Monday August 11th, 2014

The exercise:

Write about a: change of plans.

Kat's brother and his family were expected to arrive for a visit on Wednesday, but we learned late this evening that's not happening. They're arriving tomorrow instead.

Can't wait to see Max and his only cousin playing together once again.

I think I was going to talk about some other things as well, but I managed to fall asleep on the couch, as per usual, so I should probably just get some writing done and then switch to sleeping in my actual bed.

Mine:

"Mom, what is this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you said we were going to Disneyland."

"You're right, I did say that. Yesterday."

"But this is the dentist's office!"

"... and today there was a change of plans."

3 comments:

Greg said...

Beds are for the weak... though I guess Kat might get concerned if you seemed to prefer sleeping on the couch! I shall look forward to the photos of this playdate then!
Heh, I wonder how many children have experienced that particular change of plan that you wrote about today? Parents... you just can't trust them!

A change of plans
Charles Ascuigimento, Head of Building Security, stood at the edge of the rat-pit. Next to him were his Head of Third Floor Security, Dave, and an intern who'd been them three weeks, Sam. Sam was staring transfixed at the rats milling and squeaking in the pit, and the two balaclaved men who were huddled in a damp corner and smelled of their own urine.
"Why is there is a pit on the third floor?" asked Sam finally. "Pits are things you get in the ground... there shouldn't be enough space to dig a pit here!"
Dave looked at Charles, who nodded. "There's a requirement for thicker ceilings on parts of the Second Floor," said Dave. He had a way of pronouncing captitalised words that made you feel like you hear the capitals. "The pit is dug into one of those thickenings."
"Doesn't that mean that the second floor," Sam couldn't manage the capitals, "doesn't have the required ceiling thickness though?"
"They haven't complained about it," said Charles. Somehow his voice, though quiet, managed to silence the rats so that only the whimpering of the men now rose from the pit.
"Are the rats safety-code compliant?" asked Sam. He sounded fascinated by them.
"The Second Floor labs are responsible for supplying us with rats that are disease-free," said Dave quickly.
"And the Eighth Floor labs are responsible with providing us with the diseases they actually carry," said Charles. Sam backed away from the edge of the pit slightly.
"But how did they fall in?" he asked. "We checked; they got the building plans from the council less than two weeks ago."
Dave looked at Charles, who smiled faintly. "Ah yes," said Charles. "Back when these things were registered... there was a change of plans."

morganna said...

I promised to stay
Til death do us part
But I met someone better
So I'm off!

==================
PS Thanks for delaying Vancouver Irrealis :), we were on vacation and just got back Saturday.

Marc said...

Greg - devious creatures, those parental types...

Our dear Charles is in charge of a fascinatingly complex building. Really enjoy all the additions you introduce to it :D

Morganna - hah, ouch! Such a light and lively poem for such a devastating life event.

And welcome back! Glad the timing worked out for you :)