So what’s wrong with these stories? They are true.
#1
This is the truth. I swear it on a stack of Bibles.
It happened to me on Sunday, The Day of Rest.
There I was, with my darling daughters sitting in the third meeting of the day, when a woman spouted off about how getting divorced meant you are selfish.
“That’s all it is–selfishness.”
My daughters, one on either side of me–well, I could tell you their feathers were ruffled.
“Wait,” said a young woman in the audience, “sometimes it’s the right thing to divorce someone.”
“Yes,” said the teacher. “But it’s all about selfishness. If people worked harder . . .”
My first daughter burst into tears and stormed out.
The second waited a few minutes more, crying her eyes out, and then she left.
I sat there alone too tired to say anything. Until you have walked a mile in someone’s moccasins, the truth is, you just have no idea what’s going on. But I didn’t have the energy to make my point.
Another thing–when your scope on life is super-narrowed, with only one answer, you cannot empathize.
That was a hurtful hour.
#2 This incident happened the day before The Day of Rest–yes, actually, what I mean is Saturday.
Recently, I noticed the kitchen sink is leaking.
A lot.
Four rocking toilets.
Dishwasher that doesn’t work.
Leaking sink.
Faulty water heater.
This house is absolutely looking like a money pit.
Unfortunately, the warranty people aren’t responding. Yes, really. There is actually a warranty on the house and those people are ignoring me.
I’ve called my friend, who’s a plumber, and his mailbox is constantly full.
So then I asked Someone Else about it. “Can you contact So and So (another plumber) for me?”
“So and So said the house is in shambles,” Someone Else said, prettily and meanly at the same time. “It’s going to cost you a lot of money and you will have to pay So and So his hourly wage.”
Oh really?
I won’t pay the piper? I mean, the plumber? (No Chris, I don’t mean Louise, and yes, I know we owe you money.) Is that what’s going on here? You think I don’t pay my monthly bills?
I had just pulled up to this garage sale where there was a woman with no front teeth but plenty of tattoos, a young girl smoking a ciggy while tenderly holding a cat and a boy/girl, I couldn’t clearly tell, actually.
Elise and I bought two Indian (Native American) statues to give to Kyra’s hot Indian boyfriend.
I made a deal with the toothless lady to go after Someone Else.
And I want to say pointedly, I still ain’t got no plumber.
#3 It’s All about Voice, Everyone.
Both of these pieces have voice, but how good is that voice? Plus, there are some other things that aren’t quite right with the stories.
When Chris or Ann Dee write for the blog, you know who you’re reading (more about that later).
So here’s a link about voice. See what you think.
And if you feel like it, write your own crummy true-to-life incident and post it here.
I want to read them.
http://hollylisle.com/ten-steps-to-finding-your-writing-voice/
Throwing Up Words 