The meaning I am using is: an extravagant or far-fetched idea or thought process: his research assistant was prone to flights of fancy.
My assistant Igor was an invaluable man to have around. He was diligent and meticulous in everything he did.
But some times he was given to flights of fancy.
Such that at times I had to threaten to cut of his bits and feed them to Boris our pet crocodile who swan in the pond below our workshop and who would at times I am sure lick his lips in anticipation of some morsel of Igor falling his way.
Igor was a great one for exploring the possibility of anything. Whatever our project Igor would ask if we could inject a little more electricity in to this bit or that, put a different brain into a body and see what might happen.
There were times when his perverseness far exceeded my own.
The town Constable had come to us to see if we could determine the cause of death of Alphonsus Patrick. Mr Patrick had been found floating dead in the river and the town were secretly pleased to see his demise as he was a cruel and miserly man and his death brought a sigh of collective relief from the community.
The Constable suspected foul play and asked us to see if we could examine the body and make any conclusions.
Mr Patrick’s bloated body was laid on our examining table. Igor walked round it, prodding it here and there. He was making sure Mr Patrick was dead, as Igor didn’t like the man either. Mr Patrick had once owned the town tower in which Igor was living and had forced Igor to leave after several generations of Igor’s had lived there.
It took us several days to examine Mr Patrick. We cut up bits and weighed them, looked under the microscope, opened his head at which Igor was disappointed to discover he did have a brain.
Igor made a suggestion of powering up the Accelerated Memory Machine, a pet project of his to animate the brain and reveal its final thoughts. Igor had tried it on a few sheep and so far had received a few baas but nothing concrete.
I explained to Igor that his machine was nothing more than a flight of fancy but Igor wouldn’t take truck with such a claim.
Later that night as I was heading to bed I heard an almighty crash coming from our laboratory.
I rushed down to find Igor standing over the dead Mr Patrick his Accelerated Memory Machine powering up, numerous coloured cables running from Mr Patrick back into his machine.
As I opened the door I saw a massive volt of electricity surge through the cables and into Mr Patrick. The body sat up.
Looked around. His arms flayed. His body shuddered as the electricity erupted through his body. His mouth opened. There came from the most blood-curdling scream I had ever heard. His eyes bulged. The veins in his forehead were pushed forward. Then he uttered ‘Mary O’Dwyer.’ He collapsed back on the table. Smoke oozed from his skin. The smell of cooked flesh permeated the air.
Igor stood and turned off his machine. He looked pleased, satisfied.
‘And?’ I demanded
‘Tell the Constable to arrest Mary O’Dwyer’ Stated Igor in a matter of fact manner.
‘We can never tell anyone of this,’ I said. ‘We can explain the scorch marks on his body as evidence of our exhausting autopsy.’
I looked at Igor realising the Accelerated Memory Machine was not a flight of fancy as I first thought.
As I said at the beginning Igor would sometimes get above his station.
That night Boris looked more satisfied than normal.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/tale-weaver-21-flight/
Morpethroad 
There were a few lines here, Michael, such as, “opened his head at which Igor was disappointed to discover he did have a brain” and “Igor had tried it on a few sheep and so far had received a few baas but nothing concrete” that had me cracking up. I know this was meant to be serious. You do have a gift for the serious. Lol! 😂
Serious?? Are you kidding good lady? But I am glad I did give you cause to giggle…
You’ve made me giggle more time than I can count, Michael 😀
Oh really well its lovely to know I can tickle your fancy Mandy…
Lol. Rest assured.
very quirky and funny.
Thank you Suzanne, glad you thought so.
I had visions of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein throughout this funny (horror) tale
Thanks Debi I appreciate you stopping by.
I think I’ll pass on the AMM, thanks just the same.
LOL….why would you need it Dell? But I take you point, I hope I don’t need it either…
I think it’s the word “accelerated” that worries me–not that my memory’s particularly good, or speedy–but I seem to operate in over-drive as it is, so I don’t really need any “amping up”.
Aren’t our brains just marvelous! Such a flight of fancy incorporated within a flight of fancy. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and had a bit of a giggle myself at some of your lines. I’m glad Mary O’Dwyer is getting off scot-free. Mr Patrick sounds as if he had it coming. 🙂
Yes most certainly he did, I think Mary was a sweet innocent…thanks so much for participating….
As soon as I read the name Igor I knew I was in for a treat!
That Igor should have ‘flights of fancy’ just reinforced my smile.
(I’m thinking that Boris has some too!… and not a ticking clock in his crocodile tummy either.)
Very Mel Brooks…As Debi mentioned. Or maybe it is just me? I found the whole of it delightfully humorous.
Thanks for stopping by my ‘flight’ – You too have a wonderful imagination.
Thanks Jules and thanks for participating in the Tale Weaver, stay tuned for next week’s exciting prompt….
Who need a detective or a doctor for an autopsy when you have Igor!?
Exactly RoSy, he is one remarkable assistant.
“Igor made a suggestion of powering up the Accelerated Memory Machine, a pet project of his to animate the brain and reveal its final thoughts. Igor had tried it on a few sheep and so far had received a few baas but nothing concrete.”
*snorting* absolutely chuckling with delight in madness at the unexpected – and I thank you once again for such a fascinating and fantastical tale!
“That night Boris looked more satisfied than normal.”
roflmbo — wicked – absolutely wicked – in the best of ways – and how you create such fun characters Michael 😀
Thank you MJ you are very kind, I love it when you visit, you leave the most encouraging of comments….
well you write the most positively fascinating and wonderful stories – and other pieces of work – flash, poetry etc. Always a pleasure – and an adventure Michael 😀
Well yes and it’s always an adventure for me as well..