. Even though I didn’t see it happen, I felt traumatised enough just imagining the carnage. It haunted me for weeks afterwards.
An exceedingly well written, but hugely disturbing story.
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Thank you for a very detailed comment. I had always presumed they’d have some specialist team but it was explained to me it wouldn’t be financially viable to keep a team on stand-by for the rare-ish occasions it happens. The whole thing shocked me.
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That’s terrible. Everything is always down to money. I guess that means that there’s no money for treatment of railway workers who suffer PTSD as a result of bagging up body parts D:
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I know they suffer it and are made to take compulsory time of to help get over it. The drivers are especially affected.
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The title brought me thoughts of MASH, but the story took me someplace else, much darker (not that MASH wasn’t dark at times!). Well written.
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Thanks Trent. The title was a reference to that song, which is great as was the series which could be dark in a below the surface way. I meant that suicide might be painless to the person taking their own life but the fall out from it can hurt many others including friends and relations as well as those poor souls having to clear up after.
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I also always think of the poor driver. This is grisly and so well told. I don’t think railway workers have to pick up the pieces where I live, every homicide is examined thoroughly by police and crime staff to rule out murder that’s supposed to look like suicide. But I’m not all too familiar with the details either.
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Thank you. I think you’re right about the police but the way it was told to me, at some stage the rail workers get involved. Perhaps it’s just looking for all the bits. Euggh!
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Indeed… suicide is not painless… there are always those affected..
Nobody told you how pretty you were… what a sad eulogy.
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Thanks Bjorn, I wanted to bring out how unnecessary it all was, if only someone had had the time for her.
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This is a fantastic take on the prompt – excellently told. It shows how suicide affects people you wouldn’t think of. What an awful part of his job!
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Thank-you, it is awful and suicide does affect so many more than just the one who’s taken their own life, especially when it’s messy.
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What a great take on the prompt! That character has a lot of grit.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. Glad you liked it.
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I’ve joined the FF group too!! This week was my second attempt. You can find it here:
https://yuhublogger.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/that-thing/
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Shortly after the war, when jobs were scarce, my father did this job. Not for long though. An unusual angle. Well done.
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Thanks Sandra, I’m sure it’s not a job anyone could do for long. It’s something I hadn’t thought about until meeting a rail worker one day who told me about it. It’s gruesome
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Very well done, grisly imagery and a great take on the prompt 😀
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Thank-you, glad you liked it
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That is one job for which I will not be applying. Poor Larry. Hopefully the health plan covers counseling.
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Hopefully so, thanks for commenting.
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A dark very visual piece, Michael! I have a cousin who’s a conductor, and he has some very interesting stories to tell about horrible accidents. Can’t imagine…
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Sad.
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Imagine that! I don’t think I would stick around that work place. Nicely done!
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So sad, I was about to ask if you’d “been there” I don’t think it’s painless for anyone which ever way you choice to end it..
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I’ve known about it after an event like this. The title is a play on the M.A.S.H show theme tune which was ‘Suicide is Painless.’ Hearing about the aftermath of a train incident brought it home to me how many people are affected. Thanks for reading
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i’m sure it might be a song as well…
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Suicide is a terrible thing for all those involved and often the railway staff are forgotton about so thank you for thinking of them all as well as the poor victim and family and friends
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Thank you for your comment, pleased you felt that way. It does come from a conversation I had with a railway worker just after such an incident. At the time it really hit home to me how awful it must be for the railway employees. The focus is always on the person who has committed suicide, those suffering the consequences of the aftermath rarely get a mention, yet they are the ones who have to live on with the pain and stress.
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