Tuesday, September 27, 2011

"Elegant" + Dawn

Well, its Tuesday night! You all know what that means! I had plenty of time to sit in my night class earlier this evening and create a story as the teacher droned on and on. So, FYE (for your enjoyment), dear reader, I give you "Elegant".

Mind you! It doesn't have an ending. Its just a snipped of characters who introduced themselves to me and said "write a story about me!" I was helpless to their powers, really, and was taken back to the scene of my high school in California. The story ends (or just stops, really) because class was over. Maybe I'll come back to this and work on it later. Maybe I won't. It kept me entertained and passed the time. Last time I was in class and wrote something, I wrote about my little glass ring (still have it! and wear it often...) and got lots of positive feedback. So, if you ever wonder what is going through my head as I sit in class and *look* like I am taking notes, umm, sorry, but I'm actually off in my own little world. The beauty of my daydreams is that I get to write my own characters, scenes, and turn of events. Allow me to introduce Holly Zor, Missy Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders (Mrs. Sanders' 1st name is LilaBeth), and Lisa Carroll.

"Elegant. I always aim to be elegant, you see." She adjusted the fringes of her Hermes scarf and pulled her shoulders up a little taller. "The first impression you want them to have is that you are professional, but still approachable."
Missy Sanders blinked her brown eyes and soaked in everything Holly Zor streamed at her. Missy tried to think of an elegant response, but nothing more than "yes ma'am" came to the forefront of her mind. Flustered, she poked at her fringe-like bangs. The grey nail polish she wore, while not chipped or unkempt, looked dull and steely compared to Holly's artificial french tips.
"Remember, if you have any questions or need help finding anything," a rehearsed smile that accented her neurtal coloured make-up and rose-tinted lipgloss stretched across her lips, "you can normally Google your question and find the answer yourself." It was not the answer she was expecting, but after the type of day she'd had, nothing surprised her anymore.
"Well thank you very much for your time and..." she paused, searching for the right word, "and information, ma'am." Holly merely smiled and tilted her head in response. Missy collected her leather shoulder bag and quietely stepped out of Principal Zor's office. A quiet sigh slipped out of her weary lips as she made her way across campus into the hot California sun.
As she dug her keys out of her over-sized bag, she thought of the students, her students, she would meet next week once school resumed for the long year ahead. She unlocked her maroon 1992 Honda Accord and slumped inside, arranging her thick legs one by one on the floorboards. A tiny prayer flitted across her thoughts as she turned the key in the ingnition, hoping her wornout car wouldnt be obstonant today. Thankfully, it greeted her with a sputtering roar to life. Her flip-phone vibrated in the passenger seat and at the stoplight at the entrance of Santa Rosita Elementary School, she checked the text message that gave her just the encouragement she needed this evening. It was from her mom, LilaBeth Sanders. The text message read "Your father and I were praying for you today, sweetheart. We love you!"
Missy knew that leaving her East Tennessee home would be difficult, but she never imagined how different life would be in Orange County. What would have taken her ten minutes in Tennessee to travel the fifteen miles to her rented room in Widow Carroll's house now took nearly 35 minutes in the evening rush hour traffic. One more thing to add to her list of "new experiences"; traffic. After living in California for only six days, she was second guessing her decision to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher in the land of the Golden Coast. California certainly held many golden personalities, however they were all gilded; hand dipped pieces of cheap metal glossed over with precious gold to give the appearance of luster and glamour. It actually was much like she expected, except for the rough people that called themselves her "neighbours". The only person who seemed to care about 26 year old Missy was Linda Carrol, the 70 year old widow who rented out an overly large room of her coastal home to the first year teacher.


That's it! Hope you enjoyed it.
Side note: I am from California and LOVE it. I have gone to school in East Tennessee since last August and wanted to write what it would be like for a small-town girl to go to the OC. Anyways, Californians, dont get offended- I think you are beautiful, genuine people...most of the times. Just some observations and stretches to make the characters come alive.

I'd love to hear your feedback!

Happy Tuesday!

Along with the theme of this "snippet", which is also the title (Elegant), here is some elegant music for you to listen to while you read the story...or after you read it. Whichever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vYY0aRH46I


6 comments:

  1. One thing to note- living in OC, it would take you like 1.5 hours to go 15 miles... Yeah. I'm five miles from work and it's about 30 minutes in the evening. And I don't even have to get on the freeway! Ha.
    Great story. Loved it.

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  2. You're a very good writer, Kati!
    As a person who often has difficulty getting her feet to reach the floor, I got a chuckle out of imagining Missy arranging her legs on the floorboards! :)
    Keep on writing! You've got talent!
    Kathy Pearsey

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  3. This is great kati! I love "California certainly held many golden personalities, however they were all gilded". I also adore the part about nail polish <3
    Is this the Hermes scarf she is adjusting at the beggining?! :D
    http://beverlys.net/photos/2011/shop/HermesFringeScarf06.jpg

    keep up the good work kiddo, you really are an amazing writer!
    -Benjamin

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  4. thank you both!! I appreciate the encouragement!

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  5. and Ben- yes! that is very close! I was picturing it to be blue...but red works too!

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