Flash Fiction: Winston A. Flowers by Tom Robson

Welcome to the Spot Writers. Today’s contribution comes from Tom Robson, author of WRITTEN WHILE I STILL REMEMBER a patchwork memoir. If you want to know more about the author, find the book online at Amazon.com.

 The topic for April is Spring Flowers.

***

Winston A. Flowers

by Tom Robson

He was surprised it had remained a secret for this long. But it was not surprising that his phenomenal success in the two months since his call-up to the majors had led to research into his background.

He’d always lied and said that the middle initial was for Abraham. Some had even called him Abe while he was playing in Binghampton, though there had been wild and increasingly frequent chants of “Winston! Winston! Winston!” as the goals kept coming. And that had continued since February when he been promoted to the parent club, the expansion Renaissance, in Quebec City. And, to the amazement of all the pundits, they had reached the playoffs. Those same pundits had determined that Winston Flowers’ goal scoring feats had been largely responsible for the late surge which got them there.

And now he was, all set to take the opening face-off of the play-offs at the Maple Leaf’s rink where, it seemed, many of the Leaf’s supporters were waving daffodils. If he was hearing it right the words they were singing were,

It’s April Showers that comes your way’

He won’t be playing when we get to May.

And the Renaissance, they will regret’

Cos they won’t be playing hockey

They’ll be picking violets.

He’d seen the verse a couple of days ago, on line from The Toronto Globe and Mail. Some researcher had discovered his baptismal name.

He had been a spring baby. His mother had said that, after she gave birth to her fifth son, she feared she’d never get to use one of the names she’d picked out for the hoped-for daughter. So he was Winston April Flowers. And a Toronto columnist had questioned how an expansion team could pin its hopes on a hockey player called April? Could be worse! Mom’s other choice of names for the never to happen daughter was ‘Spring Flowers’.

The rhythmic, derogatory chants of “April! April! April!” kept raining down from the stands. They ceased, midway through the second period after he scored his third goal and then – when checked, very late and very illegally by the Leaf’s goon, – April clearly won the fight that ensued.

At game’s end, a six zero thrashing of the home side, he returned to the ice to acknowledge his selection as man of the match. The traveling Renaissance supporters were gloating as they chanted “Winston! Winston! Winston!”

As he entered the tunnel to the dressing room a Leaf’s supporter, obvious from the paraphernalia he wore, leaned over and handed Winston his daffodil. “Nice game, April!” he praised.

Winston April Flowers accepted both with a broad grin back at the donor.

***

The Spot Writers–our members:

 RC Bonitz: rcbonitz.com

Val Muller: https://valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Tom Robson: https://robsonswritings.wordpress.com/