Today I started a new job.
Which is good, since the whole writing thing isn't going so well.
Exce-e-ept . . . the job is to be the adviser for a creative writing club at a local high school. Sigh. Murphy's Law is a powerful thing.
Apparently none of the teachers at the school cared much about the club, which is why I got hired. But today, my first day, there was exactly 1 kid who stayed as long as me. The group high was 4 kids for about 20 minutes until I gave them a writing prompt that was far too much to ask of the casual creative-writing-group/club goer.
Whether or not that goes well, I did the prompt with them, and thought I would share. The idea we started with (for the prompt) was to write about each day of the week as if they were a person/character, but I guess some author did an entire series about that--which they'd all read, of course--so we changed it to the seasons instead of days of the week.
Here's mine:
Summer burned through his stack of paperwork, checking the approved box in all of the applications whether they had the right information or not. He couldn’t concentrate or care today. Hopefully the underwriters would catch anything he missed.
Putting his feet up on his desk, Summer leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. Staring at the blue sky outside, his mind wandered to the waves and sand only a half-hour drive from where he sat
“Hey, Summer.”
He yanked his gaze away from the window, yanked his thoughts from the beach. Fall had one hand on the door frame, her head barely peeking into his room. She always seemed to be trying too hard to be young—her hair dyed a bright red, clothes covered in an array of color. Today she wore a cardigan that looked like a confetti cannon had exploded behind her and covered her arms and shoulders with flecks of orange, red, yellow, and fushia. It was awful.
“Hey, Fall. What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing.” She moved to stand in his doorway and tripped, whacking her shoulder against the door frame on the other side. “I was falling asleep at my desk so I decided to take a walk. If they didn’t keep the lights so dim over the cubicles, it would be easier to stay awake.”
Summer tried not to roll his eyes. Fall was always such a downer. Before he could think of a reply, another figure stepped in behind Fall. Winter. The boss from the frigid nether regions of corporate feminism.
“Fall. I see you’re away from your desk. Again.”
Fall looked like she might pee her pants. “Sorry Miss Winter. I’ll be . . . I’ll be . . . going.” She gestured with both pointer fingers down the hall in the direction Winter had just come and then stepped out of Summer’s line of sight. He could imagine her weaving down the hallway in a flustered attempt to both hurry and not look rushed.
Winter took Fall’s place in Summer’s doorway. The tendons stood out on her hands as she put them on her pointy hips. “Are you through the approvals for the week.”
Summer beamed at her as he pulled his feet off his desk. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Her frown deepened. “Underwriting says there’s been a spike in approvals in the last few weeks.”
Summer shrugged. “Guess the applicants are getting smarter.”
“Underwriting also says there’s been a spike in mistakes on the applications they’re getting.”
“Oh.”
Once again, Summer was interrupted before he could come up with a good excuse. This time it was Spring. Dressed in sea green pants rolled at the ankle, canvas deck shoes, and a pink button up rolled to his elbows, Spring floated past Winter and alighted on the only other chair in the room. As he passed Winter, Spring touched her arm and said, “Hello, Winter, Darling,” drawing out all the vowels in his lazy southern accent.
Winter acknowledged the greeting with a terse nod, but her shoulders seemed to relax just slightly. It seemed like everyone relaxed with Spring around. He was easy to talk to.
“Do you mind shutting the door, Winter? I have an important update to discuss with Summer. Chronos said it couldn’t wait.”
Giving Summer an icy glare, Winter turned and grabbed the handle of the door. “The work better improve or there will be consequences Summer,” she said as she pulled the door shut.
Spring grinned.
“Chronos has an update for me?” Summer asked.
“Nah. I just like to interrupt Winter’s rampages. It tickles my insides."