Wannabe's: The Wannabe Journal for December 2012

The Wannabe’s Journal for December 2012

Our holiday brunch meeting was held at Mary Lou’s condo in Centerville on December 21^st and as you can see we had a good audience in attendance, including an appearance by Santa. The food was wonderful, including the Bailey’s and coffee, conversation about the holidays was very inspiring and the weather outside was “frightful” as the lyric’s would say. The weather kept some people away but for a few brave souls the outing was rewarding. Just think you could have told Santa what you wanted three days earlier than Christmas eve.

Our new story exercise that tests your integrity

Mary Lou began our discussion with a moral question of sorts in the form of a story which we were ask to complete in our own fashion. Here is how it went:

Mary Lou began with the setting and the beginning of the story: The morning NPR segment dealt with a situation that happened in Germany this past week. We believe it was in Munich. A bus driver at the end of the day found a plastic bag under one of the seats in the back of the bus. He remembered that an elderly lady had carried it onto the bus. The bus driver upon looking into the bag discovered that it was full of wrapped Euro’s…over 300 thousand dollars’ worth that is. The bus driver immediately called the police and they indicated that they had a report that an older lady had reported the money as being lost earlier that afternoon. She had withdrawn all the money hastily from the bank earlier in the day because of a disagreement over new bank fees. The bus driver had gotten a reward from the woman when the money was returned.

The exercise that we were each ask to complete as a story is the following: You are the bus driver and you just discover the money on your bus when you had returned to the garage at the end of your shift. You are standing there on the bus with the bag of money in your hand, now complete the rest of the story. Here is how we each choose as an ending for the story.

DON H: Since I have a military and banking background, as the bus driver I would take the bag of bills to the bank to make sure they were legit and make sure they were not counterfeit. I wouldn’t trust anyone.

Martha: The bus driver would return the money to the rightful owner and the money would be used to shelter a homeless daughter… the makings of a happy ending.

Martha M: The bus driver is torn between returning the money and keeping it in order to do something good.

Faye: While the bus driver is pondering what to do, the older lady is wondering her home confused over the fact that she thinks she lost something. Going room to room wondering what it could be. She remembers leaving the house but she thinks it was to go to the grocery.

Rosie: The bus driver is angry. But so is the lady because she did not get what she wanted from the bank. The bus driver sits and ponders what to do next.

Bill: Assuming that the money was from the sale of illegal drugs or some other crime, the bus driver takes the money to a small charity home for young children and donates the entire sum as an anonymous gift.

Don P. Upon a more thorough search of the plastic bag he finds a deposit slip and discovers a name. When he tries to contact the individual he finds that she had died walking to her home from the bus stop that day. So he takes the money and spends it.

Don Q: It was late on Christmas Eve and so the bus driver takes the money home and puts it under his bed in his bedroom for safe keeping. The next morning the family is gathered opening gifts in the living room and he tells his wife that he didn’t have time to wrap her gift that it is in their bedroom. He remembers the plastic bag from the night before a few moments later when he hears the screams of his wife coming from the bedroom.

Mary Lou: The situation reminds her of Shakespeare: “What tangled web we weave”. The bus driver takes the money home. Procrastinations set in and he starts to use the money for small things like fixing the car, birthday gifts and a new TV. The dream is shattered by a knock on the door: Yes… it’s the police.

Next month we will test you with a new story to show your talents and demonstrate how devilish the right side of your brain truly is...Oh I can't wait.

Our Christmas and Holiday Greeting’s

Imagine.....

If we could be the inn-keepers

Who had to turn Joseph away,

Yet, sought to find for them a place

Among the animals that day.

If we could be at the manger

And sit by mother Mary's side.

If we could stand by Joseph tall

And sense the wonder and his pride.

If we could see the heavenly host

And hear their song of joy proclaimed,

Then hasten with the shepherds to find

The baby that God had pre-named.

If we could travel with the magi

And seek to find the truth there-of,

We might offer Him our treasures:

Our talent, our thanks, and our love.

Then we might find hope, peace, and joy

In that quiet birth of beauty;

And that holy sight, that holy night,

Will be alive for those who see.

Faye Duncan, 2012

May happiness surround you

And contentment latch your door.

May peace and joy be yours today

For now and evermore.

Merry Christmas and love from

Merry Lou

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Don P: Read a story about the Peacock’s and Owl’s.

