Thursday, November 4, 2010

THE LONELY, QUIET LIFE OF A WRITER

What is this description I keep hearing of the lonely, quiet life of the writer? Either I am not the writer I purport myself to be, or somebody has been misleading me!
I sit down with a story in my mind, eager to get it into my computer so I can share it with my fellow writers. I no sooner place my laptop in my...well, in my lap…when one of our small dogs jumps up beside my leg, stretching herself close to full length alongside my knee to ankle, on the lifted leg-rest portion of my recliner. Our other little dog climbs onto the footstool by the chair and stands there looking forlorn because he can’t jump up by my side with his Big Sissy Dog in his way. He knows that would raise a row and he doesn’t want to risk her ire. I take pity on him, make sure my computer is secure on its cooler pad, reach over and lift his small body into the space between the arm of the chair and my thigh.
Dogs settled, now I can get back to my story plots. Buzz-zzz…Buzz-zzz! Oh, hold that thought. The dryer announces clothes are ready to come out right now or they will end up with wrinkles set in them. Sorry doggies, got to dump you as I lower the recliner leg rest and head to the laundry room. It’s a good thing I have time to think about my story while I take care of the laundry.
Clothes taken care of, but more laundry is in the dryer now. Walking by the kitchen on the way to and from the laundry room, I notice the addition of dishes in the sink. Funny how those dishes just seem to appear as if by magic, yet they never seem to do themselves. Have any of you ever noticed that? There can be an empty sink and stovetop when a writer walks by to put the laundry in, yet the next time she walks by, not only is there a used frying pan on the stove, but also dirty dishes soaking in the sink as well as crumbs crawling across the countertop! Thankfully, the crawling crumbs are not alive! Might as well do a swift sweep with a wet cloth since I am walking by anyway. This may give me something more to write about.
Now the dogs want to go out. Good timing. I’m on my feet. I wonder how they decided to ask to go out now since I’m not trying to sit and write! Amazing! Good girl! Good boy! Out you go. Guess I’d better follow and clean up the yard before the yardman gets here. His careless stomping anywhere and everywhere, as well as running the lawnmower all over everything, just creates a problem if I don’t get out there before he does. Okay, doggies, time to go back inside. I’m not getting any writing done out here.
Ah, back in my recliner and at my laptop at last. “Ding!” E-mail has arrived. I’d better check that. I’m waiting for a response from the banker who’s working on our house refinancing. No, but one of my writing friends wants some suggestions with a place that has her stuck. She has a deadline and since I don’t, I certainly can help her. Oh, and here’s a joke I want to share with several friends. It has to do with writing and may be a prompt for some folks. We all need a laugh now and then. That reminds me, I have some snail mail get-well cards I must get sent today.
At last, back to my story: “Iva was an intelligent…”
“What are you thinking about for supper?” hubby asks.
“Supper? We just had breakfast a little while ago.”
“Yeah, but I was thinking if we are going to have something that’s frozen, we should be getting it out now so it can thaw.”
(Sigh)…and that reminds me of the groceries that need to be bought.
I just get back into the storyline in good shape when the phone rings, not necessarily for me, but enough to be a distraction. If it isn’t the phone, it is likely something on the TV whose sound I cannot escape during most daytime hours.
Speaking of escape, of course, there are occasions when I go away from the distractions of home, and work on my writing. Usually, that’s when my husband and I, or both of us, go for medical appointments or to rehab, where I know I will be sitting and waiting. The problem with most of my times away seems to be similar to the times at home: there is almost always a TV running in the background. If not a TV, someone is having a discussion a few decibels louder than necessary. So far, I am not deaf, but sometimes I wonder how long before I will be!
The library is a quiet place. I do go there from time to time, but I never thought to go there to write. I go there to find books so I can read books written by those who, I have been told, live the lonely, quiet life of a writer.
As I finish this writing, I wonder: should this be posted under truth or fiction?
© Marilyn Sue (Libby) Moore 10-4-2010

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