Wednesday, October 24, 2007

3 Word Wednesday LVIII



Welcome to Three Word Wednesday. Each week, I will post three (or more) words. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write something using all of those words. It can be a few lines, a story, a poem, anything. I'll also attempt to write something using the same words.

Leave a comment if you participate. Many fun and interesting people might visit your blog.

This week's words are:
Care
Unexpected
Weekend


Jason stood on the familiar plastic green doormat with the white and yellow flower. He wasn't sure how long doormats typically lasted, but this one had to be up there in the all-time doormat longevity rankings. Finally, the door opened and there stood Keith, with a sheepish look Jason had seen at least twenty times before.

"Uh oh. What is it?" Jason squinted, expecting the worst.

"I... uh... I can't go," Keith stammered.

"What? Why not? We've had this planned for weeks."

"I kinda promised Lauren I'd... take care of her cat," Keith replied almost ashamedly.

"What? When? She dumped you!"

"Well, something unexpected came up and she had to go out of town for the weekend."

"What came up?"

"Ski trip," Keith looked at his feet and mumbled so quietly that Jason didn't understand him.

"What?"

"She went on a ski trip."

"Oh my gaaaaaaa!" Jason slapped his hand to his forehead, covering his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. He let his hand fall away before continuing. "You need help."

"What?" Keith asked innocently. "She needed someone. Besides you and Troy can still go."

"I can't go with Troy."

"Why not?"

"He's your friend. We don't have anything to talk about."

"So?"

"You don't understand. It's... hard to explain. We need like a third-party mediator to hang out."

"Oh yeah, and I'm the one who needs help," Keith said sarcastically.

"You do."

"Well, you're welcome to hang out here with me and Princess."

Jason looked down to see a long-haired white cat had come to nuzzle itself against Keith's leg.

"No thanks. I think I'll go home and advertise for some new friends."

Stepping on the plastic green doormat again as he left, the symbolism wasn't lost on him.

"I wrote her off for the tenth time today, and practiced all the things I would say. But she came over. I lost my nerve. I took her back and made her dessert..."

63 comments:

  1. So, I am first!

    This is something different from what I usually write.

    click trapezoid of rigid austere

    or cut/paste:
    http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2007/10/trapezoid-of-rigid-austere-3ww.html

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  2. Simon is in reflective mood today. Find out why.

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  3. Good morning :o) Here is my submission this week:

    http://greengrassramblings.blogspot.com/2007/10/3ww-care-unexpected-weekend.html

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  4. I'm continuing my story.
    I have a sore throat and will probably not be able to read blogs today

    My story was written in advance and I added the words which probably would have been easier any other time

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  5. I don't CARE about any UNEXPECTED emails, phone calls, or office visits because the WEEKEND is almost here!

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  6. If my html thing is working, the following link should take you to my contribution. Thanks for the prompt!!

    click here

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  7. Here's mine. I'll be back later to read.

    3WW

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  8. I can't wait to read yours Bone! Mine is up!

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  9. Hi Bone. I'm back from a short hiatus. Here my contribution this week.

    Care Unexpected Weekend

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  10. I had a bit of a rant and included your 3ww words... lol Its up now! Oh and thanks for the kind words yesterday!

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  11. I am actually posting my story on Wednesday- a miracle!

    Rock Bottom

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  12. Hi, Bone!

    My poem a pleiades, and you can go to this post, by copying and pasting:
    http://mariacristina.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/weary-are-you-weary-of-my-pleiades/

    I'll try to link:
    weary

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  13. My post feels incomplete, but since I got the three words in, here it is...I think it's gonna change. Comments, criticisms welcome.

    Nature's pilgrim

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  14. my attempt at the 3ww challenge for this week can be viewed here

    http://a-mus-ing.blogspot.com/2007/10/drama-queens.html

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  15. My effort

    http://scrunchydumpling.blogspot.com/2007/10/three-word-wednesday.html

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  16. Yowsiers, this one wanted to keep going. You know it's funny - I can crank out these 3WW but I'm having a mental block on something to write for NaNoWriMo. What is up with that??

    Broken Silence

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  17. Bone, thank you for yet another wonderful set of prompt words! This week's words inspired me to revisit a cherished moment from my youth. :)

    The First One

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  18. christy--I could only reach the back of your Blogger page--no blog or website listed--tried googling and...

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  19. That was silly of me, I posted this week's work at last week's comments.

    So, once again:

    THE RAGPICKER'S WEEKEND

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  20. Pretty darn groovy. Will jump in soon!

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  21. ok so I wrote...I'm done...I wont be back to read comments until Sunday at the earliest... Stupid FE exam!!!

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  22. Mine is done.

    I'll be around to read everyone's, hopefully yet tonight, but if not tonight, then tomorrow :)

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  23. Thanks, again, for the site and prompts! My post for the day...

    3WW poem

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  24. Hello Bone! Hope everything is going well. My haiku, a visit, is up. Have a nice night.

    Michelle

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  25. Mine is here.

    Also, Bone, if I might pimp my blog out for a moment, I'd like to invite anyone who likes to Haiki over the my blog tomorrow for the Thursday Haiku Smackdown.

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  26. Hello all! Thank you for participating this week. I hope to be around sometime on Thursday to read everyone's.

