The 4th of July has always been the beginning of the end of the summer for me. It seems that the days grow shorter, and the first day of school is right around the corner. Then it's back to being an empty nester, and facing the novel that I vowed to write before I turned forty more than a decade ago.
In the meantime, distractions are always welcome. It seems that everyone is searching for something. For example, someone who is definitely not my son, has been looking for an apartment with two friends. This person found a spacious place that was only four blocks away from his new office. Then one of the young men began to have second thoughts. It didn't make any sense. The apartment was in the heart of the city with hardwood floors, new appliances, large closets, three bedrooms and two and a half baths. The three amigos could spend days without even seeing each other if they wanted to. I was outraged (even though I wasn't related to anyone involved), and demanded an explanation. The person who is definitely not my son replied, "He didn't like that the bedrooms didn't have any windows." I countered, "Are you a bat?"
First double negatives and now no windows? Maybe it was my fault. I never once asked if there were windows in the bedrooms. I was focused on safety, location, and industrial strength toilets. You always want more for your children, and by "children" I mean all children. Fortunately, they found another place a week later. When I asked what he liked most about it he said, "The windows."
Coincidentally, we've been talking about replacing our windows for a long time. When our new neighbors bought the house next door, they told us that their bathroom window came crashing down as soon as they opened it. Since our house was also built over twenty years ago, we didn't want to take any chances. Measurements were taken in May, and the installation process began in early June.
Unfortunately, I made another huge mistake. I attempted to open up a previously sticky window that still wouldn't budge. To make matters worse, I had the nerve to do this before the installers were able to sneak out of the house.
I didn't realize that you had to pay extra for windows that opened. Instead of quietly enjoying the view, I had to stir things up. It's better to breathe in the fumes from athlete's feet, than to smell the flowers, or catch a whiff of the neighbor's barbecuing. Why is it that everyone else's outdoor grilling always smells better? Maybe I should find out if that cave is still available. I wouldn't even need a computer, as I could etch out my novel directly on the walls.
If you would like to learn more from writers who have achieved their goals, and still have the nerve to complain about it visit our leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, and the other talented members of the Insecure Writer's Support Group.
