Slice of Life: Day 17: Pieces of Another Puzzle: 003

I almost became a ghostwriter - a gig that could definitely put some layers of Benjamins in your wallet. For someone who wants to be published, a chance to get my name out to a broader demographic. I spent a lot of time writing my sample, knowing exactly where, how and why it would fit. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. Things don't happen for a reason, but God continually works to make things good. Romans 8:28.

While He's working, the one good thing I can extract from this situation is that I now have a piece of writing I can use for another story. I worked over twenty hours on these Another Puzzle blog entries...and there's still work to be done. It's the life of a writer.

Another Puzzle shows how relationships are formed in various ways - some lasting longer than others. Some with greater expectations. The point was to show how the protagonist, until going to boot camp and eventually war, never experienced a powerful friendship that'd be better referred to as a brotherhood.  

Ghostwriting Scraps: Part 3

fiction

...continued

In the big picture of life, most of our early friendships are anything but substantial – especially if sacrifice sets the bar. Some say relationships have seasons and aren’t meant to last. Their purpose is limited; we either extract moments and lessons to further our growth or don’t.

The Army was different.

When I was younger, a few years before heading to the boot camp, I thought I knew what life was all about. To be truthful, I was looking forward to being an adult. One day. The grown-ups around me made it look fun, easy. Yes, their conversations were boring as hell, but mine wouldn’t be. Mine will be with my best buds sitting in the backyard talking baseball. Smoke from the grill rising high over the fence, our beer collecting condensation on the red and white tablecloth as we talk about baseball and how the game has changed. But not so much that we don't live and die by our team - and shriek like girls when we scored tickets to the game.

Our kids will run around screaming, sparklers in their hands, forging their friendships. We, adults, will clank our beer bottles in a toast and plan who’d be each other’s best man and shake our heads in disbelief tracking how we all met. Some because we had recess at the same time years earlier or sat at adjacent cubicles every Monday through Friday. Other’s because you chose the same sleep-away camp. Fate’s spontaneity.

That was all a few years off. I’m in no rush. To society, I am an adult and have been for less than two years. But I’m not ready for the commitment adulthood commands and endures - the church gossip, arguments over finances and diaper duty. And I’m unwilling to give up my silly antics and goofy charisma. I’m just as happy having burgers and dogs served to me, mowing yards for easy money and fishing in silence where there was no casting of political views or reeling religious beliefs. No distractions.

...to be concluded

photocredit: shutterstock.com

-rg