Friday Fictioneers: Magic

Today’s Music: Edwin Star – War

And if you can, please help out Merbear. Just click The “Save A…” link on the left..

Every week, Rochelle Wisoff Fields posts a photo, and challenges her readers to write 100 words (ish) inspired by the picture. This week’s picture is from D. Lovering at 40 Again, and it’s followed by a story exactly 100 words long, with a beginning, a middle and an end.
(I figured since it’s my first time, I should follow the rules.)
Click over to her site to read some other great entries, and maybe leave your own!

copyright – DLovering

They entered the canopy and the air smelled cleaner, the laughter of children around the square louder and more vibrant.
The man in the suit turned to their guide.
“Odd decoration for the entrance to a missile defense, isn’t it?”
The guide smiled. “No entrance. This is it.” He whipped out a handgun, pointing it at the man, who barely had time to cringe before the trigger was pulled.
The bullet dribbled from the barrel, bouncing harmlessly off the pavement.
“H-how…?” sputtered the man in the suit.
“The magic of the Maypole”, answered the guide. “Don’t you believe in magic?

All criticism is welcome. Hell, since you’re reading, it’s in your interest to help me write better. 😉

Let The Blog Do The Work

Today’s Music: Dire Straits – Solid Rock

So I was trying to frame my thoughts for the next post. I was thinking  of something from the Ticket Stub bin, or perhaps (one of the many) stories of drunken stupidity littering my past.
But I also wanted it to be funny.
And then it occurred to me – for those of you who haven’t been reading the blog, or the comments regularly, below is an exchange between two readers, over two days.

I’ll just let the blog do the work on this one. Because I’ll be busy figuring out how to save myself and barricading myself behind my firewall.
As an aside, my girl (the most wonderful girl in the universe) laughed herself silly at this.

So here it is, the unexpurgated comments, with thanks/apologies to Weenine Girl and Brian the Kwyjibo

Comments from The Bozo List:
Weenie Girl | November 7, 2011 at 22:18 | Reply | Edit

I hope you don’t think that enhancing another blogger’s post really counts as your own post. Your readers want you!! Don’t let us down!! Some of us may know where you live!!!

Weenie Girl | November 7, 2011 at 22:20 | Reply | Edit

And by the way, you didn’t say what the music of the day was. Surely you don’t expect me to figure it out by myself…

Brian the Kwyjibo | November 8, 2011 at 04:15 | Reply | Edit

You’ve got a point, Weenie. Some of us have come to count on his daily recommendations. Don’t leave us hanging like this!

Brian the Kwyjibo | November 8, 2011 at 04:14 | Reply | Edit

Awesome, Guapo! It appears you might have your own stalker. I want a stalker. (Weenie Girl, I’ll send you the address to my house, and some good directions.)

And shamelessly plugging another guy’s blog totally counts as a post. You had to type some words and even make a hyperlink. I’m gonna put something on Unintimidated to direct readers here, maybe to your music page.

Weenie Girl | November 8, 2011 at 06:46 | Reply | Edit

My stalking schedule is a little tight but I may have an opening after the holidays, Brian. Besides that service, I can also nag and be self-righteous. For example, what the hell were you doing posting at 4 am instead of sleeping?!!?

Let me know if you’d like to pursue this.

WG

Brian the Kwyjibo | November 8, 2011 at 14:31 | Reply | Edit

I work swing shift, then usually stay up most of the night doing homework (or commenting on my favorite blogs when I should be doing homework). Some nights I get to bed by 2 or 3, and other times I’m up ’til 6. Either way, I sleep most of the morning. Before you nag me any more, let me say that I went to bed right after posting that comment last night.

I’ll get back with you on a time early next year when I’ll likely need a good stalker. (I’m so excited!)

El Guapo | November 8, 2011 at 15:19 | Reply | Edit

There ain’t nothing that’s good about the above.
Nothing at all.

Sadly, it picked up again after the next post,
And the comments from An Adventure – Learning to Sail
Weenie Girl | November 9, 2011 at 09:51 | Reply | Edit

I don’t even know where to begin.

1) You let your sisters tag along or they let you tag along?
2) Sunfish don’t have stays. Or guys. What kind of Sunfish are you talking about?
3) You only fell out of the boat? And only twice? Did it not capsize? That’s the whole fun of the getting wet part. If you capsize, it’s the wind’s fault. If you just fell out, you’re an idiot. Maybe that should be on the bozo list. Brian, do you think that qualifies? (And if you play your cards right, maybe I’ll invite you sailing.)
4) If you really loved sailing as much as you claim to, you would have taken the opportunity to respond affirmatively when you were invited. Pezhead!

