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Wednesday, December 06, 2006

3WW #13

Each week, I will post three (or more) random 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. This is a writing exercise. It doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to let your mind wander and write what it will. I'll also attempt to write something using the same three words.

Be sure to leave a comment if you participate.

This week's words are:
Snow
Red
Curb


When she talked about it snowing, her eyes would change. They became brilliant. Glowing. Alive. It was as if she were a child again, and all the hope and excitement and innocence of those years had magically returned. When teddy bears could talk and the real world was a million miles away.

If the word snow was even mentioned in the forecast, she'd be giddy. But, of course, the snow never came. It rarely did here.

She handed me her Christmas list. There was one item on it.

"Will you please give me some ideas of what to get you?"
"I did! You asked me what I want for Christmas and that's all I want."

I just shook my head and rolled my eyes.

Over the next couple of weeks, I pored over the usual gifts. Jewelry, perfume, clothes. Nothing seemed right, and time was getting short. Then one day... as soon as I thought of it, I knew. That was it. So simple, yet so perfect.

I told her we'd have to go early in the day on Christmas Eve to visit my family and hers, because I had a surprise planned. We exchanged gifts and smiles and hugs. The entire day, I kept inconspicuously checking The Weather Channel, trying as best I could to curb my excitement.

Leaving her parents house around 3:00 in the afternoon, we began to drive north. Without her knowing, I had packed her an overnight bag and thrown it in the trunk.

I don't know when she figured out what I was doing. Maybe she had an idea all along. Or maybe she didn't.

The amazing sleep-inducing powers of the passenger seat combined with the heater and the calming low hum of the engine worked their magic, and she was out by the time we hit Nashville. My plan was to drive north until we saw snow, find a hotel, and spend the night.

We were in a hotel room somewhere in Illinois when Christmas Eve became Christmas Day. Standing by the window, watching the snow fall, her eyes were doing that thing again.

I took the red Santa hat off my head, placed it on hers, and kissed her on the nose. Then I pulled her Christmas list out of my back pocket, and marked off the only item on it.

"Just to see you smile, I'd do anything that you wanted me to. When all is said and done, I never count the cost. It's worth all that's lost..."

28 comments:

  1. You know, I can see where this is going long before you even write it... ;) Kidding. But I can sure tell you really wish you had some of that stupid white stuff...

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  2. Brilliantly written, as usual.
    I'm stamping down my jealousy.

    It never snows here either. ;(
    I'm relatively sure I put snow on my Christmas list, as well.
    Fingers and toes crossed that mother nature got the message from Santa.

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  3. I love that song!!!

    And am severly missing the snow after your story... wish I had a SO to drive me to IL to see snow on Xmas eve. Although, now that I think about it. I'll be in OHIO on the 22-24th so I'm sure there is some snow in my future!

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  4. Why do I have the feeling that story has more than a little truth in it? :) Too cute. A very "feel good" story.

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  5. This sounds like a true story. Is it?

    And so very romantic! I love it!

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  6. Traveling Chica: Oh really? Well, I might just have to surprise you one day :)

    So did it go where you thought it would?

    Elizabeth: There's a White Christmas somewhere. You just have to find it :)

    DCChick1: Well, you know the #1 rule of reading my blog? If it snows where you are, you must take pictures and post them :)

    Hotpinksox: Actually, it's fiction. Although I would love to do something like that one year.

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  7. Wasn't sure if it was fiction or not either


    It was lovely--the list at the end was unexpected

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  8. That was such a cute story.

    Hears my stab at your challenge (I am NO writer)

    On one of the many streets in New York dead that night, he sat alone on the curb. Waiting for the bus he could hear the roars of the Time Square crowd in the distance. It started to snow as the bus pulled up. A one way ticket out of the town. A destination unknown. He smiled as he saw the reflection of the red stoplight in the rearview mirror.

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  9. Here is my attempt. I'm not much of a writer either

    As the young child sits on the curb in front of his best friends' former house, he sheds a tear from his red blood shot eyes. He attempts to recall all of the good times that they used to have before his friends dad got a job out of state and forced the family to move. His mood seemed to change quickly as a single snow flake dropped on the back of his hand. He thought to himself, "maybe school will be canceled tomorrow"!

