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The setting: Your character was at a bar and left their cell phone on the bar to keep their place as they visited the restroom. Upon returning to what they thought was their seat they have another few drinks, then leave the bar. It is not until the phone rings before they realize it is not their phone.

What happens?

I am trying to adjust my Twitter deal for the site, so this is just a test…

For Monday the prompt is to write something about Monday, and since it is even so late in the day before I get this in, you have a full week to write something by next Monday.

Ideas might be:

• an article on why is named Monday
• why some weeks start with Monday, some with Sunday
• tips for starting the work week off right

There is an old saying that says that “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.” Today’s assignment is to take that phrasing and write from it. For inspiration here is some information on the origin of the phrase, as well as information on its use as pub names in the Middle Ages in England and even a Pennsylvania town name in 1734.

Some examples of how you could write from this would be:

• a nonfiction study of what the phrase means
• a historical look at where it began
• a short story about the activity in a pub by that name.

Have you ever lost someone that you would have wanted to have spent more time with? Someone you did not even know you wanted to spend more time with until it was too late?

This maudlin prompt is brought to you courtesy of my own family, although there are times lately when I cringe to call them that. For those that do not know, I am a family caregiver. Today two of my nephews came racing into the yard on their snowmachines as I was stepping outside. They shut down their machines and talked for a little while to my brother (their uncle), who lives next door, then they took off back out the drive.  Never once coming over to say “Hi” to their grandfather or anything.

I sit here, with my dad, day after day and wonder how they’ll all feel one day when they look back on the times they have done things like that. They could have come in and said hi to him, spent just a minute to ask him what he thinks of the quake in Haiti, or the troop withdrawls, or when his new heater will get installed or… anything.

So, your prompt, which as a caregiver I hope will encourage you to think of who you could spend a little more time with, is to write a short story, say 500 to 750 words, about a character that either wishes they had taken the time to stop in and say ‘hi’ to someone they lost, or who has made the decision to get to know someone better before it is too late.