In MotO: 1
{My Soul} I summon to the winding ancient stair;
Set all your mind upon the steep ascent,
Upon the broken, crumbling battlement,
Upon the breathless starlit air,
'Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;
- A Dialogue of Self and Soul - William Butler Yeats -
* ROBYN *
“Robyn? Honey, come to bed.” Five long, slender fingers with Hello Kitty tips reached over and lightly rested on those gripping a wireless mouse, tapping ever few seconds.
“No. No. Not even close.” The mouse moved, freed again from all fetters save the hand that enfolded it. “Sorry...Did you say something?”
“No. Nothing important. I'll see you whenever.” One door, then another, slammed in the spaces behind Robyn's head. Her right hand continued to feed her search results, while her left land provided her liquid encouragement.
* JUAN *
Hi, my name is Juan, and I'm an alcoholic. I've been sober now for three months, and I've gotta say I'm kind of surprised. I sort of thought my whole life would be magically changed for the better, you know “give up drinking, win a million dollars, live happily ever after?” Yeah. You know.
Of course, that isn't how its worked out for me either. Since quitting drinking and trying to make amends, I've lost my job and my fiancee. My boss didn't like finding out I'd stopped drinking on the job, well, because that meant I'd been drinking on the job. He canned my ass.
My fiancee, well she decided she just didn't like the sober me as much as she liked the other guys at the bar. I'm just “not enough of a man” for her any more, she said. She kept the ring too, to remember me by, in case I ever decided to come to my senses.
But the truth is, I'm done with it... with her, and with drinking. I drank for a lot of reasons, a lot of wrong reasons. I got a lot of crap to make up for. I know it. I sure as hell'm not gonna drink for the wrong reasons now. I may be powerless, but I ain't desperate.
Thank you.
* KELLY *
please don't ask me please don't ask me please don't ask me please don't ask me please don't ask me
* ROBYN *
Red wine spilled on the floor. “Holy shit. Is it really you?”
* SERENA *
Serena Matthiesen balanced the tea tray with one hand, shielding the lone candle with the other against the slight breeze off the ocean. It was cool on the veranda, but not so cold that she would need a sweater over her poplin dress.
According to the calendar in the kitchen, her brother Juan was at another of his endless dreary board meetings. Serena couldn't have asked for a more perfect night for a party. The guests were already at the table, waiting for her.
Serena walked over to the array of patched teddy bears, amputee Barbies, and one permanently-bemused Chihuahua. In a quiet voice she began to sing, “Happy Birthday” to no one present.
* NEIL *
“That's tonight's news. I'm Neil Hawk.”
“And I'm Denyse Stutzman. Don't forget to join Jeanette for a first look at your Portland weekend weather. Have a good night.”
“And clear. Great show everybody.”
“Hey, Neil. You want to go grab some dinner?”
“Oh, gee thanks for the offer, Den, but I'm meeting up with a couple of old high school buddies tonight. I don't suppose you want to join us? Hear about all my old escapades? Maybe get a little jealous?”
“High school buddies? More like get a little nauseated. Some other time, perhaps. Nite-Nite!”
“Yeah, good-night.”
* GEMMA *
The bed was cold. It'd been cold a lot lately. Girl, I hope you find what you're looking for. I'll miss you. Gemma kissed the bottom of the hand-written note and tied it to the string of the lone lightbulb in the kitchen.
Then she quietly walked out, leaving nothing, and everything, behind her.
* ROBYN *
“I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to me.”
If you haven't read my introduction, short recap: I'm a writer with characters in search of a yellow brick road. We (collectively, they and I) know roughly where they are start from (it isn't here) and I (firmly putting my foot down this time) know where this is supposed to end.
Here are the first Polaroids of our journey: snapshots of a few moments of simultaneous goodness. As I have time to write, I will try to get out what I can. This is a long term project.