August 08, 2006

Two Paragraph Tuesday

Well, here we go.  Let's kick things off with two simple paragraphs, shall we?

Jenny was bored.  She looked out the window and gazed over the lawn, and down the lane.  Two hours until the mail arrived, the highlight of her day.  After the white truck pulled away, she would walk down the lane to the street and see who was sending her junk mail this time.  Then back up to the house to be bored again.

Life in the country is so wonderful, they'd told her.  You'll love the quiet, the animals, the gentle breezes.  Bullshit, she thought.  Not even here a week and already everything seemed so bland. Standing up she turned from the window and moved toward the kitchen for a glass of water.  A sudden noise made her turn back around.  In the lane was a small man, neat of appearance, and moving quickly towards the house.  He was clearly calling out, but she could not make out what he was saying.

Posted by caltechgirl at August 8, 2006 12:15 AM | TrackBack
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With visions of Alan Arkin shouting: "The RUSSIANS are coming!" she quickly began moving toward the front door, but when she passed the large mirror above the sofa and caught her own reflection, she decided she might need to throw something on before greeting her new visitor.

Moments later, she returned covered in a sheath dress with feet still bare. By that time, the man was alternately ringing the door bell and beating on the door. Hastily, she threw it open.

Posted by: Chrissy at August 8, 2006 05:06 AM

He came closer to the house and then she noticed in her hands an envelope. "I live down the way and I just got this Fed-Ex package delivered to my house instead of yours,by accident. I signed for it & then realized it was yours. This is the Country you know, they don't pay much attention to the signature."

I started screaming with joy as I ripped open the "Urgent" package. I knew what it was, what I had waited so long to see. The man, who introduced himself as Abe watched in delight as I squealed and did my girly type of screams.

Posted by: Greta at August 8, 2006 05:09 AM

It was the specially made Tiara that Jenny had ordered from that weird Tibetan catalog that had been surrepticiously left at her doorstep a few weeks ago in a raging snowstorm. She lifted the Tiara from the package and slowly placed it on her head.

Suddenly, the light brightened, the colors became more vibrant, the air itself sparkled. Jenny turned and looked in the mirror - she could not believe what she saw!

Posted by: Beth at August 8, 2006 05:28 AM

It was if she was transformed into a magical princess and he into a magical and charming prince. The shadows danced a waltz and music from someplace far away began to play.

Of course, when she opened her eyes and looked into the mirror, what she actually saw was her reflection with a very, very beautiful tiara atop her head. It did sparkle and shine, and it was just what she needed in order to bring her out of her writer's slump.

Posted by: oddybobo at August 8, 2006 06:37 AM

Abe watched amused at the young woman as her face beamed with excitement. He could tell that the moment she placed the tiara onto her head, she had been momentarily transformed into a fairy tale. He waited patiently until she realized that he was still there. He wondered if he should just slip away back toward his house. But this woman intrigued him and he was fascinated by her reaction.

Jenny looked back toward her reflection then noticed Abe again. Slightly embarrassed at her display, she blushed. "I'm sorry, this tiara means a lot to me. It is exact replica of one my grandmother once had. She wore it for her debutante ball. She said she danced all night... I've only seen pictures of it -- it was stunning. I thought it might add a little excitement --" Jenny trailed off as she noticed this very handsome man, smiling and moving toward her.

"Would you care to dance, my lady?"

Posted by: Jody at August 8, 2006 07:12 AM

Writers have to seek inspiration everywhere, and Jenny was no different. The mailman had become an assassin, the cat had inspired a tiger attack. Still, the pages didn't write themselves, so she wafted, princess-like, into the study and seated herself before her pc.

The cursor blinked in a demanding and accusatory manner, as if to say it has been too long. Her heroine was still in the clutches of her dangerous lover and the next plot point beckoned. Jenny moved her fingers to the keyboard, ready to begin, when suddenly a crash sounded from the back of the house.

Posted by: Phoenix at August 8, 2006 07:14 AM

Jenny got up to investigate. She tiptoed cautiously down the hall.

"Owwww!", a man's voice called out from the kitchen in back. There was another loud clatter as of pots and pans clashing and falling, like the emptying of Fibber McGee's closet. "Owwwwwww!! That last step was a long one!"

