Crunch: The Old Pal
Writing Exercise #21
Thanks for your patience during my schedule interruption! Here’s this weeks writing exercise!
If you have ideas for Prompts, Crunches, Sprints, Relays, Stretches, Fables, or other writing exercises in the future, please leave them in the comments! If you would like to write your own take for this exercise, please comment with a link so that I can see what you wrote and support your work, maybe even share your version with my subscribers. Please let me know if you have any thoughts, comments, or constructive criticisms as well!
Enjoy!
“Johnny? Johnny Lankins, is that you?”
Johnny put down his espresso and looked at the stranger.
He was approaching like he was circling a dangerous animal—a weird kind of vulnerability, reaching out to possibly a stranger, possibly an old friend.
Johnny stood and held out his hand, “Johnny Lankins is my name, but—please forgive me, I don’t recognize you. What’s your name?”
“Billy Boland! Thurston High? Class of ’04?”
“Billy Boland…” Johnny rolled the name around his memory like an oyster worrying at a nascent pearl. “I have a vague notion about the name but for the life of me your face is escaping me.”
“I had longer hair back then,” Billy adjusted his tie awkwardly. “We had, what was it, Mrs. Hitchens’ third period English together.”
Mentioning Mrs. Hitchens opened floodgates of memory. Popcorn reading in class, asking to use the restroom at 11:00 sharp every day, wandering the halls aimlessly. And then, another memory.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Johnny said. “It’s coming back to me now.”
“Yeah! Yeah, you remember!” Billy said, enthusiastically. “Man it’s been a long time hasn’t it.”
Johnny sat back down. “Yeah, I was dating this girl, what was her name. Phoebe.”
The blood drained from Billy’s face.
“Yeah and then this guy moves in on her, tells her I was rotten.”
“I, uh, I forgot about that, it’s been so long…”
“How’s the wife, Billy?”
“She’s…she’s good. Thanks. Sorry, I…”
“Good to see you, Billy.” Johnny sipped his espresso.
(250 words)
Talk to me!
Your feedback helps to improve my writing. I would really appreciate a comment on your thoughts on this writing exercise. Consider telling me your thoughts about:
Have you ever run into old friends?
Are you an espresso person or a coffee person? There are no other options, you must choose.
Do you like people-watching?
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy! Come back next week for another writing exercise!
Have you taken a look at the section called “The Volume” recently? All my longer-form stories are kept there! Be sure to take a look and catch up on any stories you’ve missed!
Thank you and God bless!
Meeting old High School friends can be awkward. You usually don't have anything in common anymore (hopefully not a wife. 🤣) A little "What are you up to?" or "Do you remember...?" and the conversation is over. "Nice seeing you, Bye."
" Johnny rolled the name around his memory like an oyster worrying at a nascent pearl."
Oh, that's a nice line. I like that line. Also, this story is yet another reason I'm glad I was homeschooled; I don't have to worry about ex-school buddies stealing my girl. My only schoolmate was my sister and she's a year younger than me. . :)
1. Not of late, no, although I did find an old action figure of Batman I used to play with when I was small recently, so that counts maybe?
2. Coffee? I don't believe I've tried espresso and I have had coffee. Didn't care for it but I tried it.
3. I do! I'm endlessly curious about other people's stories.