Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 88: “I suppose it doesn’t matter,” Margaret said. “He is your friend and that is what counts. How nice he is nearby.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter,” Margaret said. “He is your friend and that is what counts. How nice he is nearby.”
Gwen nodded and wondered if her grandmother would check up the address to see if she did in fact know Michael’s step–mother. She suspected she would.
“Have you made plans to meet him?” Margaret asked.
“Not really plans,” Gwen said. I made sure he had my phone number and told him that I was still settling in. I figured once I looked at things and maybe committed to some sort of class I’d have more of a schedule and could arrange something then.”
“Sounds reasonable,” George said. He finished his last sausage and dabbed his mouth with the napkin. He leaned back in his chair looking happy and sated. Margaret shook her head at him. He smiled back and patted her hand affectionately.
“I suppose I had better brush my teeth and get ready for the office,” George said. “You two have fun and remember, I am always up for baked goods sampling.” George stood, kissed the top of Margaret’s head and walked back towards their room. Since she wasn’t running out of the door with him, she helped clear the table and wash up from breakfast. Since she was still learning the place of things, she washed and Margaret dried and put away the items used.
“Did you see office times on any of the places you wanted to look at?” Margaret asked as the last of the dishes was put away. George waved goodbye and headed out to the office as Gwen spread out the dish cloth to dry.
“I marked it down along with the locations on the map you picked up at the front desk,” Gwen said.
“Why don’t you fetch it and we can plan our day around that,” Margaret said.
Gwen nodded and went to retrieve the map. When she returned her grandmother was seated at the kitchen table with an extra cup of coffee. Gwen placed the map on the table and pulled out the chair, sitting down at the table with her grandmother. Margaret looked over the map and saw the two blue dots Gwen placed on the map.
“Both in easy walking distance,” she said. She looked at the times Gwen marked in the margins and nodded. “The both open early,” she said. “That’s actually a good thing. All of the galleries and such I looked at had hours starting around ten. We could easily stop by these two places and gather information, drop it off here and then if we feel like it go to one of the galleries. Or depending on time I suppose we could go to lunch. I have no idea how long information gathering might take.
Rather than looking daunted by the thought Margaret looked energized as though she was about to do battle with a foe determined to keep information from her.
‘As long as she is gathering information on my behalf I suppose it is fine,’ she thought. Gwen just hoped her grandmother wasn’t planning on steering her towards a specific course.
Gwen went to her room and exchanged her t-shirt for a slightly spiffier blouse while her grandmother slipped on her shoes and checked her purse. Then the two of them ready to face the walk, they headed out of the apartment and to the first of the places marked on Gwen’s map. There were significantly more people about when they made it to the lobby.
Ten til Midnight 