I've created one half of the dialogue in a conversation between two people, intentionally vague so that the conversation could be made into almost anything. Paste this dialogue into your message box and fill in the other person's portions... create names for the people, etc., and feel free to modify the given parts, if necessary. Don't modify too much, though, or you aren't really doing the activity. Above all, make it interesting (for yourself, if for no one else). And feel free to answer anonymously, if you are too frightened to share your identity:
Character #1: Did you have to do that?
Character #2:
Character #1: I don't believe you. I can't believe anything you say. I have tried for so long to get my life together. I thought I was waiting for you all this time, waiting for this. It isn't what I thought it was going to be. It's harder. It's too hard.
Character #2:
(Character #1 doesn't answer.)
Character #2:
Character #1: Don't touch me.
Character #2:
Character #1: How can you mean that? How can I believe you?
Character #2:
Character #1: Okay, for now. But if it doesn't happen, I can't promise I'll stick with it. Or you.
Character #2:
Might be easy to make this a romance novel, but what else could be happening? Who are these people? What is really going on between them? What are they trying to do?
Knock yourself out... and post when you can... I'll be checking back through next Wednesday, when I post another one.
I'll be by to do your exercise in a bit (or Friday). You should check this out.
ReplyDeletehttp://thevirtualdimemuseum.blogspot.com/
Cora: Did you have to do that?
ReplyDeleteBart: She made me do it. She brought it all on herself. You don't understand, mom. You never did. Men got needs.
Cora: I don't believe you. I can't believe anything you say. I have tried for so long to get my life together. I thought I was waiting for you all this time, waiting for this. It isn't what I thought it was going to be. It's harder. It's too hard.
Bart: who asked you to come down here, you old bag? You never stood up for me before. What makes you think I was expecting you now?
Cora stared him with blank eyes and he remembered, almost against his will, the only times his mother had stood up to the old man instead of just letting him whale on her - when his piss-poor excuse for a father had Bart in his sights. Bart shrugged but couldn't quite dispel the images: her beating for his - when she was there to take it.
Bart: So, you took an extra beating or two. It's not like you weren't used to it. I still got plenty.
Even so, he reached out to pat her hand, hoping she wouldn't mind the cuffs. She flinched and avoided his touch.
Cora: Don't touch me.
Bart: Mom, please! (The words were wrenched out of him.) It was an accident, I swear!
Cora: How can you mean that? How can I believe you?
How could he blame her? He knew how many times she had heard the promises, the empty remorse.
Bart: I lost my head. One moment, I was just angry and she was arguing like always and then the world turned red. By the time my vision came back, the world was red for real.
Cora: I'll accept that for now, but I can't promise I'll stick with it. Or you.
He nodded, but his head hung lower.
Bart: It's because I'm in here, isn't it, and I can't hurt you, can't hurt anyone else anymore.
She didn't answer, but he saw it in her eyes.
Whoa! That was GREAT! I love that even when nobody else takes a stab at it, you always do, even if you are off to Timbuktu for a conference.
ReplyDeleteYou Rock!
And I will definitely check out the blog... I'll do that now.
I ALSO have a wednesday writing exercise on Rocket Scientist.
ReplyDeleteThe one above is a GHOST story.