Old Friends - Bookends
I’ve been in a real shitty mood since I lost out on that last place, on top of that I received my credit report.
It’s not good. That stint on unemployment did a number on my credit.
I needed to cheer up and quickly, because it was turning into one of those dark ones. I ran into some old friends, sort of.
I found the Sega Genesis Collection, 28 video games that I loved and grew up with. That didn’t do it all the way, though.
Last night I went to get coffee with some other writers in my class, and we discussed some stuff. That didn’t work but what did work was the speaker for my class. He gave me an idea, and it snowballed.
A year ago I was working on a attempt for a novel, the problem was I loved the characters so much, but it in itself wasn’t gelling as a novel. It was a genuine kind of love, the kind of love that made me feel miserable when they were.
I knew I needed a break from this one, a very short break, just so stuff is fresh, plus it was doing the infamous invade my normal conciousness. I mean writing a scene about someone freezing to death is cool. Seeing it around you when there is no reason to, is not. Taking cover when there are helicopters around, also not cool. So I decided to just nail out a short story. I made a few cracks at one, but I wasn’t feeling it. I liked the basic premise, but not the area or the people. It felt put on.
Then the light bulb came on, I’ll use the characters from that original piece. They are still relatively fresh in my mind it’ll be like visiting an old friend! I also have all of my notes, and I know that place really well so the setting will be authentic.
So I’m writing, and I’m on the third page within an hour, by then one of them had an abortion, another one is panhandling/dealing, the third is having a nervous breakdown.
Lovely. I’m starting to realize why I haven’t beaten off the ladies with a stick in a long time, because I really am a sick asshole.
