May 7, 2013

• Brainstorming Story Prompts

       I'm a storyteller.  When I was an over the road trucker, the rare treat was the evening when, after I had parked my truck and showered, I moseyed over to the truckstop bar, ordered some dinner, and found that the group around the bar was personable and talkative.  Many truckstops don't serve alcohol but have a large bar anyway, because men who have been alone with their thoughts for hours on end, like to sit around and talk with other, similar men and the waitresses at dinner.  Most nights would start out with everyone eyeballing the menu or looking down at their plate and eating, 'til one guy would get up the nerve and open with an innocuous question, "Smokeys everywhere today, huh?" or "Good Lord, is this winter ever gonna end?".  Then the dam would break loose.  Small talk at first, with everyone giving just enough to make sure there weren't any real nut jobs present. The stories would start to flow, and with the general male competitive nature, coupled with their desire to impress the waitress, be she young and pretty, old and personable, or just as mean as a rattlesnake, the one upmanship would guarantee better and better stories until the calculators started whirling in our heads and we reluctantly admitted we would be pretty useless at 3 am if we didn't get back to the truck for at least a little shuteye soon.  The best part about those evenings was that while the other guy was telling his story, it would get the get the gears going in everyone else's brains, and he would be lucky to finish his story before someone gave a little laugh and, "You're not kiddin'!  That reminds me of the time when...."  

   

       If you think about it, that's how our kids learn a lot about us, as well.  Last night Rebekah fell off her scooter and ended up needing stitches, and the whole evening we talked about various things that have happened to us.  Things we might never again have spoken of if her mishap hadn't prompted the memory.   "There was that time when I was delivering a load in Atlantic City and cut my finger.  I talked for days about how efficient that ER was.  They got me in and out in 45 minutes, stitches and all.  Then I got the bill for $1,800, and I've had nothing good to say about them since."  "When I was a little boy, I was hanging upside down from a tree when Mom called us in for dinner.  It startled me and I fell and landed headfirst on an orange crate.  You know what an orange crate is? (the explanation followed)  Anyway, my head was killing me, but I went in and sat down to dinner.  We said grace and started to eat, and at one point, I reached up and held the top of my head  to ease the pain.  A few bites later, I happened to look at my hand as I prepared to take another bite, and saw that it was splotched with a lot of dark, clotting blood.  Took me a few seconds to figure out, it was from my head."

  

       I'd like to do some posts that tell stories, and I'd like to hear your stories as well, so here's my proposal. Using something you've read (or seen) either in my blog or someone elses' as a prompt, write a post telling us a story from your past.  Then tag me and/or whoever provided the story that prompted you.  It should provide for some good reading and enjoyment.  Doesn't need to be long or fancy, just give us a little glimpse into your life.  I will enjoy your stories and will remember things otherwise forgotten that might prompt me to write even more stories from my life. You might be surprised at the fond memories that can be dug up by this little exercise.  Anyone in?

  • 8:44 pm
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