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  10. Not quite, but fairly close. I knew for sure it wasn't going to be a complaint about snow, that's for sure! ;)

    Btw, it snowed here again today... a nice little dusting of the pretty white stuff... am I being cruel now? ;)

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  11. Pia: Thanks. This one was fiction. Is it a bad thing when you can't tell?

    Erika: Aww, thanks for participating! I think the idea of a one-way ticket definitely has some appeal.

    Blyfinn: Welcome! That was interesting. How quickly a child's mood can change.

    Traveling Chica: Oh, you know me so well already. Yes, you're being cruel. But that's OK. I have a feeling we're gonna get some this year.

    Naj: Well, you know, it's not exactly meeting at the top of the Empire State Building or anything.

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  12. My mom got so mad when she came here for Christmas and it didn't snow. We drove her to the mountains for snow...but apparently that wasn't good enough.
    We rarely have a white Christmas here, but we get plenty of snow so I don't mind at all.

    Great story as always. Maybe you'll make it come true.

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  13. Hey Bone longtime no comment... but anyway nice short one for ya...

    Every winter when I see the snow, I cringe, and hate it more and more. For those cheery people who pass by and say in their very cheerful voices while looking at the snow, isn't it beautiful, I want to push you down and crack your head open on the curb and wait and watch all the snow around your head turn red.

    There ya go a nice morbid one from your friendly neighbourhood snow/winter hating Canadian :)

    peace out
    and
    Happy Holidays ;)
    oh yeah and pijaeqr ;)

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  14. LMAO: Rae, sounds like you and I were on the same wavelength this week! Hence the reason I didn't participate: I've heard enough about my anti-holiday views this week, I didn't want to add to it. And the only thing I could think of when I saw red was blood, so I skipped. :)

    That was pretty funny though.

    Ever the optimistic about snow, are you Bone? Here's hoping you DO get some. (snow I mean.)

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  15. I'm not sure what's with me today, but that induced an unintentional 'awwww' from me.
    I'm going to bring 'fucking fantastic' back, pal.

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  16. Renee: You drove her to the mountains? Did you show her your horses, Snoopy and Prickly Pete?

    Rae: lol Ouch! Who knows, if we got as much snow as you do, I might end up hating it. Although I seriously doubt it :)

    akhid (Aww, get it, "a kid"! As in, Bone is like a kid around the holidays.)

    Traveling Chica: Yep, ya gotta have faith.

    You could have written a morbid, bloody snow story, it's OK. Let it all out.

    Heather B: Aww, thanks, pal.

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  17. I went for the condensed version...

    http://thermalblog.co.uk/short-story/

    Cool idea, look forward to the next one ('tho I promise not to enter)

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  18. Is it OK to post my stories here every week? Should I post it on my own blog? For now I'll post it below.

    Jimmy wasn't sure what to do now. Once the gun was drawn, all he saw was red. He awoke moments later, sitting on the frozen curb. The three goons were laid out like a tarp on a rain-soaked day at Wrigley Field. Beneath their heads, puddles spotted the snow covered ground. It reminded him of cherry snow cones his father bought him years ago. Now what? Take 'em to the river. There's no way to fit those big bastards in the trunk of his little Yaris. No, they had to be buried here, and right soon.

    *I read far too much Jim Thompson. His books are warping my fragile little mind. :) *

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  19. I am in love with this post. Your stories always make me want to be 'that girl'....

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  20. did it. check it out:)

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  21. Chris: Thanks for participating. I should probably work on condensing mine a bit actually :)

    Big Man: Wow, someone just sent me an email today suggesting I read some Jim Thompson. That's freaky.

    Blondie: Thanks. I've probably seen one too many Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movies.

    East of Oregon: Thanks for participating. I will go check it out right now :)

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  22. Your story is, once again - beautiful.

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  23. In one post I feel like I just watched a sweet romance on the Lifetime Channel. You're good!

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  24. East of Oregon: Thank you.

    Squirrel: Thanks. Very nice of you to say. So was the girl you were picturing Judith Light, Joanna Kerns, or Meredith Baxter? :-)

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  25. Hey Bone, I came here via East of Oregon - and am so glad I did. Your writing is awesome - nice story. I'm linking you and will be back.....

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  26. HeatherIBSBC: Well, thank you. Come back anytime :) And send us some snow please.

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