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:
Ambiguous
Nine
Slept
I've always felt awkward and out of place shopping alone, like there was a big flashing sign over my head that said, "Clueless!" Like I stuck out worse than a clothed person in a nudist colony.
I was always afraid I was going to be looking at something completely out of style, or worse, that I would be looking at clothes or shoes for women, without realizing it of course.
Some stores do not have different departments labeled clearly, some not at all. This particular establishment was one such place. There were several racks and tables of clothes not clearly labeled men's or women's. I figured maybe they were good for either sex, sort of like that CK1 scent back in the day.
I had just picked up a pair of pants when a salesgirl approached and asked if she could help.
"Well I'm... kind of looking for some workout pants." Figured I'd run it up the flagpole and see if it would fly.
"For yourself or..." she paused, awaiting my response.
At this point, I was no longer sure. If I said for myself and these were women's pants, I would look... well, odd. But if I said for my girlfriend and they were men's pants, I would just look stupid.
"Um, no, for someone else." I was quite pleased with my quick and carefully crafted ambiguous reply.
"Well, what size is she?" Aha! I had my answer. These were women's clothes. But now what? I knew my girlfriend was a nine, but I really did like these pants.
"Umm, actually, she's about my size." Suddenly, it felt like I was committing a crime.
"Oh," she seemed momentarily surprised, but quickly recovered. "Well, she's probably going to need an extra large then."
I wound up buying two pairs of women's workout pants that day. My paranoia eventually prevented me from ever wearing them out anywhere, but they were comfortable so I slept in them.
"I waited for an hour last Friday night, she never came around. She took almost everything from me. I'm going through my closets, trying on her clothes, almost everyday..."
Here's my contribution this week:
ReplyDeleteWolf-Headed Woman
almost first-oh well, I have a cute haiku that fit great with these words
ReplyDeleteOops, the link
ReplyDeleteHello Bone and all fellow 3WW players. I have writ an opus. Not really, merely a poem called "Details Are Killer".
ReplyDeleteRose
xo
Sorry had to delete the last as it didn't work. It's my first time here and I'd like to thank you for the prompt, which I enjoyed. Here's my take:
ReplyDeleteambiguousnineslept
My muse is kind of very slow these days and ambiguous too.
ReplyDeleteclick ambiguously so
or copy/paste:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2007/09/ambiguously-so-for-want-of-better.html
I want
ReplyDeleteGood morning, all!
A short story about a modern day herione who never expected to be rescued.
ReplyDeletehttp://aspiringromancewriters.blogspot.com/2007/09/dancing-backwards-in-high-heels.html
My's up at: 3WW
ReplyDeleteHere's my contribution for this week:
ReplyDeleteTall Tales and High Seas
Hi everyone, heere's the second episode of The Adventures of an Irishman in France. This week's adventure: An Inauspicious Beginning.
ReplyDeleteMine is up. It's another Norbert & Smedley.
ReplyDeleteI'll be by to visit everybody later.
What a trio of words - maybe it's just me but I burned a lot of daylight trying to come up with something and
ReplyDeletehere it is
Wednesday
Hi everyone, my first time here. Recognize a lot of names though! My contribution for this week:
ReplyDeleteSinging the moon
Fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd give it a go.
www.shubertalleyshephard.blogspot.com
~S
Sorry. I left the link out.
ReplyDeletehttp://boricuaintexas.blogspot.com/2007/09/three-words.html
hey, i posted on wednesday!!! whoot whoot!!! :) that does mean that I will be up until 2 am doing the homework I should have been doing...;) Anyways you know the drill by now...later!
ReplyDeletesorry so late... you can find my entry here....
ReplyDelete"a parting of the ways"
I have FINALLY posted my 3ww! I could have used a photo of one of your football parties but you havent posted any! lol Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI will be home in two weeks. Am working on my book Will try to participate next week
ReplyDeleteHere's my contribution, a little later in the day than usual but still on Wednesday, at least. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Turning
http://uplatette.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/3ww-number-5/
ReplyDeletethanks !!!
Welcome newcomers, and thank you all for participating again this week!
ReplyDeleteI hope to be around to visit you all this afternoon.
ve always felt awkward and out of place shopping alone, like there was a big flashing sign over my head that said, "Clueless!" Like I stuck out worse than a clothed person in a nudist colony.
ReplyDeleteI could just copy the rest. Thinking about this makes me laugh
Did you have good dreams when you slept in them?
It might be fiction but it's soooooo Bone
I've always felt awkward and out of place shopping alone, like there was a big flashing sign over my head that said, "Clueless!"
ReplyDeleteYou know, based on a couple of other posts, I really thought this post was non-fiction when I first started reading, Bone. I was kind of glad to see that “fiction” label when I got to the end! O:)
Like I stuck out worse than a clothed person in a nudist colony.
