T.J.'s Panties?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Fri, 3 May 1996 10:49:46 EDT

[and a one, and a two, and a three to six? Get your dice hot, `cause here we go, ready or not...:-]

A. Take a number! One to six!

Got it? Okay, see what you picked:

1. a flower (roses, maybe?)
2. a wine goblet
3. a beautiful Japanese doll
4. a coffee table book
5. a fine silk scarf
6. a porcelain jewelry case

B. Now another number? One to six, of course.

1. dirty underwear (T.J.'s panties?)
2. a dead rat
3. a very ripe fish head
4. a pig's foot
5. used tissues (someone has a cold...)
6. a well-used toothbrush

C. Last, but not least, another number? One to six:

1. a gift wrapped box
2. a paper grocery bag
3. a violin case
4. a pillow case
5. a CD carrying case
6. a black leather purse

Got your three items? Put the first two objects in the last one. So now your pillow case has a wine goblet and a pig's foot in it, and we're ready to begin.

Pick a character or two, put them in a scene with the little wonder set of three objects you've just put together, and ponder. In the course of this scene, one character will find and open the container, getting out the good and the not so fine contents.

Your assignment, should you choose to try it, is to make us feel the emotional responses of the characters. I kind of like having the people respond in a way which surprises the reader, then explaining, but it's up to you. You might not feel right having your romantic lead laugh heartily at the single rose, then plunge into tears when the panties off T.J.'s bum come to life in our hands...

So, that's it. Start with a little sleight of mind playing with the three objects and a character, and see where your fingers lead you.

[What? You began AND ended in T.J.'s drawers? Well, I hope you washed well afterword, you never know where that furniture has been...]

Incidentally, you may put other objects in the container as desired. After all, it's your story!

Single Sentence Start?

"I never thought she would give it to you," he said.

[tickle, tickle, giggle, I hear a neuron snapping, I hear a synapse popping, is that the sound of a brain frying? Out of the pan and into the frying fingers, here come words, punctuation, and flickering flame of a story!]