The exercise:
Let's go with: lights out.
We helped pick apples this afternoon, since Kat's parents have a ridiculous amount to get through in the next couple of weeks. It was fun, and I'll be back out there tomorrow.
Mine:
When I came back to the house to take care of the dishes late this afternoon, the power was out. Which was highly surprising, seeing as it was a warm, sunny day and the wind wasn't particularly strong.
Kat's dad came in to start making dinner about half an hour later and it was still out. He decided to make do with using the barbecue, even though what he'd planned on cooking was really meant for the stove top. So he lit the barbecue, came back inside... and the lights came back on.
He kind of shook his head, thought about using it anyway, but then went out and doused the flames.
About ten minutes later I was downstairs getting ready to take a shower. I'd wandered into the bathroom, only to spot a rather large spider crawling across the floor right in front of me. So I grabbed a tissue, looked back down and... the lights went out again.
"God. Damn. It."
I grabbed a flashlight, eventually found it again, and disposed of it. Then I took a shower in the mostly dark, while attempting to keep an eye out for more massive spiders, or any oversized insects for that matter. I'm pretty sure I heard Kat's dad go back outside and restart the barbecue at some point during all this.
It sounds like your power outage was a little bit of a trying time! Sounds like it's a good thing you don't have an electric shower, or you'd have been having a cold shower in the dark. Did you have stove-cooked or barbecued food in the end?
ReplyDeleteLights out
The architect, Donald, stood at on the street cater-corner to his masterpiece and looked up. The building had reached the 37th floor now, and the central supporting column was already twenty stories higher. It wasn't going to be a particularly tall building by the standards of the city, and although it had won three architectural awards already this year, it wasn't especially beautiful. But, as the steel girders locked into place and the scaffolding around the outside slowly scaled the height, his real intention was finally becoming clear.
Adjacent to his masterpiece, which the newspapers had nicknamed the Hindenburg for the plans to store hydrogen tanks in the basement, was a much smaller building, much older, and owned by his mother. Who had abandoned his at the age of five.
Tarpaulin dropped over the scaffolding and shadow engulfed the house, violating his mother's ancient lights. He waited on the side for her to come running out, knowing that her art depended on the light to be saleable, and couldn't stop himself from smirking at how successful his revenge would be.
Mine:
ReplyDeletePlatoon commander: 10:30pm lights out, you will be dead if I do not see that you are already in bed!
Private James: Look at that idiot - whispering to Corporal Max
Why are they behaving so secretive? I smell something about that shit he pull off yesterday during the midnight.
Apparently, they are trying to get over those walls.
Are you sure?
Hell no! They will not get pass that heavily secured gate out there! They are going to get themselves killed!
Well, they actually did it! The officer-in-charge seems to have “closed an eye”. They walk like a free man.
Commander (clearing throat) - standing right outside the room.. You ladies sure like to talk, you and you get over here! Up and down the stairs twenty times. GO!
Lights out all of you!
Greg - stove cooked (apparently the barbecue didn't catch properly the second time and by the time it was noticed the power was back on).
ReplyDeleteNow that is an extensively (expensively?) planned revenge!
Zhongming - good stuff, glad to see you getting some momentum again with your writing :)
I've decided to change your prompt to lights on, because it makes more sense. President Obama was in town today and everywhere I went, I saw flashing red-blue-and whites atop the police vehicles. He visits frequently, I believe this is his third since being voted into office, and every time it causes political excitement in conversation and traffic delays on whatever route they've determined the best option. The first time I saw his motorcade, I sat for 15 minutes waiting for his car (and the cars of secret service agents and the large police escort) to pass while the milk warmed in the backseat. Yesterday, however, I've never seen the likes of. In the 12 miles I drove, I saw at least 60 police cars, nearly all of which had their lights on. Every turn around (meant for emergency vehicles only) were blocked with the biggest bright orange construction trucks I have ever seen. Men and women in bright safety vests milled around on the shoulder while cars sped by at a controlled 5 miles an hour over the speed limit. That was the show 4 hours before his arrival! But, I guess I wouldn't expect much less when shutting down an interstate and expressway.
ReplyDeleteChanging my own prompts? I'm not sure I approve! And such a drastic change as well... hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteHaha, whatever works to get you writing :)
I'm quite happy to be in a nice, out of the way place these days and not have to worry about that sort of mess. Plus, I wouldn't want my current Prime Minister anywhere near me anyway, so it works all around.