WCWC Thursday 4/8/04 strangers

lumberjim · 04-08-2004, 04:24 PM

Pay attention to strangers this week. Watch for someone that stands out. Maybe they're in the grocery store line in front of you, maybe they brush past you on the street, or maybe they are sitting in the park reading.. Take note of what they are doing, and write a short about them. Show them to us, tell us where they will go next and what they will do.

lumberjim · 04-11-2004, 10:59 PM

"Honey, let's stop at the Starbucks in the rest stop before our exit."

The man headed toward the wrong entrance, and realizing it, doubled back toward the correct door as though he had just been looking at something. Inside, the rest area was humming with activity. He made his way to the back of the short line for starbucks. As he waited, he noticed an attractive blond and her mumu clad mother milling about eating ice cream from paper cups. The girl was probably late twenties, but dressed in a psuedo cheerleader outfit with fuzzy cowboy boots. Not bad looking, he thought, but gauging by mom, some guy has a rude awakening in store for him.

He put cream in his coffee as he waited for his wife's Grande Decaf Soymilk Hazelnut Latte, extra hot. He wasn't even embarrassed to order it by now. Looking up, as he planned the clandestine expulsion of some more of the unprecedented amount of gas he had apparently taken on at the Easter Feast at mother in law's, he noticed a ruffly hot pink and orange miniskrt carried in by two very long and tanned legs. The splash of color stood out against an otherwise dismal background of dark blues, greys, and browns on this rainy Sunday. The skirt was topped by a faded blue denim jacket, and a mop of blonde hair. He was not able to make out a face, as she darted between the backs of exiting travellers in her haste for the ladies room. She was rummaging in her pocket book, and her head was downturned.

His Latte was ready, and as he turned to go, he caught another glimpse of pink as it was eclipsed by the cheerleader, the mumu mom, and now dad in his overcoat. A man in green held the door for him as he left the rest stop, headed back to the car. AS soon as he felt that he was out of earshot of any passersby, he purged a troublesome batch of mimosa bubbles in a quavering yet resonant stream of poop molecules. Amused, he chuckled to himself.

His wife, witnessing this, but not hearing, questioned what the smile was about. " Oh, there're a lot of sluts in the rest stop today."

"Must be peak slut traveling time or something," she observed.

Amanda hurried into the rest stop. " Oh, my god. I look like such a slut in this skirt. What if I see someone I know?" She kept her head down, and rushed in to the ladies room. One good thing about that borrowed skirt was that when you peed, you just flipped it up, and presto! She was done quickly, skipped washing her hands, and rushed back out to the waiting taxi before he took a better fare.

"OK, thanks for stopping!" she said to the driver. He was a fat old guy that smelled like metal. Luigi. She couldn't have pronounced his last name if she'd tried.
Harrisburg was only an hour away now. almost home. SHe had no idea how she was going to get into her house without her parents seeing her. She had told them the job in Atlantic City was a photo shoot for Red Book, but now, she had to come up with a way to explain the loss of their car to the police, the bruise under her left eye, her drastic change in wardrobe and makeup, and somehow not reveal that she had been turning VIP tricks since she'd been back home. Maybe that metal smell was her own fear.

Sun_Sparkz · 04-12-2004, 09:12 PM

Trains were late again. Work has already called me twice and I've turned off my phone now, ill just say we were stuck in a tunnel. Finally pull into the station and I gather my coat and dash off the train, down the stairs and swiftly through the ticket machines. Past the beggars in the nooks along the halls, 8.45 and the meeting would be moving along regardless now, all I can think about is the stares on the back of my head when I sneak into the conference room, trying to be quiet but making more noise than a chainsaw in a nature reserve. I break out in a hurried sweat and wish I had of opted for my skirt suit instead of my baby pink tweed ensemble.

I reach the 3 story escalator and realise that someone's got it in for me today. an old man stands ahead of me on the escalator, not enough room to get around him and the old fart isn't moving, just standing there letting the steps do the moving for him! doesn't he realise what its like to be late for a VERY IMPORTANT meeting!

I put my hands on my hips and sigh loudly. the deaf dinosaur probably cant hear me anyway. I look at his arm and notice a large scar running from the elbow to the wrist. it looks disgusting, probably from sun cancer removal, they didn't have UV awareness a while ago.

Gunfire behind me, rain washing away my will to live and the explosions bringing it back again, I haven't been this scared since I was a child, and I haven't been this brave since the start of this war. Run. Run harder. Run Faster. Fighting time and enemy for the life of my country and my right to live. A fence. Barbed wire. Nothing will stop this race. Diving through the metal it tears copious amounts of flesh from my arms. Blood. Keep Running. Keep Running Harder. Keep Running Faster.

I turn my phone back on and a sms message pops up. We are starting the presentation without you. Mr Cateloni's Secretary insists on chasing me up for every second I remain unaccounted for. I'd even bet she documents how many minutes I spend in the Lav per day so they can dock it from my bonus at the end of February. Man I wish this old tiger would get moving. he has one wrinkled old hand on the moving rail. its not budging. a wedding ring on his finger looks marked and tarnished, and his watch looks as though he brought it at a retro 70's kliens at a discount store and I notice the time on the face says 8.47, I wish I was in that meeting!

