I've always wanted to wite a novel.  A strange thing because the actual catalyst.

For some reason, the R key has been sticking on my keyboard.  On TPF and other Discord servers where text is spontaneous, I've often reworded sentences in my head to minimize the key's usage.  One thing led to another, and I began my noval at last.  The title is Oil's Well, tentatively.  IT takes place in the 1970s.   Here are a few pages from it.  Stop me if you fins any Rs.

EXCERPT 1:

and chanting until sundown.

    A day of standing witness in the name of a clean planet meant that Donna, and all involved in the event, felt entitled to a payment: a night to enjoy life.  Jessica was tonight's host; all got invited to the “shindig of the decade”, as she not-so-modestly called it.

    Donna had been to Jessica's following past events.  It always smelled of tobacco and the place was lined wall to wall with images of Andy Gibb of the Bee Gees.  Not that anyone could see them.  Jessica's pad was small and filled with the festive young people she invited, dancing to the latest disco sounds of K.C. and the Sunshine Band on the cassette deck.  Donna was one of the last to get to Jessica's because she saved gas by moseying along at a slow speed, half in the name of ecology, half because the vehicle's license plate meant she couldn't buy gas until Sunday.  Chuck Wooley was among those attending, as was his dog, Mitzy.  It was unusual to see Mitzy with Chuck since she wasn't at the event.  Mitzy was a black and tan beagle whose tail was always between the hind legs, unwagging.  Chuck once told Donna that he saved Mitzy when he made a visit to the SPCA.  She was abused, which is why she wasn't outgoing and active.  Donna squeezed past the mass of dancing people, and softly patted the white spot atop Mitzy's head.  Chuck noticed immediately, and put down his shot glass to speak.

    “Hey, Donna.  Excellent job we did today!  You like my dog?”

    “Oh, yes,” she said.  “What a shiny coat she's got.”

    “I love when a woman loves animals.  You can tell that  someone has a good conscience when they show compassion to animals.”

    Donna looked up and smiled, still petting Mitzy.  That is,

-----------

EXCEPT 2:

    While she scuffled back to unite the lost couple, Donna witnessed flashing lights in the blackness down the next block, and a policeman guiding Chuck Wooley into a police vehicle.  It all happened quickly, without Donna getting a chance to call out to him.   The cop stepped in the vehicle and peeled away.

    Donna kneeled down and held Mitzy's face up.  “Well, my canine buddy, it looks like you and I will be taking a walk.”

    Fifty minutes passed as Donna filled the bail document and posted the money to get Chuck Wooley out of holding.  She did it while checking on Mitzy once following each five minutes inside the police station.  The money came out of donations she was given at the event, and so she made Chuck vow to pay it back.

    They walked out simultaneously and Donna untied Chuck with Mitzy, who was fastened to a telephone pole.  “I've been keeping an eye on Mitzy, Chuck.”  She handed him the leash.

    “You hep chick, you!  Thanks so much!”  Following a small pause, Chuck Wooley said, “It's funny: I live a block away.  Kind of got a community-issued cab!  Not how I imagined my way home, and I wish to not live so close to a police station: they watch us all the time!  But my buddies all stay at the same place, so it's convenient.”

    “Yeah.”

    “Now, I just have to walk home without getting stopped again violating the public intoxication laws.  Good night, Donna.  It's been cool.”

    And he walked home, just like that: leaving Donna alone with an anticlimactic end to the night.

------------------------------------------------------

Last edited by HoldingOurOwn (March 28, 2019 (06:36pm))