TheBanyanTree: how to write a short story

[Pam North]

Tobie wrote:

"Then I stalked off across the road, and into the forest.  I
kept hoofing away, knowing that Dweller's job was to come after me,
crazy with drama, to fetch me and declare h is undying love. "


And sometimes, it just doesn't happen that way!

I was about five months pregnant with our first child, who turned out to be
Molly, who'll celebrate her eighteenth birthday this week!

But back then...  her dad and I fought a lot.  There was drama.  We were
*not* a great love match, but marrying him seemed like the thing to do, and
so it was done, complete with the big ceremony and bridesmaids, and then I
moved on to my next plan:  having a child.

We were driving to Fayetteville, to visit with my parents.  They only lived
about three hours away, and visiting them was something we usually did once
a month or so.  This particular trip we spent arguing.  Can't tell about
*what*.... we ALWAYS found something to disagree about!  (I told you... we
were a terrible match!)

And at some point, he ticked me off!  And I SLAMMED on the brakes in the
middle of two-lane road, and got out!!  I was NOT going to ride in the car
with this jackass!!!!, he did NOT deserve me!!!  I grabbed my coat, and
slammed the door behind me!!!  And started walking!

At first, he followed along beside, having slid over to the driver's side
and taken over the wheel, but I guess the traffic coming and going
frustrated him more than my refusal to get back in the car, and so he turned
around and started heading for home.

We were about three miles from the turn-off to the interstate that would be
the last leg of our trip to my parents', and so I walked that three miles,
waiting for him to come back and beg me to get in the car.

PSYCHE!  He never showed up!!  When I got to the gas station at the
interstate exit, I called my parents collect (since I hadn't bothered to
grab my purse where my money was stored!), and my mom came and got me and
took me home.

He said that he *did* turn around and come back for me, but by then - 'cause
I guessed I walked *really* fast! - I was already off the road and gone.  So
he just turned back around again and drove home without me!

As it turns out, my best friend had also come to my hometown that weekend
for one of her kids' sporting events, so I had a ride back home myself.

Looking back, that was neither the first, nor the LAST night I had a spouse
call my bluff and the story didn't turn out the way I wanted.

Another lesson in life:  my powers of manipulation aren't all that honed!

Pam