The Conversation

Our writer’s group exercise this month was to create a scene using nothing but dialogue and minimal “he said, she said” comments.  The idea was to strengthen the storytelling by seeing through a character’s eyes and words.  It was more challenging than I thought it would be!  My result is below:

 

“Sit down, Bill.  There’s no call for shouting.  I’ll take care of it.”

“Oh sure, that’s what you always say.  You’ll take care of it.  You’ll deal with it.  You think just because you’re the president of some rinky-dink condo board that you run some little kingdom. ”

“A kingdom?  There’re six condos in the building, Bill, I’d hardly call that a kingdom.  More like a fiefdom, no one gave me a crown.  Not that I wouldn’t like one… Hey!  Please stop waving the rake.  It’s not that big of a deal.  I’m sure that if I talk to them, they’ll be willing to listen to reason.”

“This is the fourth weekend.  The fourth in a row that I’ve been out here having to clean up dozens of butts from my yard and red solo cups and do you know what else I found down here?  Panties!  Little pink panties!  Someone must have thrown them off the balcony along with the cups and butts and all their other garbage.  Am I going to find condoms next?  What do you think, Matt?  Will it be safe sex for everyone except the first floor residents who have to clean up the mess?

“RRRRed solo cup, I fill you up, prepare to partay!”

“What?  What?  Are you making fun of me, Matt?  I could sue!”

“Alright, alright.  I understand that you’re upset, but I had nothing to do with this.  My lawn was a mess too, you know…”

“Oh sure, Matt.  Wave at your pretty little lawn all you like.  You have a wife to help you clean it up.  Send her over to my house.  She’s friends with those animals upstairs, she can clean up after them.  And don’t scowl at me like that.  I saw her bringing them her muffins.  She doesn’t bring me muffins.”

“I think they were a housewarming –“

“Well she didn’t warm my house!”

“Bill, we moved in on the same day.  Hell, we bought our condos a day apart back when they were being built.  You know she was just trying to be nice, besides, I don’t think muffins means besties.”

“What’s a bestie?”

“Never mind.  Look, if it’s that big of a deal, I’ll call Jenn.  They’re her renters. She can deal with them.  She’s usually pretty good about that kind of thing.”

“Jenn, Jenn!  Everyone worships Jenn!  She’s the miracle woman because she rents out condos!”

“What?

“Why do you think she’ll have anything to say? Why should she care?  She doesn’t live here!”

“Well, no, but…”

“She won’t care!  She won`t care and then it`ll be condoms everywhere!  An ocean of condoms and pink panties and..  Oh, whoops, sorry, Matt.  Let me help you up.”

“I did ask nicely for you to stop waving the rake.”