Sandy Supposes....

Pugnacious? As If

BCOF November 14th Prompt: use the following words in today's blog: pugnacious, echoes, fragments, planet, time and poet.

         

         

         

         Jen squinted and stared at the online review. Had someone just referred to her as a pugnacious poet ? Really? Of all the English words at anyone's fingertips and those were the chosen pair?

         Jen permitted a tiny smile to grace her face. Okay, she wasn't above flattery. If a reviewer saw her as a poet who was she to disagree? She liked that description. Manipulator of words did not have the same ring to it.

         Pugnacious though? At first glance Jen thought of the squat dog. Was this a strange way to say that she panted, wheezed, snorted and waddled through her writing? Echoes of past criticism pinged around inside her head. Disjointed fragments swirled and swooped amongst her memories.

         Jen sighed and concentrated on her breathing. Everyone on this crazy planet could be sensitive, right? People, especially readers, were entitled to their opinions.

          Jen pecked at her keyboard in search of the meaning of pugnacious. Sitting at her desk anchored amongst co-workers she snuck a furtive glance around the room. Her mandated break did not permit much time for surfing. Okay, now she shook her head as she read the results. Pugnacious: eager or quick to argue or quarrel or fight. A pugnacious person could best be described as combative, aggressive.

         What? No way. This cannot be correct. Me argumentative and ready for a fight? As if. Absolutely absurd. What happened to the right to free speech? Who demanded she agree with everything and hide her opinions?

         With a loud snort Jen slammed her tablet with one waving hand. Several heads snapped up and unblinking eyes stared.

         Someone yelled, "Did you win?"

         Jen glared and straightened her shoulders.

         "What do you think?" she retorted.