Paragraph of the Week (Part 32)

Well, again, it has been a while. But, let’s not lament over lost time. Instead, here is another paragraph in the story “Waves.” We are getting to the end so hold on!

“I could never figure out why she loved the thing, even she didn’t know. Every time I asked her, she said she couldn’t remember where she had gotten it from, just that she had it ever since she was a little kid. When I doubted her once, she whipped out a picture of when she was four and showed me the thing. And there it was, plastered around her neck.”
“She was a good woman.”
“Too good.” John sighed.
“You know, I’ve never really ——”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 31)

Or maybe I should call it paragraph of the month at this point! With an increasing work load, it is becoming harder and harder (and more difficult to remember) to post new content. But, I’m not giving up. So, here we go.

So, you asked me to lunch and then to retrieve a mysterious object,” Jacques said, “what else will be on our itinerary for the day?”
John shrugged. “Have to see if we get the key back and if you will actually talk.”
“The key? Oh monsieur, you don’t mean…”
“She always wore it around her neck. It was the only thing left after the fire. I’ve worn it every day since then. You remember it, remember her wearing it, right?”
“Of course, it never left her body.”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 30)

Some of you guys might be wondering if I died. I am sorry to inform you that, no, no I have not died. Yet, anyways. Again, I’m going to try to get out more blog posts, maybe even some…GASP…non-paragraph of the week posts. Until this becomes a reality, enjoy this weeks paragraph of the week. And if you can’t remember the story before this, and I don’t blame you if you can’t, you can always check them out in the archives.

“So, you asked me to lunch and then to retrieve a mysterious object,” Jacques said, “what else will be on our itinerary for the day?”
John shrugged. “Have to see if we get the key back and if you will actually talk.”
“The key? Oh monsieur, you don’t mean…”
“She always wore it around her neck. It was the only thing left after the fire. I’ve worn it every day since then. You remember it, remember her wearing it, right?”
“Of course, it never left her body.”
“I could never figure out why she loved the thing, even she didn’t know. Every time I asked her, she said she couldn’t remember where she had gotten it from, just that she had it ever since she was a little kid. When I doubted her once, she whipped out a picture of when she was four and showed me the thing. And there it was, plastered around her neck.”
“She was a good woman.”
“Too good.” John sighed.
“You know, I’ve never really ——”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 29)

Between work and school, I tend to forget about the blog here. But not completely! We’re still chugging along here, and we will be for a long time. Now, I won’t keep you guys from the next paragraph. Here it is.

The street lights popped on and yellow light filtered in through the bare tree limbs. John glanced up at the snow flakes that momentarily blocked out slivers of light, moving his hand to his chest and feeling the emptiness. A pigeon sat on top of the post. It burrowed its beak into its feathers, pecked at them and whatever else was nestled close to its body. A feather fell, drifting down and landing on the sidewalk. John watched it, stepped over it, and feigned a smile.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 28)

And here is the paragraph of the week. If you forgot how the story started, just check out the archives! Look under writing and you’ll have everything up to this point. Now, on with the story!

“Something wrong?” Jacques asked.
John shook his head. “Nothing.”
He began shuffling forward. A few flurries drifted down, melting on his arms. His leather jacket kept his core warm, and if he had wanted to push down the sleeves, it would have done the same for his arms. Then the cold couldn’t singe his flesh. Then it wouldn’t have felt so good.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 26)

Well, this story is moving along now! (mostly because I have been putting in more than just a paragraph…) So, here is the next installment!

They turned down one of the side streets and headed to the lake. The buildings varied from luxurious homes, complete with winding staircases, driveways, and statues in the small, gated front yards to heavy, squat apartment buildings worn from years of misuse; almost every structure was ancient and tired looking. One building, a wide and tall structure with a yellowish brick, made John turn his head and stop. He had gone up the stairs to it almost every day for a month, and every time he always felt tricked.

When he had first been looking for an apartment, John had replied to an ad that advertised brand new units. It had seemed too good to be true, and it had been.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 25)

It has been another long absence, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. For those of you that follow my Facebook page, you’ll know what I mean. And for the rest, last week I married a beautiful woman who I love so very much. So, as you can imagine, it was a busy week. Anyways, back to the blog! To start out with, I think we need another paragraph of the week. You might have forgotten where this story is going, hell even I have, but that’s alright! The archives are there for a reason!

