Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Writing Prompt #2
Write a profession on a piece of paper, e.g. "Psychic" or "Astronaut." Then, on another piece of paper, write a specific action, such as, "He put the kitten back into its box," or, "She hung up the phone and took a deep breath." Now switch the papers with your neighbors so that you now have a new profession and action. Write a story in which the protagonist has the given profession, and have it end with him/her taking the given action.
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Sarah knew at age 7 she would work with animals. She remembered everything about the day she found her profession. She was walking to school with her mother, a crisp September morning, her shoes and backpack still back-to-school new. Her mom stopped to chat with Sheila, the lady down the street, whose two daughters weren't that much older than she was but still they never played with her. Sheila had her little white poodle, Zoe, on a long leash. Without warning, Zoe lunged at Sarah, barking, growling and snapping like Sarah was some undead character in a scary movie and the dog could sense what people couldn't see.
ReplyDelete"No dog is going to scare me like that again," Sarah decided. She cultivated a way with animals. By age 10 he had started a dog-sitting business, walking dogs after school for owners who worked in the city and wouldn't be home until after 6. By age 13 she added grooming to her small business, bathing dogs in a backyard kiddie pool or in the upstairs bathroom after the weather turned cool.
In high school she loaded her schedule with chemistry and biology, already thinking ahead beyond college to veterinary school. Now, at age 30, she was a vet-of-all-trades, making housecalls in her well-equipped van so puppies could get their shots and older dogs could get their checkups without the stress and hassle of a trip to the vets. She had a reputation as a bit of a dog whisperer--even dogs that needed to be muzzled, that scared the neighborhood kids with their frantic barking, would succumb to her soft words, her cajoling. Some would eye her, calm but wary, while many would give themselves over to her completely, rolling on their backs for tummy rubs after a few moments with her whispers.
But her magic didn't seem to work on humans. She had managed to hook up with another hard-luck case, a man who charmed her with his gentle lips, first with his words, later with his kisses. He wasn't nearly as adept at keeping a job, though, which she discovered only after she had impulsively asked him to move in with her and which he had readily accepted. She headed home, the car filled with groceries she had picked up after her last appointment. She knew how she would find him, sprawled on the couch with his laptop, quickly switching to a job search site when he heard her footsteps, covering the video game screen. If he were a dog, she would know how to get him to do what she wanted. Instead, grocery bags in each hand, she grunted at each step as she climbed the stairs.
Ah, she can tame the wildest of dogs, but can she get her boyfriend to get his life together? A wonderful story! I love that he switches to a job search site right when she comes in, and she knows he does this every time. I would love to see the conversation/confrontation between Sarah and her slacker boyfriend. Might she use animal-training strategies in talking to him? Where do her strengths as a vet make become weaknesses as a partner? Great stuff here!
ReplyDeletePrompts were: Park ranger and climbing a tree. For some reason, I ended up writing a child's tale:
ReplyDeleteGeorgette was raised on West Newton Hill. Her parents, successful attorneys both, sent her to Milton Academy, as a day student of course, from kindergarten on, because family dinners and evening dog walks were as important as studies and field hockey. Her prep school education was punctuated with travels to the Africa, India and the Galapagos Islands, with long stints at sleep-away camps and adventure travel tours in the summer. Her parents made sure Georgette understood the values of friendship, family, culture and the dollar. Her empathetic nature assured them that she would use her gifts, both natural and material, wisely.
It was at her sophomore year sleep-away camp that she met Archie, from West Virginia. Though well-spoken, friendly and sensitive, it was his unconventional life that initially captured her. He was home-schooled by professional fly-fishers, who were working at the camp. He was determined to do two things with his life: live in a treehouse as a Colorado Park Ranger. His blunt talk and clear drive drew in Georgette, who, over smores, realized that he was her destiny.
Good sense and gentle family pressure kept Georgette in college and at letters’-length from Archie until she graduated. It was no surprise that, upon graduation, she hopped a flight in her hiking boots, with a backpack of granola, water and a sketchbook, and landed in Denver. From there, she drove to the Boulder Flatirons, where she hiked deep into the woods, climbed up a tree, and landed in Archie’s arms.
Here's my story from the first class about a psychic.
ReplyDeleteMagda was desperate after she lost her job at the discount tire store. She had two small children and a busband who was a professional bowler. He had made good money when they met. He even hosted a cable TV show for six months where amateur bowlers competed for money. Things were looking up in their apartment. They were considering moving to a three-bedroom place when his TV show was cancelled. Soon after this, his mother had a stroke and he began drinking during the week. Magda kept the household accounts and saw their hope for a bigger place dwindling. After a year Frank was bowling less and less well, losing tournaments and being downgraded in the league. It became clear that unless she found a new job fast they could lose their apartment and wind up on the streets.
Magda found an ad at the laundromat. "EARN MONEY AS A PSYCHIC!!!" She called the number and went to meet the teacher on a wet Tuesday afternoon. Frank was home with the kids. She paid the woman sixty dollars and began a series of lessons in fakery in the woman's dingy dark apartment. The woman didn't even pretend there was anything genuine about the business--she had a bracing air of cynicism that Magda was at first disappointed by, but by the third lesson she found reassuring.
It was a business, after all. Business she could learn. Business she could handle. Magic, not so much. The woman advised her on headscarves and necklaces and where to get a cut-rate but serviceable crystal ball. And bracelets--people liked psychics to have plenty of bangles, plus their jingling was a helpful distraction.
ReplyDelete"All you need is to stay just one inch ahead of your client and you're all set. Most people WANT to believe you--that's why they're willing to pay you. Believe me, this doesn't take brains to do, or not more than you've got, anyway. Plus, you've already got the perfect name for a psychic--Magda!"
So Magda took the savings she'd hidden from Frank and rented a tiny room at the top of the stairs over a liquor store on the main street. She had a sign painter letter her window in gold paint. PSYCHIC. SEE YOUR FUTURE WITH MAGDA.
Nobody came up the stairs for the first week. Finally she persuaded a friend to talk a couple of women the friend knew into coming to see her. "Just to get the ball rolling," Magda said. "I'll give you a cut."
She told the first woman she saw a divorce in her future, followed by incandescent happiness with a far better man.
The second woman looked more contented than the first. Magda told her that she had nothing to fear
exactly; still, she should keep her eyes open around her eldest child.
ReplyDeleteAfter this the women told their friends and soon Magda had built up a regular clientele. She told Frank that unless he stopped drinking and got his bowling arm back she was going to file for divorce. She practiced saying in a deep voice, "I see divorce in your future!" using her Transylvanian accent.
Frank had no desire to lose Magda and he was very fond of his children. He began going to AA and to his surprise, he found fellow bowlers there. One day Magda went back to thank the woman who had given her lessons in becoming a psychic, but found that her former teacher had moved out and left no forwarding address. She left the woman's apartment building and wandered aimlessly, stopping only to look at the sun setting over the ridge.
GoKrisGo--a great story about the young girl and the park ranger. It seems to veer into the absurd, which is an element that I love! I really like the details you give about both characters, particularly Georgette's upbringing. A vivid, well-drawn character!
ReplyDeleteJennie, Magda is a wonderful, down-to-earth character, and this story has real charm. I love how she picks up the psychic job just to make money, but it ends up working really well for her, and makes her life so much better. The story flows seamlessly and is delightful and wholly believable!