Crunch: The Road Trip
Writing Exercise #24
Hattip to
for suggesting this weeks prompt in the comments of last weeks prompt!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!
Crunch: You’re on a trip with a bunch of fans for something you don't have any clue about.
“She’s turning sixteen,” my wife had said. “You hardly spend any time with her, you work so much. This will be good for both of you.”
I hated to admit she was right. I looked up one day and there was my baby girl, all dyed hair, and piercings, and resentful of authority. How did this happen? When did this happen?
I sighed. “Okay. I’ll take her. Uh, what am I taking her to?”
= = =
Lizzy could have broken glass with the noise she made. “OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS DAD? EEEEEP! You’re the BEST.” She tackled me in a hug. I didn’t feel so great—buying one’s child’s affections wasn’t necessarily my proudest moment, but we would spend time together on the road.
She immediately pulled out her cell phone, hunched low over the device, in another world.
“I love you, Lizzy. Glad you’re excited.”
She nodded without looking at me.
Parenting success. I walked back down the stairs.
= = =
I don’t know how it happened. I just kind of blinked, and suddenly I was driving a rental van, no one in the passenger seat, seven girls all packed into the back, all alternating between speaking some alien tongue and trying to shatter the windows with their squeals.
“Hey, Lizzy…” I spoke over them all. “Where are we going again?”
“Only the most FANTABULOUS place in the WORLD, super-lofi-magna-CON!”
“…the what, now?”
“UGH so LAME!”
I looked at the empty passenger seat. This…this still counts. Somehow.
(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:
Any parents of teenagers in the comments?
You ever gone to an event because it makes someone else happy?
What event would you like to force other people to join you for?
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy! Come back next week for another writing exercise!
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Thank you and God bless!
I want to go to super-lofi-magna-CON, sounds fun!
1. Not yet. My daughter is six going on seven, so I've got time. She keeps growing on me, though, is the problem.
2. Some, less so since the pandemic. :)
3. Of late, a sing-along of "Diggy Diggy Hole". Secondarily, I always wanted to have a sing-along in a bar doing "To Life" like in "Fiddler on the Roof". Not being a drinking guy and not getting out much, it's been difficult. On the other hand, I did get to see Weird Al live with my wife once, so honestly I'm good I think on that front. :)