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…
(I suspect that when it comes time to editing there will be more added in the before she leaves section, I made notes to expand, but I need to see how the story turns out to see which ways to expand so I made notes but kind of raced through a first pass. More details on Friday.)
Day 161: In addition, there were lists.
In addition, there were lists. Gwen found it amazing to see how many things had to be changed over due to her relocation. There was her driver’s license and insurance. The license would change once she officially moved, but the paperwork would need to be changed from going to the house in Westport if her father was moving. Likewise when she was in Westport she would need to submit change of address forms to the post office so that if anything was delivered then it would be forwarded.
Then there was the bank. As her bank in Westport was local, she would need a different bank here. So, she would need to open an account at the bank here, transfer funds and close the other account. The bank that she was switching to was a national one instead of a regional one and would have branches all over the country. She and her grandfather discussed the benefits and drawbacks at length, and he took her to his bank to help her with the first part, the opening of a new account.
As her original account was opened when her age was still in single digits so that she could learn to manage her money and start to learn how to save, her father was a cosigner and tied to the account. He would need to help her deal with that one, whether it remained open or was closed. It was something George told her she would need to talk to him about. Gwen put it on her list.
While George took her to the bank and appeared to know the manager well, as Gwen was eighteen and a legal adult, the account was officially in her name and there was a strange feeling of pride she felt in being able to open an account under her own name. From her classes she knew more about banking as a banking class took up one entire semester, so she was able to choose the right sort of account for herself and follow along with the details as they were explained to her.
Each of the items on her list were checked off and that made her feel like she was making progress. It was a plan of sorts, and she was moving forward. This was the plan to move herself from her father’s house to her grandparents where she would start classes. The details further into her future she hadn’t worked out, but it was the kernel of a plan, and it made her feel less like she was drifting. She was not visiting for the summer, she was relocating.
The days slipped by in a steady stream and soon her classes were ending. Her applications were accepted, and she was accepted into the program and sent a class list. She was offered a part-time position at the bakery and that too she accepted, starting when she returned from Westport. She signed up for an art class that fit her schedule and was relieved to know that none of those from the summer class would be joining her.
Despite her continued ejection, they continued asking her to join them. At the large-scale gatherings where she saw them outside of class, they never approached her, but Gwen could feel them watching her. She tried to shake off the feeling.
Then before she knew it, Gwen was in the airport with Michael.
Ten til Midnight 