%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
A cryptic message leads to the clarity of Life's purpose. |
| The protagonist receives a cryptic message sent by an unknown person for some unexplained reason. The dark veil draws him to pursue answers, and in the process, he finds clarity as never before. |
| Protagonist's Normal Life: As a boy and as a teenager life was never so joyful for Solomon as it was during the last two months of the year, November and December. The house was so festive, and joyful when Christmas music started to be played in November, and life was so full of colorful lights as well as red and green decorations all over the house. His mother was decorated with joy and happiness then, too. Christmas Day was a different story. The Day of Christmas was at the same time the best and worst day of the year. Christmas morning when all the presents were under the Christmas tree, it was a time of joy and excitement. However, after the presents were all opened, Solomon felt so sad, that it was all over. All that lay ahead was normal life, sameness, and eleven months before he could return to the Christmas season. More than that his mother switched back from being joyful at Christmastime to being sullen and moody the rest of the year. That's why high school graduation, and going off to college in another town seemed so filled with hope for Solomon. New place, new things to do, and Mom was not around with her moods to drag him down emotionally. However, something left with him, and he soon realized that he was often moody. His tongue was often fiery and foul. It could be set-off at the least provocation. "Will I ever get better?" he thought. "Is there any hope for me?" The Inciting Incident (The Call to Adventure): A simple walk to the mailbox would change Solomon's life forever. As he opened the mailbox door a sea of mail (advertisements and fliers, mostly,) didn't flow out onto the ground as usual. On this day there was only one small, plain, white envelope with the handwritten address, "To Solomon Carl Plain, Esquire." No return address. No stamp. Nothing to identify the sender, except a distinctive, lovely handwriting. He opened the envelope, carefully. Inside he found one piece of cardstock in the same simple, plain white color as the envelope. It was mostly bare, except for these few cryptic words, "You will be a success on the day of." The last three words had apparently been written multiple times to make the letters bold for that was the only trait, that set them off from the rest of the sentence. For the rest of the day, and for many days to come, Solomon would not be able to get this message out of his mind. He chewed it over, like a cow, chewing the cud. It stirred in him a passion to find meaning behind the phrase, "The Day of." His journey of discovery would change him, and everyone, who knew him. by Jay O'Toole on October 3rd, 2022   |
| Who is my protagonist? Solomon Carl Plain is 25 years old. He has yet to get his first job in his degree area (B.A. in Education.) He is of average build (5', 8".) He is 150 pounds of with upper-body strength from lugging a briefcase around campus from class to class, taking copious notes in class, and completing all of the assignments for class, including major papers, and research projects. He is far from a body-builder, but he does work out at the gym three times a week, and he enjoys his 3-mile runs about 3-4 times every week. As I said, he is currently unemployed as the story begins, during his first post-graduation summer. He lives with his parents, while applying for education jobs, but there are nagging questions in the back of his mind. "Can I be a good teacher? Do I want to teach? Did I choose this degree program because Mom is a teacher or because I feel like the Lord called me into the teaching profession?" Culturally, Solomon is a Southerner from the Deep South of the USA. He was reared by a strong mother, who always knew what everybody should do with their lives. This was especially so for her "pride and joy," Solomon. His dad was a bi-vocational, Baptist pastor, who did most of his speaking in the pulpit, "the sacred desk," since Mom did most of the speaking at home. Dad worked a secular job Monday through Friday and took care of his pastoral responsibilities on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesday evenings. Solomon didn't have much time with his dad, growing up, and as a result, he still doesn't really feel like his dad was proud of him. Solomon is still a single man, which makes him wonder if he will be accepted as a teacher. However, he has been dating a young lady for two years, who has become "the love of his life." He's thinking about "popping the question," trying to get married, before he starts teaching somewhere. Personality-wise, Solomon is reserved, owing to the fact, that he still is unsure of himself, and what he really wants to do with his life. He spent all of his childhood, trying to please others, especially his mom and dad. However, he shocks people when his foul mouth comes to the surface, since (in their words) "We didn't think you were like that." He likes chocolate and a lot of it. He is particularly partial to Southern Sweet Tea. He loves pizza, fried chicken, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and peppermint sticks. He loves Christmas, and summer vacation. He does NOT like vegetables, especially the crunchy kind, that feel like "wooden sticks in my mouth." He really doesn't like to be "the butt of somebody else's joke." He doesn't like the first week of every college semester "when the teachers pass out the syllabus, and I go, 'How am I going to get all of that done?'" He has a strong love of people, but his mouth pushes them away. He has a strong desire to be an excellent Christian, but he falls on his face so often. He has exceptional skills in Math, but he forgets people's names, if he doesn't talk to them every week. He has a strong mind, but he does foolish things. "Is there any hope for me to be a success in life," he wonders, "when my strengths and weaknesses so often cancel each other out!" (Philippians 4:13, KJV) by Jay O'Toole on October 3rd, 2022 |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