The waitress, a thin girl with a lace fringed smock, stained with a rainbow of colors, dropped off the orange chicken, a bowl of rice, and two sets of chopsticks. She smiled and went back to talking with her coworker behind the register. Jacques flourished one of the napkins, placing it on his lap and breaking apart the chopsticks. John watched him peck at the rice and chicken.
“Come on,” Jacques said, motioning to the meal. “It is pretty good.”
“You never answered my question.”
Jacques smiled. “Let’s just eat in peace.”
“After all these years, that’s all you have to say?”
“There’s a lot I could say, but I don’t believe it is the time for it.”
“Then when will it be the time?”
“Soon.”
John snapped his chopsticks in two. “Fuck that.”
“Monsieur, easy now. Why are you so upset with me?”
“Why? WHY? You ran out after…after…she…” John rested his forehead on his trembling hand. “I just wanted to talk with you.”
“And now we are talking. Just…just be patient. It is all I ask. Nothing is easy these days.”
“Yeah, nothing is easy.”
They ate in silence, staring at the food and the table. When the meal was finished, Jacques threw a twenty down, stood up, and opened the door. John followed him, a gust of cold air lashing his flesh, raising his skin in bumps and pricks.
Jacques stopped just outside, eyes focused on a strobing streetlight trying to blink on. “Is that going to be all for today?”
“Let’s take a walk.”
“Guess we need to catch up on old times, right?”
John nodded and reached for the missing key that should have been around his neck. “That, and I could use some help.”
“With what?”
“Dropped something earlier. It’s a two man operation to get it back, so I’ll need your help.”
“Then lead the way.” Jacques half bowed and flourished his hand.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 23)

See? I’m not dead! If you thought I really had perished (or worse yet given up), I’m sorry to disappoint. Weddings, as most of you know, are very time consuming and planning for my own has taken up large chunks of my time. To make up for it, here’s a decent sized chunk for this week’s Paragraph of the Week!

“Come on,” Jacques said, motioning to the meal. “It is pretty good.”
“You never answered my question.”
Jacques smiled. “Let’s just eat in peace.”
“After all these years, that’s all you have to say?”
“There’s a lot I could say, but I don’t believe it is the time for it.”
“Then when will it be the time?”
“Soon.”
John snapped his chopsticks in two. “Fuck that.”
“Monsieur, easy now. Why are you so upset with me?”
“Why? WHY? You ran out after…after…she…” John rested his forehead on his trembling hand. “I just wanted to talk with you.”
“And now we are talking. Just…just be patient. It is all I ask. Nothing is easy these days.”
“Yeah, nothing is easy.”
They ate in silence, staring at the food and the table. When the meal was finished, Jacques threw a twenty down, stood up, and opened the door. John followed him, a gust of cold air lashing his flesh, raising his skin in bumps and pricks.
Jacques stopped just outside, eyes focused on a strobing streetlight trying to blink on. “Is that going to be all for today?”
“Let’s take a walk.”
“Guess we need to catch up on old times, right?”
John nodded and reached for the missing key that should have been around his neck. “That, and I could use some help.”
“With what?”
“Dropped something earlier. It’s a two man operation to get it back, so I’ll need your help.”
“Then lead the way.” Jacques half bowed and flourished his hand.

Paragraph of the Week (21)

And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program. On a quick side note, I believe I said I would make a post about writing a novel and how consuming it becomes. Well, as you can see, my theorem holds true (or I’m just lazy). One of these days I’ll do it. One of these days (and the book is almost done now)…

Well anyways, to make up for the lack of posts, another longer edition of the paragraph of the week. Enjoy!

John watched Jacques tap the board and put in the order. He lingered in the front, staring at the men behind the bar, watching them throw a piece of meat on the flames. It sizzled and cracked, the tiny space filling with the aroma of frying chicken. Jacques turned, coming back to the seat with a grin.
“She said they will bring it out to us in ten minutes,” Jacques said, sitting down across from John.
“Uh huh.”
“I was surprised when you called me today. I didn’t even know you were in town.”
“Don’t know who was more surprised, you or me. Never thought I would call you again, not in a million years. How could I?”
“Easily it seems.” Jacques laughed.
“Funny, it’s all so funny. I wasn’t even sure the number Jones gave me would work, not after you ran like that.”
“I didn’t run.”
“Then where were you all those days after? Why did you leave the force the very next day? I go there, trying to talk to you, and I’m told you left. Then I go to your apartment and it’s vacant. You know what that says to me? It just screams ——”

Paragraph of the Week (18)

Remember how I said writing a book consumes everything and I would make a post about it? Well, that’s coming. It didn’t come this week because…well…writing a book takes over everything. Anyways, this week’s paragraph is a bit early and pretty long (I can’t just put one line of dialogue for a paragraph, it would technically be true, but it would also be cruel). Enjoy!

“I wouldn’t miss this, not after what happened before. I’ve been wanting to talk to you ever since you ran.”
“I’m the one who ran?” John raised his voice, drowning out the warbling violin music. “YOU are the one who ran. I tried to talk to you that night. But…but I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
He shrugged. “They called me into the station. I wanted to be there for you, but what could I do?” A smile appeared along with his tongue.
John smiled back, clenching his teeth and forcing his quivering lips to stay upturned. “Part of the job.”
“How about some orange chicken then?” Jacques said, looking over to the board
“I’m not that hungry.”
“We can split it. How does that sound?”
“If you want, go put in the order.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m really not that hungry.”
“But monsieur, I don’t want to eat it all on my own.”
“If you order it I will have some.”
Jacques nodded, pushed out his chair, sending grating noises throughout the restaurant. “One orange chicken coming up.”