Today during uni study, I was asked to write a short piece of creative writing. The only stipulation was that incorporated the line ‘Wait for me at the olive oil’, a line from a verse by Menander. It could be no longer than 150 words. This is what I wrote.
The day was very bright and warm. Midsummer. The location? Taormina, Sicily. A place he visited often, but for me was the first encounter. I sat in a small, secluded garden. Several lemon trees surrounding me. I sat, eyes closed, inhaling the scent of them. My mouth salivated from the strength of the zest of the lemons upon the branches. Not only was it midsummer but mid afternoon. The shade of a tree was my solace from the glaring sun. The subtle glaze of sweat upon my forehead cooled by the gentle breeze that floated through the garden.
We were to meet, he and I. Refreshed by my few moments of shaded solitude, I moved onwards in search of the nearby orchard. “Wait for me at the olive oil,” he had instructed me. I had never anticipated the sight of an olive tree orchard in all my days on earth.
I really enjoyed uni study today.
I like it. I would have went with this. ? I had never enjoyed online dating. I found the idea of two humans ?clicking? over what was technically binary pulses between broadband routers a difficult one. My previous experiences had further fuelled this belief but Jane was different. There was something there. We shared a love of awful cinema and arranged to meet for the first time at the opening night of ?Popeye 2.? Where shall me meet??I had typed. ? You?ll see three cardboard cut outs in the foyer? she replied. ?Walk past Popeye and Bluto. Wait for me at the Olive Oil?
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And that?s why YOU should be writing a blog?and not me. Mine?s pish! Filled with the kind of shit that I *think* will sound good but is actually meaningless. I hope this uni stuff will teach me how to write with purpose and conviction. I thought it meant something this morning but you just showed me how much I have to learn. I don?t know if I?m cut out for it.
Nonsense, Larelle. I had the same response as subgirl. Your description of the heat, the smell of the lemons. ?refreshed by shaded solitude? THAT is absolutely gorgeous. The anticipation and suspense of what. is going to happen next.
Stop putting yourself down my friend. You are smashing this. ?
Me and my never-ending self-doubt (is that another Limahl song?). I?m full of doubt that Creative Writing is the right path for me. I don?t want to write fiction. I just keep on hoping it?ll be a means to an end.
Oh so lovely & evocative! I can feel the warmth (despite the lovely gloomy rainy day here ^_^ )
Thanks. Not so sure now. Dunno. ????