Complete the Story 1

 

 

In the above book that I recently purchased one is given 200 opportunities to write a one-page story, but with each begun with a few sentences penned by some other author. I chose the one below at random, and my text follows the words "Every word-". The original title of this post was "Am I the Cheater?" because I'm essentially building on someone else's work, despite it not being all my own, yet not actually being cheating because that's what they want from me, for me to complete the story. And so my final answer to the question of "Am I the Cheater" is: Eh. Nah. It's only a mite of concern in the grand scheme of things, after all. *tsk* Conscience, man...

  I think I'll try some more of these from time to time, though this one was a bit hard to craft within such narrow limitations, but I did it. Hope you enjoy!

 

Juan Carlos brought a book for his weekly hour of leisure at his favorite local coffee shop. As he sipped his coffee on the overstuffed couch, he suddenly realized that he was reading and hearing the dialogue at the same time. He wasn't imagining those voices. No, they were coming from the couple at the table beside him. Every word-filled him with a feeling of awe as he listened to what they said. "Excuse me," he interrupted, "but I could not help overhearing, but--did you say you have found God and have found proof of His existence?" The couple, an attractive man and a woman both appearing to Juan Carlos to be in their mid-fifties yet appearing at least ten years younger, smiled brightly at him. "Why, yes, we have," the man replied. Juan Carlos clutched the cross-shaped indentation inside his button front Hawaiian shirt. "Tell me," he said excitedly, "is it the Holy Virgin? The Baby Jesu, or--" The woman chuckled and raised a halting hand. "Of course not, sir," she replied calmly, then glanced over to the man, who continued, "Simply put, sir, we see God in everything and everywhere--good, bad and ugly." "Could use a bit less of the ugly, though," the woman added as she bit into a biscochito cookie. Juan Carlos' face suddenly turned crimson with rage. "No! No! You are wrong!" he shouted as he stood up and moved quickly to the front door, then turned to the couple, thrust an accusing finger in their direction and a with final bellowing "WRONG!", jolting the shop patrons, crossed himself and slipped out into the torrid New Mexico heat.

     "Different strokes," the man said with a shrug, the woman chuckling again as she nibbled another biscochito.

 

 

DB/5.2026