EXERCISE: One Flew In!

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 22:44:42 -0500

So, here's the basic scenario.

Two people (you pick the characters, the location, the scenery, what have you).

Pick a number from one to twelve.  Got it?

Good.  Here's the emotion you have picked:

1.  sadness  2. distress  3.  relief  4.  joy 
5.  hate  6. love 7.  fear  8. anticipation 
9.  anger  10.  guilt  11.  gratitude  12. pride

Now, pick a number from one to six.  Here's the result:

1.  a plastic flower
2.  a stapler
3.  a birthday card
4.  a lighter
5.  a toy wheel
6.  a pair of pliers

Your two characters are immersed in their scene (what are they doing?  Oh, that?  Kewl.)

Ding-dong.  Delivery boy, the daily mail, a box dropped from heaven, in one way or another, the object you picked gets delivered (consider having it wrapped, or in an envelope, as you then have the fun of opening it!).

And one of your characters (you flip the coin) experiences that emotion (remember?  one to twelve) in regard to that object.

What is it about that object which pulls them into the emotional maelstrom? What happened that dark day?

And how do they explain this to the other person?  Do they keep a stiff upper lip as their heart breaks again?  Or do they sob on the shoulder of their friend?

A small scene, but one that can go many places.

Just two characters, an object, and the emotions it brings with it.

Write it up!