Sunday, August 23, 2009

Where do writers get their ideas!

Everywhere! Anywhere! It can be a thought, a verse, a poem, an incident, or during a walk, a car ride, on an airplane in mid flight, on a boat, a cruise ship, or while doing dishes, or washing the bathroom floor, taking the dog out to do its thing, planting a garden, mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage, cleaning the basement, watching a program on TV or a movie on the silver screen.

Or it can happen while shopping in a grocery store.

That happened to me today when I stopped to pick up a few things like yogurt, coleslaw, rolls, and some milk. I spotted a man dressed in a black tank top and tan shorts. His jet black hair was worn short, but you could tell if he let it grow longer it would become thick and even unruly. He was tanned, the kind of tan that is earned not by sunbathing but by working outside. And he was very well built. So I'm guessing construction.

He glanced over at me. And I thought what a perfect specimen, and saw a character developing. I briefly returned the glance, and self-conscioudly slipped into another aisle, all the while peeking around the corner. He glanced again my way, and I pretended to be studying the contents on a can of cat food.

Finally, I knew I had to make my way to the cashier where he was now paying for his purchases. It's a small store and I had two choices. Get in the same line behind him, or go in the one at the right where a customer had a loaded cart.

I took a deep breath and placed my few items on the conveyor belt as he paid for his stuff, and then he left.

A brief moment in time. A lost opportunity.

Still, it triggered something inside my mind, and as I drove home I mentally heard a conversation going on between two women.
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"I just met the sexiest man," Janette told her roommate Nicole as she lined up the cartons of yogurt on the refrigerator shelf. "I didn't actually meet him, I spotted him."

"Tell me where that was so I can see if there's more like him." Nicole laughed. "It's the middle of a Sunday afternoon. Where could you meet someone like that anyway?"

"Becker's Foods." Janette smiled, closing the door. "And I'm wondering if maybe he does his shopping there every Sunday afternoon."

"Wow, you're serious."

"Yes, and I'm going back next week to find out if my hunch is true."

So will Janette go back? Will she meet up with this dark handsome stranger? And will this dark handsome stranger present an opportunity for Janette to live out a few fantasies?

My mind is already working on those scenarios and I can't wait to find out what happens.

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