Three kids and fifty one years of marriage, haven't taken off that ring since she put it on my finger 55 years ago. I miss her getting the kids ready for school. I miss her corned beef. I miss her yelling at me for the mud on the car. I miss the way she would hold our grandson and bounce, bounce, bounce him to sleep. Her smell has finally left our empty home and im left alone with my earl grey every morning.

Nearly at the top of the escalator, feels like the thing is in slow motion this morning, Ill bet this turtle in front is probably only in the city for some ANZAC memorial or some crap. Total disregard that some of us have lives, and places to be. Off the last step and I storm past him, got my power walk on now and stride into the office, don't make eye contact with the secretary and turn the handle on the conference room door

Off the escalator and a young girl rushes past me, looking like a professional bitch, so much to learn about what's important, I turn and duck into the Newsagency to buy myself a lottery ticket before my appointment with my heart specialist, new pacemaker next week he warns me. How can I fit in the time when I have grandkids visiting in the school holidays and some of the ANZAC's are supposed to be meeting again next week to organise the next march, I hope my new Knee holds up for the duration, I just wish life would slow down sometimes...

Griff · 04-14-2004, 09:22 AM

He's never known a razor. Standing at the uncluttered counter of the bike shop, he hands over his Visa card while his mom waits quietly. "$230," says the bike guy. The kid nods, his perfectly clean fitted Yankee cap wags assent. "Declined." "Why?" Bike guy bites his tongue. "It doesn't say." "Run it again." Bike guy shrugs and swipes the card. pause "Declined. Do you have another card?" "It worked before when I bought the..." Kid pulls his vibrating cell phone out of his pocket. "What's the deal with the printer?" pause Staring down impassively at the counter, avoiding eye contact with the shop guy,"Can I get a good copy? I've got quality paper for my resume. Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" long pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" Knowing glance from bike guy, there goes my commision "Get you something?" "Couple skinnier 26 by tubes." "Schrader?" "Presta." "10.25." "Here ya go." "Thanks. Sign this." "See ya." "yep." Kid follows me out and jerks a new red 20" out of the rack and drags it inside like a disobedient child.

The long held dream of turning his B.A. in Economics from B.U. into a lucrative career doing urban cycling videos died at the fickle hands of the cruel fiends at Visa. Six weeks of pizza, beer, and porn need to be transferred immediately, time to surf the net for a new deal...

04-08-2004, 04:24 PM	#1
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	WCWC Thursday 4/8/04 Pay attention to strangers this week. Watch for someone that stands out. Maybe they're in the grocery store line in front of you, maybe they brush past you on the street, or maybe they are sitting in the park reading.. Take note of what they are doing, and write a short about them. Show them to us, tell us where they will go next and what they will do. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

04-11-2004, 10:59 PM	#2
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	"Honey, let's stop at the Starbucks in the rest stop before our exit." The man headed toward the wrong entrance, and realizing it, doubled back toward the correct door as though he had just been looking at something. Inside, the rest area was humming with activity. He made his way to the back of the short line for starbucks. As he waited, he noticed an attractive blond and her mumu clad mother milling about eating ice cream from paper cups. The girl was probably late twenties, but dressed in a psuedo cheerleader outfit with fuzzy cowboy boots. Not bad looking, he thought, but gauging by mom, some guy has a rude awakening in store for him. He put cream in his coffee as he waited for his wife's Grande Decaf Soymilk Hazelnut Latte, extra hot. He wasn't even embarrassed to order it by now. Looking up, as he planned the clandestine expulsion of some more of the unprecedented amount of gas he had apparently taken on at the Easter Feast at mother in law's, he noticed a ruffly hot pink and orange miniskrt carried in by two very long and tanned legs. The splash of color stood out against an otherwise dismal background of dark blues, greys, and browns on this rainy Sunday. The skirt was topped by a faded blue denim jacket, and a mop of blonde hair. He was not able to make out a face, as she darted between the backs of exiting travellers in her haste for the ladies room. She was rummaging in her pocket book, and her head was downturned. His Latte was ready, and as he turned to go, he caught another glimpse of pink as it was eclipsed by the cheerleader, the mumu mom, and now dad in his overcoat. A man in green held the door for him as he left the rest stop, headed back to the car. AS soon as he felt that he was out of earshot of any passersby, he purged a troublesome batch of mimosa bubbles in a quavering yet resonant stream of poop molecules. Amused, he chuckled to himself. His wife, witnessing this, but not hearing, questioned what the smile was about. " Oh, there're a lot of sluts in the rest stop today." "Must be peak slut traveling time or something," she observed. Amanda hurried into the rest stop. " Oh, my god. I look like such a slut in this skirt. What if I see someone I know?" She kept her head down, and rushed in to the ladies room. One good thing about that borrowed skirt was that when you peed, you just flipped it up, and presto! She was done quickly, skipped washing her hands, and rushed back out to the waiting taxi before he took a better fare. "OK, thanks for stopping!" she said to the driver. He was a fat old guy that smelled like metal. Luigi. She couldn't have pronounced his last name if she'd tried. Harrisburg was only an hour away now. almost home. SHe had no idea how she was going to get into her house without her parents seeing her. She had told them the job in Atlantic City was a photo shoot for Red Book, but now, she had to come up with a way to explain the loss of their car to the police, the bruise under her left eye, her drastic change in wardrobe and makeup, and somehow not reveal that she had been turning VIP tricks since she'd been back home. Maybe that metal smell was her own fear. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan Last edited by lumberjim; 04-12-2004 at 06:17 PM.

