Monday August 17th, 2009

The exercise:

Today's starter: engage.

You do what you will with that. At least a couple of people know where I'm going with it.

Mine:

Apparently I'm not as subtle as I thought. But perhaps I'm more subtle than I've been given credit for - man on a mission? Ask the question? You let those slip through but 'making it official' is too obvious? Yeesh.

Anyway. Yes, Kat and I are officially engaged as of Saturday evening. I didn't want to come right out and announce it yet because my parents are gallivanting around Eastern Canada right now and I haven't been able to get a hold of them. I thought it would be appropriate if I told my parents before I announced it on my blog, you know? But it's probably going to be another week before I track them down and... I can't wait that long :)

And just for the record: there was no pinky swearing involved.

It's looking like July 31st of next summer will be the date - we're having the ceremony and reception at the orchard in Osoyoos and that's a long weekend out here, which should allow our guests some travel time.

After a little over four years, it kinda feels weird not having a girlfriend anymore. But I think I can get used to having a fiancée.

3 comments:

Greg said...

I think you were subtle, but whereas I'd believe that Ask the Question was just coincidence after Man on a Mission, Making it Official just stretched my credibility too far. I wondered where you were going with Man on a mission when I first read the title :)

Congratulations again, and the location for the wedding sounds fantastic!

Engage

Gearwheels meshed and iron strived against iron; a shudder ran through the vast superstructure like an earthquake in minature. On the upper deck the Captain gazed calmly out to sea, watching the iceberg as it adjusted its course to ram the ship.
"It's clearly not a natural phenomenon," said the woman stood next to him. She inclined her head and peered up at the Captain, who was easily six inches taller than her. He turned slightly, and spat in her face.
"Of course it isn't, you stupid witch."
She wiped her face with a withered, blackened hand, the steel chains binding her wrist rattling like lost Hope in Pandora's box.
"Then we shall sink when it hits us," she said.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" The captain sneered at her, the fingers of his left hand twitching, trying to ball into a fist.
"I would die too."
"You and all your filthy, verminous children. If you weren't so valuable alive, I'd flood the hold and drown you all myself."
The iceberg slid closer, and a high-pitched whine started sounding like a titanic mosquito circling the ship. A red light flickered fitfully to life on the Captain's wristwatch.
"Watch and learn," he said, tiny flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. "See what you can do when you're properly harnessed."
He lifted his wrist to his face, and said quietly, with authority, "Engage!"
More gearwheels meshed and turned, and an inhuman cry of pain and rage rose from the hold of the ship. A brilliant lance of blue light leapt from the gun-tower and struck the iceberg. Instantly steam fountained from it and rapidly blocked the view. As the iceberg boiled away the ship became wreathed in chilly fog, the Captain smiled a hard smile, and the woman on the deck collapsed, blood running from her nostrils.

g2 (la pianista irlandesa) said...

Ay, ¡felicidades, compa! Best of everything to you both!
- - - - -
It's very difficult
to engage
in conversation

When the other
won't speak:
Silent vexation
- - - - -
Nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done.

Whatever "the job" might be.

I liked the tension in your piece, Greg. I'd be curious to see how this particular scene came about.

Marc said...

Greg - hah, fair enough :)

That's a hell of a scene you've created there. I could see a lot more stemming from that, if one were interested in continuing the story.

I'd encourage one to do so :)

g2 - muchas gracias :D

And I liked yours, I think it ends on a perfect note.