Well, I'm officially in Chill out mode at the moment. Finishing the last vodka and V8 splash for the night, listening to 'Shine on Crazy Diamond' by Pink Floyd and relaxing. Its about 2 AM and I need to get to bed soon, but I figured I'd throw something out here since I'm making a genuine attempt to write at least something every day. I was watching re-runs of MASH on DVD earlier and it struck me how truly amazing the writers of that show were. The 'Tuttle' episode was the one that really caught my attention. The creativity required to conceive of and then write that episode is truly comedic art in its highest form. I hope one day I can write something half that good. Speaking of writing, I'm going to throw another one of my short ones from school up here. I actually had a lot of fun writing it. This one stemmed from a picture the instructor posted of an old reel to reel tape player sitting on the floor agains the wall and we were supposed to write a short story that used it as a focal point. This is what I came up with: Hmm..I guess you are going to have to wait for that one- I can't find it at the moment. I'll toss up a different one for you. This was another 'story from a picture'. This one showed a classic GTO parked next to a phone pole on a quiet street. Its not one of my favorites, but it turned out ok, I guess..

Calvin Mathers rode his electric blue Schwinn past the same black car that he had seen across the street from the bank every day this week. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he stared at it, slowing down to get a closer look. He noticed there was no license plate on the classic Pontiac.  Without even realizing it he stopped pedaling, his bike coasting to a stop next to the old car. 

Suddenly a head appeared in the window. Calvin’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the man staring back at him. He froze, mouth open in surprise at the sudden appearance of someone in what he thought was an abandoned car. The man blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes. Obviously he had been napping in the warm afternoon sun. He smiled at Calvin as he put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. “She’s a beaut, Ain’t she, Kid? “ He reached up and adjusted his battered old fedora. “Don’t see many like this baby these days, do ya?”  Calvin shook his head, still staring at the odd man.

The door of the car opened and the man stepped out onto the sidewalk. He stretched, groaning loudly and the scratched the dark stubble on his cheek. “Oh, Man, I’m stiff!” He chuckled. “She’s pretty, but the seats aren’t the best for sleeping on.” He looked down curiously at the boy. “Don’t talk much, do you?” He held out his hand. “I’m Benny.” Calvin stared at the rough hand in front of him for a moment as if it was a snake that might bite him. Finally he reached out and shook the calloused hand tentatively. “I’m Calvin.” He finally managed to squeak softly.

The man chuckled softly, dropping his cigarette on the sidewalk and crushing it with the toe of  his scuffed black oxford. “So, you can talk, hmm? Well, Calvin, I was wondering if you could maybe give me some information? It’s worth a soda if you can.” Calvin’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as he looked up at the man in front of him. “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers, mister.”  Benny nodded thoughtfully, reaching into his wrinkled black suit coat to grab a dark pair of sunglasses and slip them on. As he did the jacket swung open and Calvin saw the butt of a gun hidden in a shoulder holster. He nearly wet himself. This man WAS a bank robber! He looked around wildly, trying to figure out how to escape so he could go tell someone about him. Maybe he should go to the police station and tell them. There might even be a reward for this guy! He smiled as he thought about the headlines in the paper. “Local 12 year old boy captures bank robber single handedly!”

Suddenly Benny spoke again, shattering the daydream and reminding the boy he was still standing on the sidewalk next to a bank robber! “Well, Calvin, I figure since we introduced ourselves I’m not a stranger anymore, right?  So, maybe you can help me out? I just need to know if you’ve seen a big armored car showing up at the bank on a certain day while you’re out riding your bike.” Calvin looked thoughtful for a moment, as if pondering the question. “Geez, how stupid does this guy think I am?” he thought to himself, stalling for time. “If I tell him they might arrest me for helping him!” The boy idly scuffed the toe of his worn Ked across the sidewalk, making a show of thinking hard for the man in front of him. Finally a plan flashed into his head.

Of course! All he had to do was tell this guy when the armored car showed up and then run to the police station to tell his dad! This guy didn’t know that Dad was a captain on the police department. It was PERFECT! They’d know just when to nab him! The boy opened his mouth and spoke, hesitantly. “Um…Thu…Thursday, I think. Around 3:oo in the afternoon.” Benny smiled and nodded, reaching down.

Calvin thought for a moment he was going to grab him, lift him up and shake him until he confessed to masterminding this man’s inevitable arrest, but he just ruffled his hair and smiled. “Thanks, Kid. I appreciate it. That really helps me out. Here, I got something for you.” He turned and leaned into the car rummaging in the back seat. Calvin saw this as his opportunity to escape cleanly and jumped on his bicycle, pedaling away as fast as his legs could push him.

Benny stood up from digging in the car, a coke from the ice chest in the back seat dripping water on the sidewalk, three free passes to the circus in his hand. “Huh?” He thought to himself, seeing that the little boy was gone. “I guess he don’t like the circus! Oh well, the boss will be happy when I can get that check for the payroll cashed on Thursday. It’ll be good to be able to pay all the boys before we pack up and move on.” Mopping his sweaty brow with the ice-cold bottle he leaned against the car and watched the life going on in this tiny midwestern town. “Boy, not much going on here. I bet nothing exciting ever happens in this place!”