As the lights went up, Mary gathered her things. A woman she didn’t know stopped by her seat.
‘Are you Penny’s Mum? She was excellent.’
‘Thanks. Sorry, have…?’
‘Millie’s Mum. Amelia. We lose identity with kids don’t we?’
Mary smiled at this nervy woman. ‘Mary. Penny mentioned a sleepover?’
‘Oh she did? Thank heavens. I wondered. You have an airbed?’
‘Of course. How many…?’
‘Thirteen. Gray thinks me mad.’
Me too, thought Mary.
‘It’s our first since we moved here. I want it to go well.’
‘Being a parent is just another performance, isn’t it? Only without a script.’
Charli’s prompt this week is
December 7, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write that features a performance. You can interpret what is a performance any way the prompt leads you.
If you want more of Mary and her family, please click here
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About TanGental
My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published several books: a four book series following Harry Spittle as he grows from hapless student to hapless partner in a London law firm; four others in different genres; a book of poetry; four anthologies of short fiction; and a memoir of my mother. I have several more in the pipeline.
I have been blogging regularly since 2014, on topic as diverse as: poetry based on famous poems; memories from my life; my garden; my dog; a whole variety of short fiction; my attempts at baking and food; travel and the consequent disasters; theatre, film and book reviews; and the occasional thought piece. Mostly it is whatever takes my fancy.
I avoid politics, mostly, and religion, always. I don't mean to upset anyone but if I do, well, sorry and I suggest you go elsewhere.
These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
TanGental 
Without a script, a manual, or a backup plan. Parenting. Good one, G.
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That about sums it up.
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A very good piece, Geoff.
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Thank you Robbie
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Love this take His Geoffleship!
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Thanks. I guess you are enjoying the sleepover joys
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The requests are endless… the actual happenings are fewer…! But yes, the joys of sleepovers!!!
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Blimey, a sleepover or the meeting of a coven? I’d hate to be there for breakfast, my bacon is sacred.
Hugs
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It was fab as i recall. 13 x 13 was a heady mix of hilarity and hormones
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I can barely manage a sleepover with 3 giggling and screaming teenage girls let alone 13!!! Love your take on this, Geoff. 🙂
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We had 13 13 year olds once
A total gas though Linda did not agree.
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HA! I can see why she didn’t! 🙂
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Definitely no script at hands… always improvising, lol! Good story, Geoffle!
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She’s a brave woman to host that sleep over. 😀 Do I hear a part 2 tiptoeing down the lane? Hugs.
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The sleep over murders? It could work..
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I think we can confirm that Gary is correct in his assessment of a Penny…
I loved how you revealed so much through the dialogue. Great stuff!
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Amelia, rather. Whoops!
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Love the point about how we lose identity as parents, and sanity! Early on with the girls, I was a Girl Scout Leader to the Daisies and Brownies, the youngest of the troop. And I once too 13 of what I called my Wild Daisies camping for two nights!
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Oh brave soul. 13 in tents. Woof you win
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What we do as parents!
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