El Guapo | November 9, 2011 at 10:20 | Reply | Edit

1 – They tagged along.
2 – The course was the Red Cross certification, and covered stays and guys.
3 – capsized and fell out. I am multi-talented. And ignoring the wind and capsizing is the sailors fault.
4 – Perhaps I just can’t find the right (sane) people to sail with….

Weenie Girl | November 9, 2011 at 10:37 | Reply | Edit

Bah! I wonder if your sisters agree with you. Check with them.

But still, only twice? If that was it, you weren’t sailing hard enough. If you fell out because your boat wasn’t tied to the dock, I don’t think I’d include that as one of your “multi-talents”.

Sanity is over-rated. I’ll ask my other self what she thinks but I believe she agrees with me.

Brian the Kwyjibo | November 9, 2011 at 12:59 | Reply | Edit

Nice nagging, WG! I could add him to The Bozo List, but he comprises 50% of the list’s editorial team, so that might not be a good move.

For some, shyness might be their El Guapo. For others, a lack of education might be their El Guapo. El Guapo, I’m starting to think your personal El Guapo is a blog commenter who goes by the name of Weenie Girl.

El Guapo | November 9, 2011 at 14:35 | Reply | Edit

Too. True.

Talismans and Magic

Today’s Music: Lindsey Buckingham
A talisman (from Arabic طلسم Tilasm, ultimately from Greek telesma or from the Greek word “telein” which means “to initiate into the mysteries”) is an amulet or other object considered to possess supernatural or magical powers. (Source – Wikipedia)

Lets talk about magic.
Not the kind where you teleport yourself from home to work so you can stay in bed later. And not the kind that bends the evil starbucks lady to your will.
Lets talk about the other kind – the kind that anchors you to this life, that gives you strength to endure and even beat the challenges of the day. The kind that reminds you of who you are.
I have several talismans like that. Most of them I keep with me all the time. Despite the fact that none of them look the same, and that some of them are replaceable for a few dollars, all of them have special meaning to me.
Join me for the tour, would you?…

This is my Club Med dive token. It entitled me to up to 5 dives during my stay there in October ’97.
My old boss sent me there as thanks for putting in an ungodly amount of work in a short period of time when we built our second restaurant. I went, planning on lying on the beach, drinking way too much. but my friend Ace, who came along for the trip (and picked out all my clothes, thank goodness) wanted to take the PADI Open Water Diver course, and convinced me to do it with her. Diabetics are not supposed to get certified to dive. So I never did, even though it was really high on my list. But Ace was lying on the form anyway (we both smoked over a pack a day), and said I should too.
So after thinking long and hard about it (at least a minute), I filled out the form, checked NO for the questionable stuff, and learned to dive.
It. Was. Fantastic. One of the smartest moves I ever made, lying on that form.
The token was needed to get on the Club Med boat to go out to the dive site. Afterwards, I could have thrown it out, or returned it, but I kept it. I found myself looking for it late at night and getting comfort from holding it, remembering how much fun Ace and I had, and it reminding me that sometimes it was important to break the rules. And that sometimes the rules were stupid.

I put it on it’s cord shortly after that trip, and with the exception of maybe 15 to 20 days, it’s been around my neck ever since. I don’t wear it out, I don’t talk about it, but every so often, when I’m about to do something out of my comfort zone, I give it a quick pat and get the strength I need to do whatever it is, because I’m a diabetic who learned to scuba dive on a whim. So I can do anything…

Ever since I “borrowed” my sisters guitar all those years ago, I’ve wanted to be able to play it. Still want to bee able to play it.
I can make some nice phrases, keep time, stay in key. But I’m not a great player, might never become one.
But I’ve been at a long time. Probably longer than I’ve pursued anything so far. And it’s always been there for me.
I keep that pick in my wallet. Sometimes it gets changed out for another, but there is always a guitar pick there.
It’s magic is that it carries with it tenacity, perseverance.
It reminds me that I may not get there, but sometimes trying is just as important.

And the most important talisman, that I draw an awful lot of gris-gris from,

This is my wedding ring. It’s white gold. On the inside of by my wife’s and my rings is incscribed (in Hebrew) “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”.
By the time we went for the ceremony, we had been together for many years. We got married in large part for the legal benefits and standing, which are stronger than common law.
So the ring isn’t what married us, but it is a physical token of the bond between us. (It’s also fun to clink them together to activate our “Wonder Twin powers”!)
I spin my ring around my finger. I clack it against my desk. And I rarely take it off. Because it is a tangible reminder that it there is someone out there who is relying on me, who trusts me, and who thinks I am worth it.
When I feel overwhelmed by responsibility, I spin my ring. I like having that reminder always there. It reminds me of who I am, and who I can be. And that I am trusted and loved by the most wonderful girl in the universe.
And there’s a heck of a lot of power in that.
Magic power, even.

Be back soon…

Been very busy, but I’ve got a great post coming for you –
MAGIC!