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  27. Posting this now for any insomniacs up and about. Will check you all out tomorrow.

    Weekend Lover

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  28. I like the story, Bone, especially the mediator line....how true that is.

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  29. Why is that we always fall for the same line?

    I am thinking deeply about that "why".

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  30. I couldn't do a story becuase the words just called me to use them all in one sentence, and there goes the rest of the story. I did haiku this week.

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  31. Stepping on the plastic green doormat again as he left, the symbolism wasn't lost on him.

    I think the worst part is that sometimes we even KNOW we're being a doormat, and still can't seem to get away from that behavior.

    Interesting look at the whole "friend of a friend" syndrome, Bone: it's a tough one to overcome. There are some people you just don't hang out with unless that third party is there :)

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  32. Bone,

    Very natural dialogue, and a most human situation. Your story proves the psycological adage that people treat us as we let them treat us. I'm still workin' on that one.

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  33. I love how they chose not to hang together
    No thanks. I think I'll go home and advertise for some new friends."
    I would say that. I have said that. Really good dialogue. Felt as if I were there

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  34. Sandra & Clockwork: Thanks for participating.

    Jo: Thanks. I probably should have tried developing that part of the story a bit more.

    Gautami: Ah, I'm not smart enough to answer that question. I guess we just keep hoping something will change?

    TC: I think I may try delving into the whole "friend of a friend" thing a little deeper at some point in the future.

    Christine: Thank you! I was really practicing my dialogue in this one. I need all I can get.

    Pia: Thanks. It's something I would say, too. Not seriously, of course. Well maybe 10% seriously :)

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  35. uh-uh, now I feel embarassed, I commented on the wrong window, please delete my earlier comments , teaches me not to have too many windows open. Just read your piece..."Loosing nerve and taking her back" happens so often, it's so hard to say "no" sometimes. Thanks Bone.
    PS: Now let me figure where the other comment should go? I lost track of the pages I read!

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  36. Came back again. Very nice, Bone. :)
    `S

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  37. here is mine this week..

    http://pieceofpie.wordpress.com/category/3ww/

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  38. Nice story, Bone. Isn't that the way it goes? They always take them back. Good touch with the doormat too.

    Have a nice night.
    Michelle

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  39. Here is my short poem:

    http://havingwrit.blogspot.com/2007/10/sales-pitch.html

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  40. ROFL! I loved this! From start to finish. This is definitely in my Top Three of your fiction works.

    Your dialogue was dead on, the concept was original and your characters were believable. It makes me wonder if you know a Keith.

    I know I do. ;)

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  41. Very intriguing and well written. Thanks :o)

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  42. Sounds very real. Nice one Bone.

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  43. A regular story written as only you can write! This is a delight to read, each line good. The doormat is a stroke of genius!

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  44. Nice story Bone - who hasn't been the doormat before?!
    Oh my goodness I think I've got around everyone before the weekend!!

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  45. This was my favorite line, Bone.

    No thanks. I think I'll go home and advertise for some new friends."


    And I love the song you chose to use this week.

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  46. Ugh. What a doormat! Ha ha.

    I think a lot of people tend to be a bit like that with the people they love. No matter how many times they tell themselves "never again", just one look, one smile and the tide turns. Good one Bone.

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  47. I'm not ashamed of saying it. It's just when they say "please do. We're free at last" that I actually write the advert

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  48. Ul: No problem. LOL I commented on someone's one week and called them by another blogger's name. Reading so many, it's easy to get confused.

    Shephard: Thanks for returning to read my entry.

    Actonbell: Thanks! I suppose you're right, but I've definitely seen it go both ways.

    Littlewing & Sister AE: Thanks for participating.

    Michelle Johnson: Thank you. Yep, it sometimes seems to take eight or ten attempts before it's really over :)

    Avery Laine: Yep, I know a Keith or two. Heck, I've probably been a Keith a time or two. Sigh.

    Pen and the sword: Thank you :)

    Lissa: Thanks!

    Tumblewords: Awww, that's very nice of you to say. Thanks much!

    Mad Kane: Thank you, and thanks for participating again this week.

    Truefaith: Thanks. And you've done better than me. I think I still have a handful to read.

    Writerwoman: Thank you! I'm a big proponent of pointing out my favorite lines in a piece :)

    Ther: Yep. I think it's a situation we've all seen before, probably several times.

    Pia Savage: Haha. I had to go back and see what I'd replied to you. Very funny, Savage.

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  49. Sorry for not being able to visit all and comment. I intend to remedy that soon. Please do bear with me!

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  50. love the song bone...and the story, as always....loved the doormat...

    just remember to wipe your feet...

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  51. Bone, I can't tell you how much I look forward to these prompts. Thanks for keeping this thing going. And thanks to all the contributors for being a part of this virtual community.

    Here's mine for LVIII:

    JESUS AT THE SHAMROCK TAVERN

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  52. Are you serious, he actually got the symbolism? Sounds like a true story to me, though.

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  53. Gautami: I completely understand. Happens to me all the time.

    Tag: Thanks! I was wondering if anyone would recognize the song.

    Richard Wells: Thanks for participating. And I echo your thoughts. Thanks to everyone who helps make this a little writing community.

    Marcia: Yeah, the friend got it. The guy who was cat-sitting never did.

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