“I was tired of my lady. We’d been together too long.”
That’s how the song goes. Bubba said it differently: “Shrimpin’ is tough!” Even if you change it to relationships it’s still true. Tom knew it, and he still couldn’t shake the idea that the chicks on the other side of the fence looked awfully tempting – and infinitely more interesting than his “true love.”
Despite assurances from Jack – his life-long friend and self-acknowledged woman-hater and player – that they were all the same, Tom didn’t relent. He just kept entertaining the random thoughts and fantasies until he couldn't resist taking action.
Jack mocked him mercilessly for taking the timid action he took – a personal ad – really? But he condemned him all the same for hopping the fence at all. Didn’t he know how lucky he was? Hadn’t he learned anything from Jack over the years?
And, it sparked something in Tom he hadn’t felt in years. Mystery. Excitement. Whatever. Jack couldn’t believe it. He had told Tom repeatedly how envious he was of Tom’s situation. No drama. No variance. He couldn’t resist. He had to intervene. Plus, Tom was annoying the hell out of him and he had to hear it, but he wouldn’t listen. Jack wracked his brain on what he could possibly do to make him listen.
The only solution turned his stomach. But they’d been friends for a long time, so Jack sucked it up and did it. He didn’t like it, but it actually seemed to be working…
-=-
3AM Exercise #128: Write a very SS, on the model of a villanelle (x19 lines, x5 3-line stanzas, plus x1 4-line stanza). The same 1st & 3rd lines of the story become the last 2 lines of the [story], in order: ABC DEA FGC HIA JKC LMAC. “Lines” may be full sentences or not. If not, make sure the incomplete sentence will be completed by several different concluding phrases without harming meaning too much. Maybe write it first in the form of a poem, then turn it into prose. 250 words. NOTE: Some kind of mathematical exercise, superimposing abstract [theories?] on the art/craft of writing -- which I like. "I like it uh-lot!"
THE POEM (I can’t believe I’m doing this … sigh… whatever…)
Began by laying out the poem; no idea about the story idea… later decided that perhaps I will “comment” about my project “The Greener Side.” Alright. Poem. Check. Now, to turn it into prose for a SS… (panic!)… well. There you go. Not sure if I got it right or not, but I wrote a poem, so I guess now I’m an “artist and blah, blah, blah.” (teen-age Bruce)
(38 words don’t count in the word count) – 247 words
1 (A) The reason why the grass is hard to mow,
2 (B) is because the plain and simple truth is that it’s a tough job.
3 (C) It seems greener on the other side simply because of the line of sight.
4 (D) There are just as many weeds and dead spots over there, too.
5 (E) Make no mistake about it.
6 (A1) It’s all just grass, also struggling to grow.
7 (F) But even though we know grass is just grass,
8 (G) and even though we’ve been around the block a few times, and noticed before,
9 (C1) we believe it actually might be greener; something more idyllic than here and now.
10 (H) So, sometimes, we hop the fence.
11 (I) Just to check, to make sure; because we just can’t trust our experience.
12 (A2) And, we relish walking on this new grass. Ah! Have you felt this grass?
13 (J) Perhaps some part of us actually believes, or wants to believe, this new truth.
14 (K) But in short order, we glance back over the path we have travelled.
15 (C2) And what do we see from our new perspective? Greener grass on the other side!
16 (L) Then reality sets in and we notice the tiniest of flaws.
17 (M) Then we remember how hard we worked to keep it alive before.
18 (A3) The grass on this side is just as hard to mow as our old lawn. So why the drama?
19 (C3) This is wisdom - accuracy of vision - bestowed by repeated experience and age. And growth.
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