As an extra element to this week’s Open Manuscripts, Hilary
had asked us to look out for incidents which might give inspiration to the plot
for a story.
Morag, whilst driving, had noticed a fine old tree which had
been recently split down the middle. What was the cause? Could it be a metaphor?
Whilst using a taxi abroad, the driver needed to use a phone
to establish the location of her hotel. Was he really trying to get directions
or was he plotting her kidnap?
Elspeth overheard part a family conversation. “Where’s
Jack?” asked the boy. “We don’t talk about Jack.” replied the father.”
Pete had noted three incidents possibly worth of short stories: a slow walking lonely lady, an unlikely metal detectorist and a driver apparently lost on a roundabout.
He has recently bought a pottery haggis whistle and reminisced about how, as a boy, he used to blow on one to round up the haggis herd on the family farm.
John had recently met an old friend and their main topic of
conversation appeared to be the discipline, rules and difficulties of dealing
with wheelie bins. His poem told of a mid night mini adventure to put out the
correct bin ready for that week’s pick up.
On his recent visit to weightwatchers, he had only just
managed not to laugh out loud when he found the group leader to be a physical
and verbal caricature of a character in TV weight watching comedy.
Fiona told a story of her observation of the chance
encounter of two people in a bar. The man usually came in with his family. The
lady normally had her own circle of friends. After a few warm-up drinks, an
obvious friendship developed. At the end of the evening, they separated with a
less than formal kiss. Did either of them recall that kiss when they next visited
that same bar with their normal circle of acquaintances?
Hilary overheard a mother in a library to her young son “You stay with your friend until Mummy gets back.” Hilary’s
story imagines herself being adopted for a while by the child and persuaded to
read to him a dragon story. Mum came back and collected the boy; apparently
none the wiser.
Joyce read the synopsis of a potential serial suicide
mystery novel. Were they really suicides or were they disguised murders? Joyce
wasn’t yet sure.
Pete read his entry to the Women’s Short Story competition.
A troubled soldier on sick leave stumbled across an ex military couple. He
caused them to recall their own times of trauma whilst serving in Afghanistan.
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Next week:
Workshop - Articles
- Paul Kelbie.
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