NUMBERS OR WORDS?

This one person who has been reading my blogs for awhile sent me an e-mail. “Have you ever thought of writing for a living? If not, you should.” he wrote. I replied with “XOXOXO…” all over the page, adding a footnote that he had made my day. I’d have reacted the same way if someone, in those good old days when I played the game, would have asked the same question, substituting ‘playing professional hockey’ for ‘writing’. Dreams. We all have them; few of us pursue them. We get caught up in the everyday effort of making a living.

My teachers thought I would be working in the writing industry too. Not one of them ever imagined I would end up in accounting, except maybe Mr. Papa – our science/geometry/trig professor. I can remember being ordered to meet him in the library for a serious discussion. It was during the ‘boys-boys-boys’ year. He was adamant about warning me that I was letting things go; my marks were losing ground; I had stopped paying attention; I could and should do better. Because I respected him, and was surprised that he cared (this kind of meeting really wasn’t his style), I listened. He probably had much to do with me being okay today. (Hear that, Auslander?) By the way, he was also the one who was present for our after-grad party, and endured my drunken, maudlin expressions of thanks until I went outside to up-chuck all those rum zombies I had imbued during the evening, LOL!

But back to my coveted e-mail. I have been writing all my life; diaries, letters, little stories, poems, fairy tales for my kids, homemade greeting cards. It’s part of me, even if it’s not the professional part. I usually have three to four stories started, but not completed, at any one time on my computer. I keep thinking that when I retire, I’ll get more serious about it. I’ll do my homework in the writer’s market, send out manuscripts, have more time, etc. I’ll become a writer. The revenues will be a welcome addition to my pension. Okay, noted, but in no way certain. Maybe if I wrote a book on procrastination…but that’s been done. I’ve read bits and parts of it, and it didn’t help at all.

Just for fun, I’m going to copy a few lines of a one of my projects here. Feedback would be nice, but not necessary.

The directions from the anonymous voice had been chilling, but accurate. Fifteen minutes later, they found the body. It was exactly where the caller said it would be, but nothing had prepared them for the state of the cadaver. In spite of the multitude of blowflies, the atrocities were easily discernable. Staring down, the Sheriff fumbled for the handkerchief in his pocket, yanked it out to cover his nose and mouth, forcing himself to keep from gagging. The young rookie made a noise, then turned away and started to retch. Well hidden, the voyeur smiled as he shifted the binoculars. He watched them until the hearse arrived, then crept silently away. He would contact them later that night with another tip, just when they’d be thinking everything was over. It was only beginning.
And that’s it for now folks. I have work to do, dog food to buy. Wishing you all a good day, with many adventures and lots of SMILES!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.