Tell a story using only dialog. Instructions for this Prompt Tuesday found at:
http://sandiegomomma.com/2010/03/09/promptuesday-97-talk-to-me/#respond
-------------
"Hello, sir. M-May I . . ."
"Yes, yes. Hello, there! Can you hang my umbrella somewhere . . . and tell me a bit more about this piece . . . back here?"
"On top of the . . ."
"No below. Inside it."
"The one here in the front of..."
"No, no. Behind it. The small . . . uh, how shall we say . . .? The small coffer."
"Coffer. I see no . . . Well, let me . . . let me unlock this . . . and . . . Okay. Here. Hmmm. I guess I didn't realize that my Uncle even had this in his store. Perhaps I should clean it first. Let me get a dustrag. You know this would fall under our everything-must-go sale, correct?"
"I'm aware of that, my dear . . . But I'm not concerned about the . . . Well, let me just take a look at it."
"All dusted. Here. You can probably guess this is not an imitation. Do you want me to look for the key, sir? My uncle has a keyring down here . . . somewhere . . ."
"Not to worry, my dear. I have the . . . I have no need to further examine it. I can see it is a piece of my property that I have been . . . well, . . . without possession for quite some time."
"Sir."
"Yes."
"Are you saying that . . ."
"I am proposing nothing of the sort, young lady. You are in no way implicated in . . . But I tarry. Name your price."
"Well, let's look on the bottom to see if . . ."
"No need to turn it topsy turvy, my dear. Under . . . under here. Fifteen pounds. Is that right. Fifteen?"
"Well my uncle . . . if that is what he wrote. Plus the discount of course, which would mean that . . . that . . . Did you hear that just now, sir?"
"No need for discounts young lady. You . . ."
"Did you hear that, sir? That sound. Just now. That . . ."
"My dear, there is no need to . . ."
"That sound from . . . The noise from . . . The box. That noise from inside the box. My god, sir. Do you hear that?"
"I have no interest in noises, my dear. Fifteen pounds square. No need for discounts. In fact, take this."
"Uh, sir. This is . . . This is, my god, one hundred pounds. Uh, well that is . . . You must . . . Do you want a receipt?"
"I need no paperwork, my dear. Thank you."
"Sir. Thank you, sir."
"Tell me, my dear. Your uncle. Mr., uh . . ."
"McCourt, sir?"
"Yes, Mr. McCourt. Did he . . . Do they know . . . uh, how . . ."
"How . . .?"
"Yes. How he . . .?"
"How he died sir?"
"Yes. I understand he was found."
"Found just here, sir. Laying on the floor, he was. Just below the counter. Key ring in his hand. Had just locked up for the night and . . ."
"And, the . . . the injuries."
"They aren't certain. A misfortune. A creature. Perhaps a rabid . . . small . . . Well, the inspectors still aren't . . . They aren't quite . . ."
"Yes. Uh. Well. My best to your family . . . and for the expeditious closing of the shop, my dear. I have enjoyed frequenting it since the day it opened."
"Since the day it opened, my dear sir."
"Yes. Since the very day."
"Since . . . since 1858, sir? Indeed."
"Indeed, madam. Indeed. My umbrella?"
"Uh . . . Yes. Here it . . . is. And the door. My best to you, sir. And would you like a wrapping for your box? Your coffer?"
"My dear. We don't need to protect this box, young lady! My goodness, no, no! I merely wish to protect . . . uh . . . protect YOU . . . protect YOU ALL . . . FROM this box. Good day to you my dear!"
-------------
Please indulge me By Answering These Questions:
1) Briefly describe the shop you see in your mind's eye?
2) What does the purchaser look like in your mind?
3) What does the shopkeeper look like in your mind?
4) Describe the box. What do you see inside of the box?
Thank you so much for answering these questions! :)
-- Wade Nash
2 comments:
I really enjoyed your story. I don't know if these answers are what you are looking for, but I did my best to address your questions.
1) Briefly describe the shop you see in your mind's eye?
I see a cluttered shop of novelties and antiquities, dusty items arranged haphazardly wherever they will stand, with tags hanging from them marked in black lettering. I imagine a glass-fronted display case/counter lined with black velour and equally jammed with bizarre and incongruous trinkets. The shop's windows are almost completely obscured with large "Going Out Of Business" notices painted across the panes, making the interior even more dim.
2) What does the purchaser look like in your mind?
The purchaser seems to be an older gentleman, white-haired and dressed sharply in a dark suit with a tie, wearing spectacles and a black fedora hat.
3) What does the shopkeeper look like in your mind?
She is a young lady, fair-haired and freckled. She is not graceless, but her movements are awkward and she is uncomfortable.
4) Describe the box. What do you see inside of the box?
The box takes two of her small hands to handle, but fits comfortably in the palm of his larger hand. It is constructed of dark wood worn to a soft sheen, the edges of once deep engravings now almost completely smooth. No hinges are visible, but the shiny brass clasp in the center of the lid stands out in sharp contrast against the aged wood. Inside the little box could be any number of fantastic creatures, but I see a malicious sprite, a little demon of sorts.
Paul:
I loved your story. Completely absorbing. A feat given it was all dialogue.
Also, Karellle's input was fantastic. A story in itself.
An act I cannot follow.
Not now anyway.
:)
Post a Comment