A Spoonful of Imagination

I know I left y'all hanging last week...remember? The long tall little filly who discovered I was writing incognito? I hadn't been posting my stories on the internet very long when she happened into my life. Actually, she happened into my work place and immediately caught my eye. I didn't give her much serious thought for I was fully aware that I had about as much of a chance landing a date with her as I would Reba McEntire. She was the kind of woman you'd find on a rack at Dillards. Me, Goodwill. But she was eye candy as she trotted by my work station day in and day out on her way to the smoking area. Occasionally I'd sneak away from my duties and, quite by accident mind you, wind up out there at the precise moment she would. We hit it off in a 'friends' sort of way and eventually I took a tiny step toward striking up a flirtatious work related relationship. She readily reciprocated and the games were on. Meanwhile, secretly I was writing my weekly stories...well, mainly about her. (See one here) The more I wrote, the better our 'working relationship' became, until finally one day I asked her out on a date. And that's where she balked, using the excuse that she had three kids, two grandkids, and a son-in-law living underneath her roof. There just wasn't enough time in the day to allow herself to become involved with a man, she explained. I was good with that...I just went out dancing with other pretty little fillies on the weekends and wrote stories about them, too. Things became tense between us when I asked one of her co-workers out. In a story after that one date, I wrote, 'Next weekend I hope to dip her in the hot tub and play ride-um-cowboy with this little redhead.' And that's when my long tall filly let it slip, quoting those exact words followed by, "Think that's funny, don't you!" I thought it was pretty clever. Well, yes our flirtatious friendship fizzled after that, but it was my first indication that someone was actually reading my stories.
My preacher busted me as well. He was out of town one particular Sunday and a professor of theology filled in during his absense. I enjoyed his talk and having jotted down his twitter handle from the church bulletin, I shot off a message to him after church. He responded! Seems he was waiting at the airport for a flight back to Dallas, and thank you very much for my comment...and "hey, I see you're an author. I just bought your book to read on the flight home." Unfortunately, the book he purchased was 'The Search for the Perfect Woman,' not a book I'd recommend for a godly or even an overly educated man to read. I certainly would not want my pastor to get wind of it, but sure as shooting, as he took his place behind the pulpit the following Sunday, his stare focused on me. He slowly shook his head and as he opened his Bible a grin spread across his face. I got the message...and it was at that moment I made a decision to devote my talents to something of more substance than stories about chasing women in bars.
The point I'm trying to make is that as an author, there are many potholes, in fact vast chasms that one must cross when putting their work on public display. One is self-worth. How does one wish to be remembered when they're gone? As an author, my reputation with the masses of readers who may come in contact with my writing means something to me. I could probably write some pretty wild erotica. Matter of fact, I had a whole short story written in my head the other day as I stood behind a smoking hot little thing in a checkout line at Walmart. There she stood clutching a set of watercolors...and nothing to paint on. My imagination spiraled out of control. But, no. Truthfully it is not the millions of folks I will never meet who keep me in check. It is that pitifully few that I know personally. My family, friends, and co-workers. Oh, and pastors. I value my personal reputation too much to jeopardize it with those around me.
This is where an author takes on new challenges. Can I write a sultry love scene fit to be viewed by a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, or my child? Can I draw my reading audience into a moment of passion without using a single word unfit to be spoken in a church building? Can I as an author pit two characters head to head in heated conversation, and portray that scene fitfully without using four letter words? Yes, I can. And taking on a challenge of this magnitude makes me grow as an author.
In my last novel, 'The Chimera Parables,' there are two very mild curse words in chapter one. Once you get past those, you'll not find another cringe-worthy word throughout the entire book. I'd bet the farm you'd never notice their absense. I am currently on chapter four of a new novel, and it came to mind as I finished my nightly writing yesterday evening, I've yet to find an occasion to utilize 'shock and awe' words. Yes, pretty proud of achieving that. Pat myself on the back.
So what are you as a person worth? Whether you're a writer like myself, or a singer, a teacher, a mentor, or a parent, do you jeopardize your reputation, do you de-value your self worth, for the sake of 'shock and awe?' I find it a refreshing and rewarding challenge to take a high road. And let's face it...F-words lost their shock value long ago and there's nothing left to top 'Shades of Gray.' I cherish the challenge of taking a mere teaspoon of my personal imagination and turning it into a raging river flowing through your mind! An author worth his salt doesn't need much imagination. He just needs to figure out how to make the reader use theirs. Sometimes all you need is a beautiful woman, some watercolors, and a spoonful of imagination! [author:Rodney Strange|4719343}