“What are we doing, Ted?”
“What do you mean? We planned this all out. We’re crashing the mayor’s election party. We just need to wait until the crowd is the right size so that we don’t stand out.”
“Yeah, but why? Are you going through a midlife crisis?”
“Midlife crisis? I’m only 35!”
“Maybe you’re only gonna live to 70?”
“That’s ridiculous. Just pay attention and be ready. Five more people just went inside.”
“Are we going to play poker again? I miss poker night.”
“How can you miss that? All we did was sit around, drink beer and play poker.”
“Three of my favorite activities.”
“We can do that when we get old.”
“So this is a midlife thing.”
“What? Noooo.”
“Then how do you explain the past month? Last week we coasted down Baker Street sitting on skateboards.”
“That was so much fun!”
“We almost got hit by a car when we sailed across Manchester street.”
“You’re telling me that didn’t get your heart pumping?”
“The week before that was our homemade zip-line over Schultz’s creek. I still have scratches all over my back from the crash.”
“That was painful. It wouldn’t have hurt as bad if we had made it to the water. But that was a great story, huh?”
“Yeah, a story. Is that what this is about? Is this something you picked up at that writer’s conference you went to?”
“I don’t think I picked anything up. It just got me thinking a little bit. Now that I’m a writer and all…”
“Going to the conference made you a writer?”
“No. Writing makes me a writer.”
“We’ve been friends since high school. I’ve never seen you write. And what does dragging us through ridiculous exploits have to do with you wanting to be a writer? Did they require some type of initiation stunts to get into the secret writer’s club? Do you have secret handshakes?”
“It was only a conference. There is no secret writer’s club or anything. I just finally decided what I want to write.”
“And what’s that?”
“A memoir.”
“A what?”
“A memoir. You know, a story about your own life? They said they’re selling like crazy right now.”
“And that’s why we’re acting like a couple of mischievous teenagers?”
“Yeah, I guess. If I’m gonna write a memoir, I need a story worth telling.”
“We all need a story worth telling, but are a couple of crazy stunts really the story you want to tell? Shouldn’t it be something with a little more depth and meaning?”
“Like poker night?”
“Touché.”
Of course you need something exciting to put in your memoir! Than again, enough weird things happen around here that I don’t need to go looking for them. But there was a time I almost crashed a congressman’s party — I whooped when someone said he won, and that person invited me in. Everyone else gave me a funny look though, so I left.
“Going to the conference made you a writer?”
“No. Writing makes me a writer.”
Never truer words spoken, haha. Really enjoyed this. Maybe I need to start doing some crazy stuff for my future memoir. 😛
Haha! I would definitely say there is some sort of mid-life crisis going on here, regardless of what he says.
Forget the memoirs, sitting around drinking beer and playing poker is far more fun, and far less dangerous. 🙂
I love the way you ended this. And what’s the point of making a memoir more interesting if you don’t live to write it?
Excellent story and meaning. At least the way I interpret it.
The stories of our lives won’t be worth reading if we don’t have a heart behind the real life stories. Reading a story takes up time… Reading someone’s heart is life changing…
Fun! I love the dialogue, so realistic and the voices were clear. The ending was just right. It left me wondering if they still tried getting into the party. Thanks for this.
Take care,
JC
I think that was funny, he was on a search for material to write about. Memoirs are strange things to write I guess, because if you haven’t done anything out of the ordinary, who will it interest?—Family certainly, but not necessarily Jo public.
Loved the who tale – put a smile on my face. ^__^
Opps who tale should be whole tale 6_^
Got to lead that vibrant existence so the memoir will sell! More skateboarding in traffic ahead.
Writing makes me a writer -> true. But a memoir does need to be interesting (poker night isn’t it. Unless you tell it in a fun and hilarious way.)
Hey Chuck, Good to read your stories again.. Har har.. this one made me laugh. Loved the line I’m only 35, maybe you’re only gonna live to 70.. If he is having a midlife crisis, his wife definitely isn’t helping!
I would say I completely relate to this, but that can only mean one thing……. I’m 35… lol
Great stuff!
I agree with the other comments – you can’t write a memoir if theres nothing interesting in it – live life!! Great read, thanks
Great little laugh!
Oh I loved this – how truthful about writing and relationships. Spot on last line!
Wonderful write. Effective dialogue. I reckon sitting around, drinking beer and playing poker with friends is a cauldron of stories, all kinds of stories, silly ones, funny ones, tragic ones, profound ones …
I suppose he’s onto something, at least the idea of living life fully enough that he’ll have an interesting story to tell.
Loved this! Great story!