Welcome to Three Word Wednesday. 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. 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:
Corridor
Linger
Subtle
"Tatiana will be taking care of you today, Mister Smith."
She said it like she knew it was a fake name, or suspected it at least. Carl tried not to cringe, instead forcing a subtle smile. So he used a fake name and always paid with cash. It was better than word getting around town that he came here once a week.
Still, he regretted not coming up with something more creative than Smith. Though it was pointless now, he ran thru other names in his mind. Anderson... Matthews... Ruth... Mantle... DiMaggio...
"Tatiana is new. This is her first day. You will let me know if there are any problems."
"Oh, sure," Carl nodded. As he waited, he began to feel the familiar twinge of guilt he always felt coming here. Why? It was money paid in exchange for services rendered. That was the very foundation of our economic system.
A slender brunette appeared out of one of the back rooms. She was visibly nervous, but flashed a practiced smile.
"Hi, I'm Tatiana."
"Hello," Carl dipped his head in acknowledgment as the three of them stood in place for a few long seconds.
"Well, don't just linger there," Sandra instructed. "Take Mister Smith here to room number four."
"Yes, ma'am."
Tatiana led him down a corridor and opened a door on the left.
"Take off all your clothes and lie down. I will be back in a moment," she spoke in a thick Russian accent, then closed the door.
Carl was digging the accent. He quickly got undressed, folded his clothes and placed them in a neat pile on the floor, careful to hide his hairbrush amongst them.
He always brought a brush because his hair always became disheveled, and he liked to straighten himself up when it was over. Still, he didn't know if other customers brought a brush, and he thought there might still be some rule that men weren't supposed to be concerned with their hair, so he would hide it.
Carl lied face down, covering himself with a sheet, and waited. The guilt was gone. He needed this. This was America after all. Land of the free, and home of cute Russian immigrant massage girls.
"Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you..."
Ah, to be first one to post...:D
ReplyDeleteClick:
until inevitability
Or
cut/paste:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2007/08/until-inevitability-3ww.html
Hi Bone and everyone,
ReplyDeleteI wrote a political ditty today called "The truth?".
Hope you all have a great week.
Rose
xo
Hi Bone and everyone! Here is a little haiku.
ReplyDeleteoops-- I knew I did something wrong. Let's try again: clickhere for my haiku.
ReplyDeleteMine is the first post at my blog url. Simple
ReplyDeleteI had a great time with these words! I've been wanting to write about my maternal grandmother for some time, but nothing felt right. This time it did, though. So, with some liberties taken, this one's about her.
ReplyDeletehttp://thisgirlremembers.wordpress.com/2007/08/22/three-word-wednesday-corridor-linger-subtle/
I loved these word choices...here's my contribution.
ReplyDeletehttp://fledglingpoet.blogspot.com/2007/08/doors.html
Subtle Cinnamon
ReplyDeleteI posted my 3ww story! I actually tried to expand on my usual 1-2 sentence thing and get creative... clearly I wasnt an English major! lol but I am having fun! =]
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Mine is up. Another episode of Norbert and Smedley, only because I had one written and the words worked this week.
ReplyDeleteLife is hell for me right now, so I doubt I'll be able to visit anybody :( this week (my 87 year-old father broke his femur yesterday - a nasty fracture requiring surgery), right as I'm trying to tie up too many loose ends to get out of town to go to Maui for the Writer's Conference. Fortunately, my family is all local and my sister is a doctor, so once he's past the acute, THAT should be OK, but meanwhile... tearing hair out by the hand fulls.
Norbert and Smedley has enough episodes written ahead, it will come out on its normal schedule of Wednesday/Sunday.
Thanks everyone... I'll miss you, and will pop in as I can. (P.S. Bone: my reader will still be checking up on you!)
All I have to do is think I'm going to write less on my blogs and do other things I should and my mind writes multiple poems....AARRRGGGHH
ReplyDeleteLife Corridors,1-3
There is a deliver guy that comes in the office about once a week. He must smoke a pack a minute because the not-so-subtle scent of stale smoke will linger in the corridor long after he leaves. ...okay so my desk isn't really in the corridor but the word wasn't "reception area". :o)
ReplyDeletei guess i linked to the wrong blog last post... here try this
ReplyDeleteback
http://justpaisley.why-paisley.com/
just in case.....
DONE!
ReplyDeleteBut, I see that four in the afternoon is nothing to brag about, eh? Already 14 done.
But, you were right about interesting folks coming by t'see the blog.
And, Does Gautami get an extra prize for being the first done?
C'mon.....
Mine's up. Each week I think, man this one was really fun to do. But this week? THE BEST!!! Thanks Bone. Have I mentioned that I love this meme? :)
ReplyDeleteThings (life) are really stressful in my neck of the woods right now. I can feel my heart beating just a bit too hard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the 3WW meme, Bone. I'm not sure what I would do if I didn't have an excuse to escape from it all once in a while.
My fourth 3ww - I think it's a bit long.
ReplyDelete3WW 04
Here's my contribution for this week.
ReplyDeleteVampyre
Here's mine.
ReplyDeleteA continuation of something I think I'm gonna call "Girl Story" when
it's all done.
http://www.herburban.com/?p=2121
ReplyDeleteI went political this week as well.
Hey Bone
ReplyDeleteHere is my poem Propensity at www.poefiti.blogspot.com
Hope everyone had a nice day.