Posted by: Paul Burgess at August 8, 2006 01:42 PM

Recognizing the voice of the man who had brought her the package, she burst into the kitchen. "What in heaven's name do you think you are doing?!?! I thought I asked you to leave so I could get back to my work!"

"Sorry, Lass - but you have me too curious to go home now. I thought I could make the two of us a cup of tea and you could tell me about your writing." He shrugged, chagrined and still quite handsome with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "But if you really want me to leave, I'll...."

Posted by: Richmond at August 8, 2006 02:49 PM

But Jenny cut him off, "Sir, thank you for bringing my package. I din't mean to be rude. But I really have a lot of writing to finish and my editor is on my arse for the next few chapters and well, I'm really having a problem."

"Maebee I can help?" He replied, bowing his bowler hat and walking towards her computer. The strange neighbor sat down in front of Jenny's computer and began to type...

Posted by: Rave at August 8, 2006 03:17 PM

Just what does he think he's doing? Jenny wondered to herself as Abe's fingertips flew over the keyboard, striking up yet another kind of music. It was music to her ears, that creative flow, and if she didn't end up having to scrap what this quirky yet handsome man wrote, then it was money in the bank.

"There." Abe leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head and a complacent smile upon his face. Jenny leaned in to read that which he had written..

Posted by: amelie at August 8, 2006 03:34 PM

Remember that movie "You've got Mail." Well, I have been the one reading your blog and commenting on it for the past year.

I am madly in love with you. We are meant to be together - forever and if you don't oblige...

Posted by: Greta at August 8, 2006 04:14 PM

The hair on the back of Jenny's neck stood on end. What? How could that be? She had just moved to this barren boring county town. How did this Abe know who she even was?

Then Jenny remembered something. She moved here because she was offered the house on a lease to own, steal of a deal. Jenny always wanted to live in an old two story house with a wrap-around porch and this house fit the bill perfectly. Many nooks and crannies in which to explore. Jenny imagined one day her kids (she had none at the moment) playing hide-n-seek throughout the house. So how did mysterious Abe know what she wanted?

Posted by: Rave at August 8, 2006 07:26 PM

"Women are so gullible," thought Abe. "A sincere-seeming front, exuding confidence, will get you what you want from them, every time.!"

Abe noticed just then that Jenny was regarding him with a rather earnest aspect. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he said.

Posted by: Justthisguy at August 8, 2006 08:14 PM

Jenny looked down at her bare feet and sheath dress then slowly raised her gaze to meet Abe's eyes. She didn't answer him, but looked at him with seductive eyes and a wry smile.

She thought of all those nooks and crannies and wondered what else he knew of her and her house. Her instincts were screaming at her to put the desk between them. Her talisman lay on the opposite corner. Holding his gaze she began to deftly move herself around the desk.

Posted by: beth at August 8, 2006 09:00 PM

Abe had felt just a few moments ago that this was going somewhere but hadn't realized that it was going somewhere so fast.

He stood up, ready and waiting Jenny's next move.
Jenny came right up to him and without taking her eyes from his asked "You are the owner of this house aren't you"?

Posted by: siany at August 9, 2006 06:13 AM

From Punctilious!

Her movements were slow and steady. Abe noticed she was inching away from the center of her desk, where she might logically have stashed a weapon. She was also moving away from the kitchen door. No mad dash for a knife.

His sigh of relief was cut short when she reached into the small credenza he had missed on the opposite wall. The object she took out was so mesmerizing Abe found he could not look away. His blood froze when he realized what it was.

Posted by: caltechgirl at August 9, 2006 02:16 PM

Jenny's cold, hard eyes cut through him like a knife. Just her look dared him to deny knowing about the camera and video tape she held out before him. She was shaking with rage. It was building. Burning. Abe's mind was racing. He had to think of an alibi quickly.

"Jenny, please. It's not what you think. I know what it seems like but I can explain." With her teeth clenched, she uttered, "I'm waiting." Abe regained his composure, "It's like this..."

Posted by: Sticks at August 9, 2006 03:36 PM