LOL
Now there is a comparison to try and get out of one’s head! Sadly though, I think I’ve had that feeling a time or two myself… and while shopping for clothing at that!
I would be looking at clothes or shoes for women, without realizing it of course.
You know, I might have actually believed the main character didn’t do it on purpose if it hadn’t been for this line. Seriously, I felt like you set us up perfectly for an ending where he walks out with women’s clothing… “on accident.”
;-)
I wound up buying two pairs of women's workout pants that day.
I rolled my eyes at that line, thinking, “If he was too embarrassed to admit he’d made a mistake or was just trying to get the saleswoman to like him by buying something, he could have always taken them back… and then I got to the rest of the paragraph.
It’s an interesting twist you have in this story, Bone, as I don’t think anything of buying men’s workout clothing. Oh well… at least one or two double standards should work in women’s favor, right? Right.
P.S. You did a great job of burying the words in this one: I really had to go back and search for them in an effort to find them!
Hi Bone,
ReplyDeleteI love your endings. They always have such neat twists. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about men's clothes. ;)
Rose
xo
Finally, something I am happy with. I loved your story, Bone. I especially liked the first paragraph. A clothed person in a nudist colony. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Johnson
I tried something new with the previous post and it didn't work, sorry.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Johnson
oh man, thanks to TC for mentioning the fiction label, I paid no attention... I thought you were sleeping in them... Of course, the only fiction in this could be the word "only", but then for some reason I think it is almost all fiction.
ReplyDeleteLoved the nudist colony line and the neon sign.
Suddenly, it felt like I was committing a crime.
ReplyDeleteThat was my favorite line from your story, Bone.
I liked the humor in this one.
Hi everyone! Here I am a day late again, which is becoming a pattern -- I hope no one minds too much. Here's what I wrote:
ReplyDeletepoem
This is a very funny tale, Bone.
ReplyDeleteHe heh hee...That didn't really happen right?
ReplyDeletePia Savage: What? I never wore them. This was fiction. Though yes, a lot of it is Bone.
ReplyDeleteTC: Thanks. You've had that same feeling while shopping? Hmm, interesting. I was thinking about how it's OK for women to wear a man's shirt or something. But it doesn't work the other way so much. And yes, we'll gladly let you have that one :)
Rose: Thanks. I'm big on endings.
Michelle: Thank you, Michelle. I think your link worked. I got to your 3WW by clicking on "she dreamed."
Marcia: Loved the nudist colony line and the neon sign.
Thanks, actually those parts were mostly true. I do feel like I stick out when shopping alone.
Romancewriter: Thanks! That's actually one of the last lines I went back and added :)
Clare: I don't think anyone minds, least of all me, as I'm usually a day or two late myself.
Jo: Thank you. I seem to be leaning towards lighthearted posts lately for some reason.
GirlFPS: Right. I have come across clothes in a store that I wasn't sure about though.
Hi Bone! I really like your story and the dialogue -- great quick thinking when the salesperson is asking questions! And the CK1 flashback was wild -- I had an olfactory memory of it and could totally smell the stuff while reading!
ReplyDelete:)
"... like there was a big flashing sign over my head that said, 'Clueless!'"
ReplyDeletePerfect...exactly how I feel!
It's fiction but it sounds so real. Nice one, Bone.
ReplyDeletehttp://licarian.blogspot.com/2007/09/3ww-53.html
ReplyDeleteHere's My First One.
Great story, Bone.
ReplyDeleteThere was a photo of Smedley's car in Episode 9.
Terrific! What style! Caught me - the ending was a total surprise...
ReplyDeleteI dig your blog. As ambiguous as I usually am, I can say that I enjoyed yours. I just slept through nine other blogs before I wandered to this one. I'll be back to visit.
ReplyDeleteClare: Thank you! I don't think I ever smelled any CK1, or at least wasn't aware if I did. I just remember the ads for it.
ReplyDeleteCarlos: Thanks. Good to know I'm not alone out there.
Lissa: Thank you. Apparently several people thought it sounded real :)
Gay: Aaah! I don't know how I missed that. Thanks :)
Tumblewords: Why, thank you much.
Angie: It must be late as I didn't realize you'd included the three words in your comment until the second time I read over it :) Thanks.
My contribution: On waking up, having been sleeping with myself.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm glad you at least got some use out of them...hey, if you liked them that much, they deserved to be worn, dagnabbit! :~)
ReplyDeleteok ok so school is taking over my life!!! loved it...made you stop and think how unisex looking our clothing are, especially sweats. Ok its my turn...what song is that?
ReplyDeleteFreek: Welcome to Three Word Wednesday. Thanks for participating.
ReplyDeleteFledgling: I'm glad you got a laugh out of this :)
Tagster: That's "American Girls" by Counting Crows.
I never got around this this until today. This I like!
ReplyDeleteBrought up with three brothers, I prefered to look around men's section. I liked those un-embellished stuff. Even now I end up buying unisex jeans!