Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Six Sentence Story bloghop. Our host, Denise, provides a new prompt word each and every week. We get to make up a story utilizing said prompt word and send it in, provided theys only six sentences in our story.
(Jeez, this one took a turn-for-the-weird, no? Can’t wait to see what it is I think is complimentary music. lol)
Prompt word:
DESIGN
The trees carpeting the arcadian hills of rural New England wore their orange, russet and yellow leaves like humorless Harlequins in an 18th century Commedia dell’arte, forced to play a role at odds with their nature.
Carved into the flanks of unambitious hills and along the edges of shallow valleys, the asphalt ribbon offered a view of the countryside purely a function of both botany and velocity. The automobile flew along the two-lane road like a railroad boxcar, only in reverse, as gaps in the forest appeared and vanished without preamble or warning; vistas available intermittently.
Cresting a ridge, the increased elevation accomplishing what otherwise took millennia, the forest on the left parted and the lowlands became visible. At the farthest point visible, a brightening of dawn’s anonymous sky as the sun pushed itself up over the horizon like a drunk fighting to clear himself from the soft-wreckage of night’s bed.
Ahead on the right, more the collar than the shoulder, as the road remained two-lanes-by-mutual-consent-only, appear a series of signs:
It’s said that
Man proposes
God disposes
Surely neither
Is by accident or design
Burma Shave.
About clarkscottroger
“two-lanes-by-mutual-consent-only” this was an interesting ride…..and the music. Perfect.
thanks, funny about music and writing. Sometimes the music will inspire the story, other times it becomes ‘obvious’ only after the story is complete… and there is a ‘feel’ to it. (In this case, on the basis of the first part of the story, I was scouring the earth (well, youtube and Vimeo), for something with an autumn vibe and nothing stepped up. Fortunately I trusted my instinct, then, after the Burma Shave thing appeared, then the whole tone shifted and… well, Ray.)
Great opening sentence. Set the scene nicely.
Have to say, I’ve heard the reference but Burma Shave was a little before my time :D
Music selection most complimentary.
Very nice visual story. The music did compliment the story nicely.
Love it. I did a Burma Shave post because some young whippersnapper had never heard of it. I miss those old road sigsn. Thanks for taking me back this AM.
It felt like i was there, and the image of a drunk fighting to get out of the bed is one that will stay with me.
If you ever want to read a fun book about those signs, try The Verse By The Side of The Road: The Story of The Burma-Shave Signs and Jingles. It’s got some really fun stories in it, and the text of every jingle they used.
Is it leaf-peeping season? Nicely written description!
thank you! :{ it is
Beautiful movement with your six. Felt present with the experience.
thanks, Lisa
This makes me want to revisit some of those scenic places on the other side.
Yep, this too can happen. . . “the asphalt ribbon offered a view of the countryside purely a function of both botany and velocity.”
Well written Six.
you should, my impression of the difference between the West Coast and East Coast is that we have less mountains lol