Pay attention to the conversations around you: at the dinner table, in the supermarket, while DVD Returning, wherever. You are looking for one line, one tiny sentence of dialogue. You may find your words lurking in a D&M or perhaps you will choose a phrase from everyday chatter. Write down your line. Use it to inspire your Write on Wednesday post.
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She tried to peer over the menu without being noticed. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she focused intently on the large, plastic banana wearing a hat on display near the counter. Or rather, she appeared to be intently focused on the banana. She was looking earnestly at it, or so it would seem. She was not seeing the ridiculous fruit at all. She was scanning the room with her ears, listening for the conversation on which she was determined to eavesdrop.
"...doing backflips in 8 inch stilleto heels and landing in a perfect split..."
"... Doc said it's a virus ...
"... knocked into the bucket, yes, that bucket..."
She was pretty sure it was none of those. This was the most interesting part of her job, almost. She really enjoyed overhearing the odd things people talk about in public. You would be amazed what people will discuss when they think no one is listening, she often told her husband. Then she heard it, the conversation for which she had been waiting.
"...lovely, lovely day. Now to prepare for an important day tomorrow."
Sure that was the one, she readjusted her gaze, turning to admire the desserts in the glass enclosed display case. From her vantage point, the display case offered her more than an eye full of delicious sweetness. It offered her a reflective view of the two women sipping hot tea, engrossed in their conversation.
The speaker wore a large hat and sunglasses. Odd. Sunglasses inside were usually a sign the wearer was hiding something.
The smaller, younger woman sat listening intently as the over dressed older woman continued her description of the day ahead of her. She left no detail out. Unashamed, she openly declared to this obviously less worldly companion the intriguing, slightly disturbing details of her "important day" to come.
Our eavesdropping friend took no notes, recorded no voices. Instead, she soaked in the details, allowing her nearly perfect memory to record the information in her brain, etching the details in her memory banks until she was able to return home and sit in front of her computer and upload all the details.
Yes, this was definitely the one. These were surely the women she came to monitor. This very conversation would, in fact, become her next best selling novel. Those few words began to turn in her head, to take shape, to come to life. As the ladies sat, eating their pastries, Mrs. Johnson began to unleash her creative monster, creating and destroying lives over tea.
I'm linking this up with Write on Wednesday. Check out other submissions here.
Perfect - effectively using the prompt twice to write a piece about writing a piece around an overheard conversation.
ReplyDeleteBriliiantly written!
How cute! A piece about a piece about a piece. I also like the idea of destruction through novel writing. I find that people are so very willing to find themselves in my writing that I have to be very careful about what I write - or at least be very willing to convince people that this character is not, in fact, them. I'm also intrigued that you used a facebook post as what you "overheard.' Sure, this is largely due, I imagine, to proximity, but it does lend itself to a conversation about the expectation of privacy on fb. Can you eavesdrop what people write in such a public forum? Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteThat was wonderful! I loved when she started searching for conversation. The idea of doing backflips in heels!
ReplyDeleteThat was great. I love how you used the prompt. I was wondering what she would be doing - journalist, spy - didn't pick novellis.
ReplyDeleteVery cleverly done, and a very enjoyable piece to read :)
ReplyDeleteAh, very nice. And intriguing. Good reading..
ReplyDeleteThis is superb! So creative and clever - didnt know what your main character would turn out to be. Very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteSo intriguing, so fluent, very enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteTiffy
Creative and interesting take on the prompt. I loved the snippets of conversation and I was trying to guess what your character's job was...I was thinking Private Eye. Love this piece!
ReplyDelete