MikeWrites' Blog

3 prompts, 1 entry [Blogvillian Pop Up, Rd. 7]

Round 7 Blogvillian Pop Up!

1. Orange creamsicle
Write about something people do that isn't necessarily a huge deal, but if everyone did it, it would be total chaos. What have you done or would never do?

POST TITLE: Speed freaks? Nope.
I live across the street from a high school. The nearest major intersection is to the north between the school and pretty much anyplace I like to go; places to the east of me, for example. The intersection is fully outfitted with crosswalks and pedestrian crossing signals. That being said, if your preferred timepiece indicates a just-before-, lunch-, or just-after-school time, and you are possessed of little patience—or just having a bad day—avoiding that intersection is definitely indicated.

Why? There is a 7-11 convenience store unfortunately located on the northeast corner of that intersection, as well as a Wendy's and McDonald's within easy walking distance; they, too, are on the far side of the intersection. This confluence of stores, eateries and teens means that, although Colorado law generally permits a right turn on red, the chances of being able to execute the maneuver before cross traffic gets a green light are pretty low. The speed at which most of these kids move makes you wonder if they're capable of outrunning, well...anything. It's as if they have, as Filby remarked regarding time traveler and friend, H.G. Wells, "...all the time in the world." They're completely oblivious to the stares directed at them from virtually every car waiting to make a turn, and they walk so slowly, you'd think they were afraid of disturbing the dust on the street. I can't help but wonder how they'll feel when they're at the wheel and their not-quite contemporaries are taking their sweet time and making them wait.

Anyway - I would neither amble, meander, stroll or otherwise lollygag my way across a street. I don't do it now and I will continue to make all deliberate haste when crossing a street. I'll keep on doing it, too, until I'm physically unable to walk. Of course, by the time I get to that point, "all deliberate haste" will be a little less hasty.

2. IMAGINATION
Use the genres pets/philosophy/political to weave a tale but no essay nor current political parties/politicians.

POST TITLE: "If elected..."
"Okay, Rory, see if this makes any sense to you. Carole Weininger's running for City Council. The thing is, I know her; she's a cart wrangler down at the grocery store. It's not just one of the things she does: it's the only thing she does."

Rory just stared at Simon.

"I know, right? She says she's qualified, because she has a handle on the issues facing the community. The only thing she has a handle on is whichever shopping cart she's dragging back into the store. She's built her platform on the bumper stickers she's seen in the parking lot! Can you believe that? Her philosophy is, people push what's important or meaningful to them, almost always to the point of having their say via a window or bumper sticker. According to her, Monktonville can afford to cut back on education costs, because more than three-quarters of the kids at Euell Gibbons High School are already Honor Students. How did she figure this out? At her last campaign rally, she said there were a dozen cars in the lot one night, and ten of them sported "My child is an Honor Student at Euell Gibbons High" stickers, so it was a perfectly logical conclusion. That's plain nuts!"

Rory continued to meet Simon's gaze, but that was it.

"I mean, she didn't check to see if the other cars represented households without any high school students, or if their owners even lived in this school district. By her logic, people who listen to KBUM 107.1 shouldn't even have a car to put a sticker on, because they'd be bums! So, am I wrong to think she's not a good candidate?"

Rory got up and walked away.

"Cats!" Simon sighed. "Just when you think they're actually listening to you..."

3. TABOO
When should books be banned? Share thoughts but do answer as personally as possible. Have you had this experience? Would your life-experience or who-you-are be banned? Why is this happening now?

POST TITLE: Got matches?
I don't think books should be banned à la Ray Bradbury, but I don't think I'd have a problem with a system that more or less tailors access in a manner similar to movie ratings. If you wouldn't want your child to see a particular film, because you know they wouldn't sleep a wink for a week afterward, then you wouldn't want them to read a book with similar imagery, right? Kids will choose the funniest - and strangest - things to imitate. An example: When the weather's decent, my two and one-half year old grandson and I go for walks. When a transit bus approaches, I'll get down on one knee, so that we're at more or less the same level when I point it out to him. The thing is, he'll get down on one knee, too; it defeats the purpose, but it's cute. If I were to watch a fairly graphic documentary on open-heart surgery, say, I wouldn't want him to watch. There'd be the scalpels and rib spreaders and, of course, blood. The blood may or may not bother him, and we don't have any rib spreaders; we do, however, have knives. I wouldn't want him to think he's the second coming of Dr. Christiaan Barnard.

If my life - warts and all - were to be turned into a book, I don't think I'd be banned. It's a pretty safe bet, though, that I'd be in the non-E section. I was young enough long enough to do things that young kids shouldn't read about - even if they've somehow found about stuff like that - until they're not quite so young.