Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, constrained by a sentence limit (high and low) of six, there are worse ways to spend the remaining time you have on earth.
Prompt word:
CHARGE
“For Barrie’s sake, not another Creature from god’s nose where?”
The tall, thin man turned from the dumbwaiter, drawn by the sight of a diminutive female figure kaleidoscoping shards of light off a shelf holding a collection of steampunk clockworks, two cellphone chargers and, for some reason, a time-worn Bible even as la Raconteuse glowed with delight; a smile lead the charge on the Manager’s frown but was interrupted by the small automaton holding a card:
[But the Door…someone is still knocking! ]
The dumbwaiter, with what could only be described as child-like impatience, raised one foot, put it down abruptly then the other; the tall, thin man turned to la Raconteuse, his words inoculated by a smile, “I take from your expression I don’t have to go looking for a can of RAID?”
Somehow conveying aggravated impatience with a sound of mechanical rustling, the card was replaced with:
[Fine, be rude, I’ll get it]
“I must say, Miz R, you have a gift for discovering the curious among the mundane,” even as the Proprietor stepped towards his companion, the small automaton reached the door. It’s right hand briefly disappeared into it’s waistcoat now held up a new intertitle card, opened the door; the man standing in the doorway stared then smiled as he read:
[Thank you, but while I cannot be Saved, the two people behind me, well good luck!]
*
About clarkscottroger
“…from god’s nose where?”
This still has me laughing to the point that Peder wants to know what’s so funny.
yes, Misky i thought it rather creative and hilarious myself….
a) did you tell him
2) did he self-identify (with his response)?
a) Yes
b) Don’t know. He’s Danish. Vikings are known for their sense of humour
wow…. i’m still pondering who is at the door…. loved the light shining bright from a lovely female… don’t we all… and the communicating cards ever changing…. pick a card any card….
See Comment (above) from Frank.
the thing with the cards, is unfortunately there is no font that is available that is the type used in intertitle cards back in the day of silent films to provide ‘narration’ Having been ‘constructed’ at the beginning of the 20th C it’s only reasonable that the dumbwaiter* should have a supply in this bellhop jacket
Chris deserves the credit for this addition to the List of Players in our little Serial Six: In a comment exchange with her soon after she (her character la Raconteuse) found herself in Room 215, she said something to the effect, ‘lots of interesting things in this room, maybe even a dumbwaiter‘
well, as any reasonable person would respond, I immediately got a visual of a waiter (or perhaps a) bellhop who was unable to speak… the rest is only logical, ya know
so when will you be joining the menagerie at the Six Sentence Café & Bistro? plenty of active writers to help you get a sense of the joint (Mimi and Denise be yer best bet in this regard)
Seeing how I seem to write endless descriptions of the main floor of the SSC&B I’m always happy to describe the joint
Clark, ever since my first visit awhile ago and read there was a rooftop garden a few episodes back i was like really??!! immediately drawn in thinking i wanna go there…. and then read about a collection of steampunk clockwork on the shelf… art too??!! i was like dang gotta see that… so i’ve been by a few times.. but yet to enter…. thanks for suggesting a few patrons to assist in the way to enter… i so love this collaborating… Chris has been great too suggesting i come on in… no need to sit outside…
It is very much a cool fictional local. It is a challenge, though, to all of us. There can be (as there is now) open storys going on where, as Frank did this week, one can enter a scene. But note that he did not try to interact with the other characters… we sorta know what the intent (of each colab is ahead of time) but since this not quite co-writing there’s not one-to-one action/dialogue more putting a character into motion that in turn broadens the possibilities for the other characters/writers
Back when this started I pictured a combination open mic/jam session for fiction. same ‘ok hit publish and hold your breath for the Comments and, the (after say, Chris has posted her Six, scramble to sync up… like adjusted the key and tempo when someone in a band improvises ..
the coolest thing? put yourself (your character) somewhere inside the Café and find a way to move about and explore (without bumping into each other lol)
I remember the first walk-on I arranged. It took place at the Bottom of the Sea Strip Club and Lounge (Lou Caesare’s place).. so I wrote Ian Devereaux being at the bar and in the course of the Six I described two dancers working on the Strip Club side… the person I invited, Valerie ‘grabbed’ one of the dancers, had something happen and then out of the scene. genius flash fiction. Others, such as Reena, have come in, sat at the bar took in the atmosphere and left… very cool way to acclimate.
as always, sometimes you gots to throw caution to the wind and write
And I just opened that door. :)
😂
John 14 2-6
yo
how easy is that Frank…
It seems our automaton has a very clear understanding of people, even upon first meeting.
ikr?
Ooh a super, super Six, Clark (or rather ttm). A fab scene, what fun it is, and how clever that another excellent person (Frank) has just appeared in the Room 215.
thanks, Chris… seeing how he made it that far, we probably won’t scare him off (like, right, there’s something scary about a man in a room that’s clearly been abandoned for years, one conversing with a 4 foot automaton the other introducing herself to a sprite with the moniker ‘Moxie’
Well, quite. He (Frank) will be fine! 😉
I concur
Oh I loved the action… Can of RAID hahah.
thanks
I’m beginning to like the dumbwaiter, lol – “Fine, be rude, I’ll get it”.
Delightful and well crafted scene. The RAID line? 😆
thank you
Another excellent episode, you and the gang never fail to delight.
thanks, Keith (Regards to Len and them* at the Baaamy Inn)
love this bit of Texas patois (courtesy of Dan Jenkins and Peter Gent… the only two writers of sports novels that I’ve read and enjoyed. Both, unsurprisingly write all Texas kinda settings)