04-12-2004, 09:12 PM	#3
Sun_Sparkz Has Body Temperature Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: I come from a land downunder Posts: 1,105	Trains were late again. Work has already called me twice and I've turned off my phone now, ill just say we were stuck in a tunnel. Finally pull into the station and I gather my coat and dash off the train, down the stairs and swiftly through the ticket machines. Past the beggars in the nooks along the halls, 8.45 and the meeting would be moving along regardless now, all I can think about is the stares on the back of my head when I sneak into the conference room, trying to be quiet but making more noise than a chainsaw in a nature reserve. I break out in a hurried sweat and wish I had of opted for my skirt suit instead of my baby pink tweed ensemble. I reach the 3 story escalator and realise that someone's got it in for me today. an old man stands ahead of me on the escalator, not enough room to get around him and the old fart isn't moving, just standing there letting the steps do the moving for him! doesn't he realise what its like to be late for a VERY IMPORTANT meeting! I put my hands on my hips and sigh loudly. the deaf dinosaur probably cant hear me anyway. I look at his arm and notice a large scar running from the elbow to the wrist. it looks disgusting, probably from sun cancer removal, they didn't have UV awareness a while ago. Gunfire behind me, rain washing away my will to live and the explosions bringing it back again, I haven't been this scared since I was a child, and I haven't been this brave since the start of this war. Run. Run harder. Run Faster. Fighting time and enemy for the life of my country and my right to live. A fence. Barbed wire. Nothing will stop this race. Diving through the metal it tears copious amounts of flesh from my arms. Blood. Keep Running. Keep Running Harder. Keep Running Faster. I turn my phone back on and a sms message pops up. We are starting the presentation without you. Mr Cateloni's Secretary insists on chasing me up for every second I remain unaccounted for. I'd even bet she documents how many minutes I spend in the Lav per day so they can dock it from my bonus at the end of February. Man I wish this old tiger would get moving. he has one wrinkled old hand on the moving rail. its not budging. a wedding ring on his finger looks marked and tarnished, and his watch looks as though he brought it at a retro 70's kliens at a discount store and I notice the time on the face says 8.47, I wish I was in that meeting! Three kids and fifty one years of marriage, haven't taken off that ring since she put it on my finger 55 years ago. I miss her getting the kids ready for school. I miss her corned beef. I miss her yelling at me for the mud on the car. I miss the way she would hold our grandson and bounce, bounce, bounce him to sleep. Her smell has finally left our empty home and im left alone with my earl grey every morning. Nearly at the top of the escalator, feels like the thing is in slow motion this morning, Ill bet this turtle in front is probably only in the city for some ANZAC memorial or some crap. Total disregard that some of us have lives, and places to be. Off the last step and I storm past him, got my power walk on now and stride into the office, don't make eye contact with the secretary and turn the handle on the conference room door Off the escalator and a young girl rushes past me, looking like a professional bitch, so much to learn about what's important, I turn and duck into the Newsagency to buy myself a lottery ticket before my appointment with my heart specialist, new pacemaker next week he warns me. How can I fit in the time when I have grandkids visiting in the school holidays and some of the ANZAC's are supposed to be meeting again next week to organise the next march, I hope my new Knee holds up for the duration, I just wish life would slow down sometimes... __________________ We'll never be as young as we are right now

04-14-2004, 09:22 AM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	He's never known a razor. Standing at the uncluttered counter of the bike shop, he hands over his Visa card while his mom waits quietly. "$230," says the bike guy. The kid nods, his perfectly clean fitted Yankee cap wags assent. "Declined." "Why?" Bike guy bites his tongue. "It doesn't say." "Run it again." Bike guy shrugs and swipes the card. pause "Declined. Do you have another card?" "It worked before when I bought the..." Kid pulls his vibrating cell phone out of his pocket. "What's the deal with the printer?" pause Staring down impassively at the counter, avoiding eye contact with the shop guy,"Can I get a good copy? I've got quality paper for my resume. Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" long pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" Knowing glance from bike guy, there goes my commision "Get you something?" "Couple skinnier 26 by tubes." "Schrader?" "Presta." "10.25." "Here ya go." "Thanks. Sign this." "See ya." "yep." Kid follows me out and jerks a new red 20" out of the rack and drags it inside like a disobedient child. The long held dream of turning his B.A. in Economics from B.U. into a lucrative career doing urban cycling videos died at the fickle hands of the cruel fiends at Visa. Six weeks of pizza, beer, and porn need to be transferred immediately, time to surf the net for a new deal... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

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