Prompt #116

Here’s a photo of five people being chased by something, or I don’t know, maybe they’re trying to catch something? Maybe they’re just running? For… fun? Are they looking for shade? Is it “first one back to the car gets the last beer in the cooler”?

Whatever else this photo is, it’s also my attempt to portray friends having a good old time together. Which kind of, sort of, goes with the story (below). We do the best we can around here with the tools we are given.

Quick Note: I’m visiting a new grand baby on the east coast at the moment and, wouldn’t you know, she thinks the world revolves around her! (It does.) So I’m popping in here quickly to give you today’s prompt and will get to your stories as soon as Little Miss Perfection gives me a chance. Babies! Good thing they’re so cute!

…a short thing I wrote recently on the subject of loneliness. Well, it started with the subject of loneliness and then it morphed and grew and went other places. In the end, I suppose it’s mostly about being an anxious person. (Who, me?) Anyway, here you go:

Perfect Visit

I am not lonely, but I am lonely-adjacent. I am almost lonely. I am on the verge of loneliness. I am afraid of being lonely. I have friends, but I am certain I do not have enough friends. I feel that other people have more friends than I do. I think I want more friends and then I remember that I don’t have room for more friends, I don’t have time to see the friends I already have. Also, friends make me nervous. I heard from Nancy yesterday, she says she hopes I come visit soon and stay for a few days, she wants to make me eggs and toast. And I love hearing this, it’s enough to hear it, must I really go there and eat the eggs? We have friends arriving on Friday and they are spending the night and already I am wondering what we will do with them all afternoon. On Saturday, we are driving them to the airport and then having dinner at a couple’s house. I don’t know this couple very well and I don’t know their house. Do we bring flowers and chocolates? Are we the old people who believe you can’t show up empty-handed? What will we talk about? Will we have to reciprocate and invite them to our house? Went to the hospital to visit my friend with the brain hemorrhage. She was being readied for a shower, so I just yelled hello from the hallway and went home. And now she knows I made the effort. In that way, it was the perfect visit.

Okay. Your turn. I will explain.

1. Write a story that starts with a declarative sentence about your character’s state of mind.

2. My story starts with this declaration: “I am not lonely.” Yours could begin: “I do like not other people.” Or “I am a very honest person.” Or, “I am not a fan of public transportation.” Or “I never loved my wife.” Or “Out of principle, he refused to speak to his neighbor.”

3. If you need more to spark you, take a look at these words, each of which can be used to describe someone: careless, cold, agreeable, dismissive, extravagant, jealous, irritable, reasonable, productive, shy, stressed, selfish, cautious, assertive.

4. See where the declaration leads you.

5. I hope this is enough to get your imagination moving. Be like me: do your best with the tools you’ve been given!

(Attempt to keep stories under 400 words if posting in the comments. My brain can’t process more than that at one time.)