Have Faith

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge Prompt

Include the following line “You think you're so smart.” in your story.

Have Faith

         Hour after hour, day after day, he sits in his small room tapping at his keyboard.  Ernest has been handicapping stock for two years.  His mother frets over him his father remains quiet. 

         “What is he to do Martha, he is in a wheel chair and cannot walk.” The old balding man pleads with his wife. “Let Ernie be, it is his only pleasure!”

         “He must get out, meet people, socialize!”  Martha turns her head to the closed door and raises her voice, “He is not a shut in, Ernie, come out here!”

         She starts toward the door when it opens and Arnold wheels himself out into the hall.  “What is it Ma?  Why do you disturb me?”

         “What do you do in there all day and night?  Why don’t you come out and enjoy life?”  She stroked her sons graying hair.

         “Mother, I was practicing to make money on the stock market.”  He wheels himself past her to the kitchen.  “With real money, I would be a millionaire right now!”

         She looks after him with concern in her eyes and heart.  “But you don’t have money to invest, so you cannot…”

         “Yes!”  He cut her off, “Yes I do, there is the settlement money!”

         “You think you're so smart, much smarter men than you have lost everything.”  The two elderly parents quickly follow him into the small kitchen.  “What makes you think you can do what much richer and smarter men haven’t done?”

         Arnold pulled a container of juice from the fridge and took a swig. “Because I’ve done it!  That measly fifty thousand dollar settlement is now a half a million.”

         Martha looked at Otto and then at her son, “It’s not true?”

         Ernie broke into a broad grin, held up his arms and yelled, “We’re Rich!”

Word Count = 299