Thursday 22 January 2009

Reality? What's that?

Yesterday the writing went well, which you'd think would be very good news. Right up until the last moment (or actually, maybe around 7 minutes after what punctual people would consider to be the last moment) when I had to leave to collect the girls from school, streams of fabulous words were flowing into my head and my fingers were flying over the keyboard. It was with the greatest reluctance that I dragged myself away from the computer and into the car, where my brain continued to come up with yet more streams of fabulous words.

This, it turned out as I drove straight through a red traffic light, was in fact quite bad news.

Honestly, it’s a dangerous job this romance writing, you know.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi India
Can I tell you a little story?
Coming in to work last Thursday morning at 9.00 am, I looked in my mirror and there was the biggest police car right behind me.
No problem I thought, we're in heavy traffic, I can't be doing anything illegal, so just carry on listening to Terry Wogan.

Well, it didn't quite work out like that, the police car followed me, until I nearly got to work, all of a sudden, blue lights!
Well, I couldn't believe it, they pulled me over. And have a guess what for? A brake light not working.
They pulled me out of my car, put me in the back of their car, and proceeded to give me a lecture on how dangerous it was, with only one brake light.
Ok, most honest people like me, have never found themselves in the back of a police car, I was a complete blubbering wreck.
I was given a ticket and told to rectify the fault with a visit to a MOT station, then taking all my documents to the local police station, for them to check the fault had been rectified.
The young police man in the station, proceeded to fill out, must have been 10 forms, for one light not working?
Could my month get any worse? But hey-ho, think positive and lets hope the year gets better.
xx Karen

Unknown said...

Oh Karen, that's awful!! And there's me-- a real criminal yesterday (definitely Driving Without Due Care and Attention While Thinking About a Hot Italian Hero) getting away with it!

Hugs on your horrible January and I really hope things pick up from now on. On the upside though-- were either of the policemen tall, dark and handsome?? It does sound like a good opening scene for a romance novel! xx

Anonymous said...

Oh poor Karen, shuddering for you here!

India, it's sooo difficult to concentrate on the real world sometimes isn't it? Just two days ago I found myself smearing Atrixo over my face (that's heavy duty hand cream to the uninitiated). Took me ages to scrape it off!!

Love,
Rach.
XXX

Anonymous said...

Hi India
Sorry, did I say they were men? No, they were both women! Is there any loyalty amongst the sexes anymore?
Thinking back, it was really quite funny. There was little old me, cowering in the back of this huge police car, trying to find something to say, in between their questions to me and also of course the lecture on how important it is to make sure your car is in a road-worthy condition.
All I could think of to say was, the weather, hasn't it been cold lately? But then, if you want cold, all you have to do is remember back to January 1982, that was cold!
Do you know what, she looked at me (with her perfectly swept up blond hair, neatly held at the back of her head), and she said: 'Don't remember that, I was still in nursery', I think.
Well, the old fogey in the back of the car, shut up from then on.
But hey-ho, think blue 'skies and perfect tropical beaches'.
It's the only way I can cope, I think.
xx Karen

Unknown said...

Right girls, you both deserve a medal (chocolate, of course) for making me laugh out loud this morning!

Rachel, it could have been worse!! The first thing I thought of when I read Atrixo was lard, but actually I think that's Atora. That would definitely clog the pores, I would imagine (though it would give your skin a lovely light crust when baked at 180 degrees for twenty minutes...)

Karen, I can see now that you didn't say what gender they were, but of course me with my one track mind just assumed (which is shocking, really!) But, oh my, what a story!! This is an opening chapter just begging to be written. (We need to make the chilly blonde policewoman a sidekick to some cynical and world-weary alpha male, I think.) You, of course, would make an absolutely perfect heroine...

Donna Alward said...

Well, here's the thing with brake lights. You don't actually SEE they're not working as you're DRIVING and obviously can't see the ARSE END of your car.

Why officers wouldn't get that is asinine.

Anyway India I am awfully glad you made it through unscathed. And Karen - India is right. that's a first chapter begging to be written.

Anonymous said...

Good Morning, India,

Two days ago, I dragged myself to the doctor's office AGAIN. I've lost count of the times I've seen the poor man this wretched season. So anyway, the digital notice board stated wait time would be 1 hour which in reality means at least 2! So I pulled out my AlphaSmart and set about conducting an interview with my new heroine. Half an hour later, I began to feel as if I were being watched. Peeking up at the row of sickly people opposite me, I counted three of whom were staring at me with rather odd expressions on their faces. Only then did I realize I was grinning rather stupidly! Oh, dear, had this goofy smile of writerly delight been plastered on my face for 30 minutes? Oh, well, what to do...they already assumed I was quite mad. I smiled serenely and returned to my writing, telling myself I'd likely not see these folks again so it scarcely mattered if they thought I was a bit touched in the head.

India, so glad you managed to slide through that light safely! Karen, oooh, now that's what I'd call a bad day, dearie. I agree with everyone else, though, it would make a stunning opening scene. You must write it down soon while all that emotion is still swirling about in your head.

xxTrenda

Anonymous said...

I can't tell you how I wish those darn police were men!
I could have tried a little flirtation. Not too much, just enough to convice them, all they needed to do was caution me to get the light fixed, and send me on my way.
I have a major thing with men in uniform. I even fancied Tom Cruise in 'A Few Good Men', not that I fancy good old Tom, but his navy uniform gave me the absolute shivers.
Thanks everyone, I'm going back to my purchase ledger now, these darn cheques won't get themselves written.
xx Karen

Unknown said...

Absolutely right Donna, although I'm not sure what my excuse for not getting my headlight fixed is... (Karen's cautionary tale prompted me to send an S.O.S email to my husband yesterday, asking him to get a bulb. Otherwise I'll be looking at about 15 years inside with all my misdemeanours.)

Trenda-- hope you're feeling better. And top writing Brownie Points to you for taking your Alphasmart with you to the doctors-- that's true dedication! (I like to make myself comfortable in a corner with a copy of Woman's Weekly from 1986 when I go. Hmmm... must stop doing that, except for when I'm actually waiting to see a doctor...)

I bet you would have got away with it too, Karen-- before you knew it he would have been offering to fix your light for you! Maybe that's why they've put more female police officers in the Traffic Division...?