10.02.2014

Silly Snails

It is late and I am feeling silly. I hope you enjoy my silly snail story. Leah's inspiring picture:

“Why hasn’t anyone inquired?”
“What do you mean, ‘why?’ It’s a used house!”
“People sell used houses all the time.”
“You are not a person, Carl, you are a snail.”
“So are you.”
“But I’m not trying to sell my old shell.”
“I am.”
“I know, Carl.”
Janet inched closer to a nearby bush. “Are you coming?”
“What if somebody comes by and sees the sign?”
“Then they will stop and look at it and you can shout at them.”
“Shout at them? You don’t think that would be bad manners? ‘Hey, you! That’s my house!’ They would run away for sure.  I had better stay here.”
If Janet could have shrugged, she would have, but she didn’t have shoulders. Or bones. So she just turned her head and went back to inching. “Suit yourself.”
“You’re going to leave without me?”
“We have to eat, Carl. There aren’t any leaves near your sign.”
“But that’s the point. Who would see it if there were a bunch of leaves around?”
Janet decided not to answer this question.
“What if I shined it a little bit?”
“With what?”
“My slime.”
“Then it would be slimy, not shiney.”
“Well what would you suggest?”
“Coming with me to eat.”
“I meant, ‘How would you shine the shell?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You’re being grumpy, Janet. You should eat something. Your blood sugar is getting low.”
Janet stuck her eyes into the top of her head in annoyance. “I’m trying, dear.”
“Well I’m trying to sell a house.”
“Why don’t you wander around while you wait and try to sell the slime trail as art while you’re at it?”
Carl’s gaze jerked up to Janet, who was now half-way up a stem.
“Brilliant, dear.  You are so brilliant!”
Janet shook her head and took a bite of crunchy, green dinner, hoping no one would come by before it got dark.

You can read Leah's and Deb's, too. Please do. Because they are awesome.

1 comment:

  1. I loved this!! You just proved that you can write a fabulous story with almost nothing but dialogue. I LOVED it!!

    ReplyDelete