Michelle
i've got mine posted - and it's still wednesday! :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's Thursday already :( Better late than never. Mine's up.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the Tide seems subtle, lingering and poetic to me.
ReplyDeleteLovely leaping little lilly-liverd lizards Linger listening to cute corn-colored cats coyly calling in the cold Corridor, as six skinny, Subtle, sour snakes silently slither somewhere in the shadows
ReplyDeleteVery late and somewhat shorter as I wanted to concentrate on something very specific. Hope you like it.
ReplyDeletehttp://writersnoteobook.blogspot.com/
Hello, everyone. :) This is my second week and I almost didn't make it.
ReplyDeleteShitty Day
Have a nice day. :)
Mine is done.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have two weeks worth of entries to catch up on, which means hours of reading ahead for me :)
hello
ReplyDeletei'm NEW !!!
http://uplatette.blogspot.com/
I thought I was late, but I've beat Bone. You can find mine here:
ReplyDeletehttp://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2007/08/life-3-ww-poetry-thursday-entry.html
These are tempting words here, Bone, I started to do something about women lingering in halls, making subtle advances, but just couldn't get back into that high school mindset
I've read two great ones so far!
ReplyDeleteI'm new to this, and also new to the style of poetry in which I used the words. But here it is anyway.
ReplyDeletehttp://kryan8907.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/whispered-flatteries/
First 3WW mission acceptance detailed at:
ReplyDeletehttp://serenejujee.blogspot.com/2007/08/bones-3ww-corridor-linger-subtle.html
Thank you all for participating, and welcome 3WW newcomers!
ReplyDeleteHopefully I'll be around to read everyone's this weekend, late as it may be.
OK Bone I really really liked it. there were a lot of little truly good touches--Smith, Mantle, DiMaggio
ReplyDeleteTatiana's nervousness. It being her first day. His nervousness
The hairbrush had me befuddled. Who cares about his hair? And the worrying about other men bringing a hairbrush was funny and sad, yes sad
Oh but it wasn't sad
The guilt was gone. He needed this. This was America after all. Land of the free, and home of cute Russian immigrant massage girls.
Great ending
Great short story, Bone. Why did I immediately think of Alex Rodriguez as I was reading this?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this, and thought it was very endearing how self-conscious he was about mussed up hair...!
ReplyDeleteI thought he was going to a prostitute but you surprise me. Nice end but why does Carl sound guilty about going there or getting a massage?
ReplyDeleteTatiana??
ReplyDeleteSigh.
I'm so disappointed in you, Bone. So very, very disappointed in you.
How can you DO this to poor Svetlana???
That poor girl. My heart breaks for her. I hope you’re happy, now. Hmph.
[I liked the story, btw :-) Though I have to say… I had the massage figured out from the beginning, lol. Oh and I had to just choose one of your many posts about Svetlana, as the original link, where I sent it all back to the search results, didn’t work.]
I meant to say... it's nice to see the lyrics back :-)
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteI was all prepared to hate your character. I was reading it, hating him. Trying to determine if he was on vacation somewhere and stepping out on his wife or just found a nice little hometown brothel to fulfill needs that he didn't feel were being met at home. Then:
BAM!
I started liking him again. :) Way to go, Bone. Nice little twist at the end. Thanks for making nervous, hair-obsessed characters that we don't have to hate.
What does it say about me that I immediately assumed he was in a brothel? Then again, why did he give a fake name to get a massage? :) I like how you don't bombard me with a gazillion words. Your story, though brief, moves. :)
ReplyDeleteWhy DID he give a fake name?
ReplyDeletehe thought there might still be some rule that men weren't supposed to be concerned with their hair
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh!
The first time I took my brother to get a massage he was very hesitant and didn't know if "guys did those sorts of things." Now, he goes and gets them on his own. I don't think he uses a fake name though...lol. Nice story.
ReplyDeleteok bone...I finally got something posted...and now will attempt to catch up on reading others...
ReplyDeletelol ok so next time I will just read yours then post...nice job!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Bone,
ReplyDeleteNot a cute story at all. There are undercurrents of trafficking and illegal activities. I like how you captured the guilt and seediness in his fake name. 'Massage Parlors' are and have always been a front for drugs and prostitution. These days, a legitimate massage therapist is licensed and insured, no guilt involved. :)
Rose
xo
The guilt can never go away when one visits a massage parlours. You brought that very well. In India too, especially in Mumbai, Russian girls are in the frontline of prostitution.
ReplyDeleteSorry for getting here late.
Well, I kinda got behind on comments this week.
ReplyDeleteI guess I was thinking he used a fake name because he was embarrassed about pampering himself so often.
And I know at least one or two guys who are that obsessed with their hair. I'm sure most of us do.
Thank you all, and I'll try to do better responding to comments next week.
Hi Bone! I was out of town a few days and am still catching up from last week. I love your story! I liked how you set it up so that it wasn't obvious what Carl was doing there -- this kept me guessing for a while. And I also really liked the part about his name, including how you listed the baseball names. Really nice flow in this story, and as always, you write awesomely.
ReplyDelete:)
a week late
ReplyDeleteclick here
This story is very well done. You painted the picture perfectly! And I loved the This is America line. That was such a commentary on our society and yet it is there slipped among the other sentences as if it does not say more than they do. Brillant.
ReplyDelete