Fiction Friday
[Fiction] Friday Challenge for December 19, 2008:
Write a short scene, with exactly two characters that involves a terrible Christmas (or similar holiday) present.
| A: | What is it? |
| B: | He called it an “object duh art”. |
| A: | That’s cute. |
| B: | That?! |
| A: | No…that he tried to say it in French. |
| B: | That’s what saved me? |
| A: | What did? |
| B: | His “French” pronunciation…he thought that’s what I was laughing at. |
| A: | OK…so…objet d’art…But what is it? |
| B: | I didn’t have the heart to ask him. |
| A: | Is there a tag? |
| B: | No. |
| A: | Where did he get it? |
| B: | At an art festival. |
| A: | He went to an art festival. |
| B: | Yep. |
| A: | On his own? |
| B: | No. He dragged his friends along with him. |
| A: | You’re kidding. |
| B: | Evidently they stopped at one on the way to one of the games. |
| A: | Now you have to be kidding. |
| B: | He says they were all walking around in football jerseys getting weird looks from the artists. |
| A: | I can imagine. I wish I could have seen that. |
| B: | Me too. |
| A: | So he went to an art festival… |
| B: | Yep…for that. |
| A: | No. Not for that. |
| B: | For what then? |
| A: | If he went an art festival, he went for you. That…was an unintended consequence. |
| B: | … |
| A: | Oh, don’t look so damned giddy. |
| B: | Sorry. |
| A: | So are you going to leave it out? |
| B: | Of course I am. |
| A: | Where? |
| B: | That depends on what it is. |
| A: | … |
| B: | … |
| A: | It might be a pitcher. |
8 Comments
I’m trying to imagine what this object d’art actually looks like and I’m getting a Darli-esque picture in my head! Loved the ‘object duh art’. Sounds like something Homer might say
Netcheck sent me
Lots of implied backstory – I like it. And, I’m pretty sure it’s not a pitcher.
Thanks!
I love these dialogues. I get such vivid pictures…I love the clever use of language, especially “pitcher”.
Short and sweet. I love the snappy dialogue that gets to the crux of the story. I particularly love the idea of a bunch of football dudes wandering around an art gallery show/opening.
That’s love for you!
And I never considered (until I just read Tammi’s comment) the double meaning of pitcher. Aussie sensibilities I guess.
Having been one of those athletes who tried to do the art show thing (I was a pitcher, actually)… this one hit home nicely. I am absolutely certain that a number of people had this very conversation about a gift I made or gave! (Them: is it an ash tray or a coffee mug? Me: No, it’s a cookie jar, duh!)
Very good work with the dialogue to tell the whole story.
Or is it the kind of pitcher you can pour from? I can see this as a cartoon.
Netchick sent me to say that.
Netchick sent me to say hi!
I enjoyed this! As I was reading this, I could see the puzzled expressions as I tried to imagine what it was he was possessed to buy her.
Monica
Netchick sent me back
Love the cartoon at the top of your blog. I never knew the creative process was so painful