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The Red Shoelaces

By Don Q

Christmas in Springboro is an event that is attended by approximately 65, 000 people during the three days that it runs. The smell of popcorn, grilled pork chops, cotton candy and homemade chicken soup keep people returning for the festive event every year. There is a parade each year on Saturday that last for about two hours that feature bands, Cub Scout troops, fire trucks and emergency personnel driving bright shinny ambulances. Everyone is anxious to see Santa dressed in his red velvet suit that looks more like a long flowing robe, along with Mrs. Claus riding in the back of a late model convertible. I guess Santa is resting his reindeer this year. Once the parade has finished the crowds disperse in various directions to attend concerts and dance recitals that are conducted in the many tents that line the side streets of the blocked off center of town.

I was asked to appear as Santa at a local Café in Springboro this year as a promotion for a new novel which dealt with children seeing Santa and telling the man in the red suit what they wanted for Christmas. I thought the idea would generate a lot of exposure for my book, while at the same time generate some traffic for the Café owner and some revenue from selling customers a picture of their child with Santa.

I began my role on Friday night just after dinner and then continued on Saturday and Sunday. I saw hundreds of small children as well as some adults who just wanted to act like a child again for a moment or two. Saturday brought a long day with lots of children coming to see Santa and posing for pictures. It was a long day. Sunday brought more of the same but not as many people because there was no parade. It wasn’t until late Sunday afternoon and it happened again. There had only been two previous times when Santa was faced with a situation and a request that he didn’t have an elf answer to solve almost all production and distribution type problems.

What I am talking about is the situation where Santa is render speechless and vulnerable to say the right thing. In this case it involved a precious young boy who looks somewhat disheveled in his appearance. Santa was standing on the front porch of the small Cafe where he was appearing for young children who wanted to have their picture taken with Santa. It had been a busy afternoon and the temperature inside was a great deal more uncomfortable than standing on the front porch, catching part of the cool breeze that sweep South Main Street that Sunday afternoon. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the young man as he made his way North. Since it was late in the afternoon most people had already gone home for the day and vendors were starting to pack up for their trip home as well. The minute that the boy spotted Santa he headed in my direction

“Hello young man, how are you today?” Santa asked. “What do you want from Santa this year?” Santa asked and quickly pointed out that he would probably bring a pair of shoe laces for him as well. “What is your name and how old are you?”

“My name is Jeffrey and I am 10 years old. I want a Smashing UP toy which is two cars that when slammed together, they break apart so that they can be easily reassembled.”

“Ok I think my elf’s are busy making those right now and it should not be a problem.” Santa said as if he had full control of the worldwide production of this particular toy.

The young boy look a little dis-shelved with a bulky coat and high top basketball shoes with frayed laces that were not tied. His round boyish face lit up as Santa asked if there was anything else for Christmas.

Suddenly his gaze turned away when Santa asked if he was going to leave cookies and milk or even a treat for the reindeer. Instead of looking up at Santa he stared off into the distance in the direction of the stand across the street which made popcorn by the bag. His concentration lasted a few moments until he suddenly turned and informed me: “My mother is dead”.

Before I could speak he rushed up the steps, gave me a big hug and began to softly weep. I looked at the lady who was accompanying the young boy and she indicated that the mother had passed away the previous September, just four months earlier. He was now living with his grandmother.

Trying to be a brave young man, Nathan turned and looked at her and smiled. His rush to get to the top of the steps had caused him to lose his shoe which was now lying in the middle of the sidewalk. It was quickly retrieved while he brushed away the tears. Santa hugged Nathan again and told him he was a brave young man and that his Mother would be very proud of him.

Christmas is all about dreams whether you are young or old. This small child had reminded Santa of a lesson that we all need to remember. We cannot judge people before we get to know them. You cannot judge a person by the way they dress or in this case by their red worn shoelaces. Sometimes even a small children provides a special gift without knowing it…in the form of worn red shoelaces and a hug that last a lifetime.

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Annie Leibovitz

Jud: Recommended that everyone take in the Wexner Center for the Arts: Exhibitions - Annie Leibovitz. The exhibit will be in Columbus only through the 30^th of this month. Here is a link to a web site which is provide more info. http://www.wexarts.org/ex/?eventid=6709

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Education

Welcome new and returning Mad Anthony Writers!

Mad Anthony Writers Conference offers a brilliant opportunity for you to learn from the experts,

network with a community of kindred spirits, have your manuscripts reviewed, and give your

dreams of becoming a published author a chance to come true.

Your attendance also helps spread the joy of reading and writing throughout the larger community.

In its brief existence, this non-profit conference has donated more than $35,000 to local literacy

campaigns. Make plans now to join us—but hurry! Participation is limited to the first 90 registrants

to maintain the unique camaraderie of MAWC.

When: Friday-Sunday, April 12-14, 2013

Where: Historic Hamilton, Ohio, “The City of Sculpture”