Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is a Six Sentence Story.
Because our host, Denise, has suggested a prompt word, what follows is a story, complete in six sentences.
(This week we return to the world of the Hobbomock Chronicles. Those following our serial story are familiar with the introduction to each Episode, ‘previously from the Hobbomock Chronicles‘. This little italic’d confection is offered as an insight that is not, necessarily, in the formal narrative. As the writer, it provides an opportunity to add a semi-invisible narrator to our tale.)
Prompt word:
Routine
Despite the cheerfully-patriotic bunting on the benches in the Commons on the 4th of July or agreeably-religious decorations mid-winter, the small New England town of Hobbomock had much in common with a person struggling to overcome chronic low self-esteem.
While therapeutic strategies abound, there exists a surprising consensus among mental health professionals as to baseline values when treating this condition; though not intended as such, lyricist Johnny Mercer wrote a song, during what is routinely considered the lowest point in the previous century, that best presents this treatment paradigm when he sang, ‘You got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.’
Although towns are not people, (in a sense), and certainly do not possess self-awareness, (for the most part), it’s not difficult to notice efforts to follow Mister Mercer’s advice; how else can a rational person account for organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce or the Daughters of the American Revolution?
It’s worth noting that, when a person is determined enough to overcome self-esteem issues, rigorous introspection often uncovers evidence of abuse; physical, sexual, emotional, (surely these categories are tragically redundant), all occurring beyond the patient (or town)’s conscious recollection.
These experiences are often buried safely, if not pathologically, under layers of fantasy and otherwise idealized history.
Not that a town could have a problem with low self-esteem; besides, even if something happened when it was just beginning to develop, that was then, this is now and the past was passed.
#theHobbomockChronicles #theWakefieldDoctrine
About clarkscottroger
Interesting take this week!
Kinda fun, ‘course, it’s depending on a familiarity with the Chronicles
Rip Van Winkle used to say he wouldn’t count it this time when he did what he knew he shouldn’t, but whether he did or not, his very molecules counted it. So it is with us and the world — what happened in the past shaped our ancestors, and so shapes us, whether we remember or not.
Exactly.
Really like the opening sentence and my, oh, my what might you be hinting at in your final sentence, eh? Looking forward to finding out over at the Hobbomock Chronicles :D
Same here
Show me a town with low self esteem and I’ll venture a guess it’s full of shadows. So much said in this from the back door point of view.
I invite you to follow ‘the Chronicles …it will be telling how the tale plays out
Thanks! I thought I was, but I just noticed I was not. Now I am :)
cool
I find myself identifying with our little town and rooting for the underdog.
So good. And my mom sang accentuate the positive ALL the time. It reminded me of her today and that’s always a bittersweet joy as I can’t hear her sing any more. Good six Clark..
Thanks, Paul Songs are amazing for the power to evoke memory/emotions
Bravo for the six! Thought-provoking. I shudder to think what some towns must have endured at the hands of their developers and denizens. And the towns before those towns on the same site? Also songs come to mind like ‘Town Without Pity’, ‘A Town Called Malice’, ‘This Town Aint Big Enough For The Both Of Us’, ‘Dirty Old Town’, and even, um, ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’.
…or conquerors or exploiters.
lol…damn! got my head looking for song titles… ok got one for now
Meantown Blues
Good one! Or, ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark, Mr Clark!
https://youtu.be/Zx06XNfDvk0
dude… (we keep this hypo-modern cultural bracketing up, somebody head’s gonna explode… we got readers what remember those days)
lol
Sweet tune! Hey, if you’re taking us out of town and into the city then we should hook up with the Wichita Lineman en route :)
https://youtu.be/QN82RHGNLK4
Lets put them music of the 70’s muscles to the test
A good Kansas one from PH there. I’ll cover all the States by nominating Breakfast in America :) No chance of this Englishman ‘taking a jumbo across the water’ at the moment though due to the virus flight restrictions :(
https://youtu.be/HbUxy46aNe4
Before we get global… lol (Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majestie’s Request has a song that will totally expend our range.)
;p. fun
or, expand…lol
I shall have to take some time during this quarantine period to familiarize myself with the Hobbomock world.
cool
(thank god I decided to steal the ‘previously on Lucifer’ thing) given the three era nature of my latest.)
(Kinda thinking it’s as if, when I was back in school, I’d go into the first day of class an declare that I would write a term paper… I trust this (starting a serial story and continuing, totally seat-of-the-pants) is a valid approach to learning to write good.)
lol
the other thing I’m liking about the intro is it permits me a secret narrator voice. for some reason, I’ve decided to stay 3rd person but I’m not good enough yet to find ways to include so much of the context information without going all info dump on the readers, so I don a nice italics and whisper in the Reader’s ear every week.
A thousand pardons begged, dear sirs, for my lateness in visiting. My poor old Mac would not go to your site. Refused. I have picked up this kindle thing and decided to give it a go. Here we are, in a wonderfully portrayed town, Hobbomock. You sure gave it person-ality. If I think hard I recall it’s Wednesday today ,time for a whole other round. I am out of my routine and question whether I’ll come up with a contribution. But I know where, and now how, to go about reading fine six sentence stories. Take care, be well.
Not a problem. Thanks (on the compliment) regarding this interesting little town/unfolding story.