(Short Story) Give Me Three Things: Contest.

[Mahnarch]

I'm (usually) the master of the short story and I need to flex my mental muscle.

You can challenge anyone, I suppose, but I want everyone to give me, or anyone else, three things:

A person (described).
A setting (where it happens)
And a situation (a problem/event)

You can address anyone, if they want to take the challenge, so say who you're talking to.

Example:

Mahnarch: Jeff is a rodeo clown at the post office and just found out his package that he's expecting was blown up by SWAT because it was suspicious.

Let me, or anyone else, take it from there.

And be outrageous. I could accidentally create the next 'Star Wars' if you did.

....but, don't be absurd....

[Phil]

Ron, a railroad supervisor.
North Central PA
1972 flooding of the Susquanahana river almost 200 miles of railroad tracks and the ground that supports them washed out. A good number of young labor is in Vietnam too by the way.

[jesusaurus]

I can play your game Trebek....

A person: Ezekiel Mabnokov, Amish ambassador to the United States government

A setting: futuristic Washing D.C./ Pennsylvania
And a situation: The Amish community is being forced to use technology, so Ezekiel is forced to use the technology his people have shunned for 100s of years to go back in time and save the Amish community

[Mahnarch]

Can I include a Moose? lol
(If the flooding event was real , I know nothing of the events, so this is all off the top of my head. It leads to better art that way.)

'The Rail Road to Hell'

The past few days had been nothing but pouring rain over the Eastern U.S., with the weather man reporting no end in sight.
Ron, the supervisor at the North Penn Rail Yard, hadn't had dry feet in as many days.
"This is outrageous", he says out loud as he flips off the radio in his truck and pulls over to the barricade on Moose street - still flashing it's lights.
No train has been by in 20 minutes.

Opening the control panel on the switch he sees that water has collected in the main housing and fried the computer.
He walks over to the truck and grabs a claw hammer to make an impromptu drain hole in the housing when his CB comes alive.
"Ron. We've got a situation.", a voice says, calmly. "You better come down to the Crenshaw crossing."
Ron responds and quickly makes his drain hole before heading down the road.

Ron pulls up to Crenshaw, a road that crosses the river and tracks that run parellel to the river's edge.
The first thing Ron notices is that the river has swollen and overrun it's bank - headed for the tracks.
"Hey, Jimmie. What's going on?!", Ron yells over the pouring rain.
"If this rain keeps up, we're going to have some serious problems, man.", Jimmie kicks a bunch of rocks away from the tracks, revealing water already sponging into the base.

"How long do you think we have?", Ron asks.
Jimmy looks at the river's edge creeping ever closer, "I'd say about a day, maybe two."
Ron taps the rail with his hammer, listening to the resonating.
"I'll call the office. Let's see if we can stop any trains from using this track for the next few days." Ron says as he heads back to his truck.

Back at the office the rain beats down on the metal roof as Ron strains to hear the corporate officer on the other end of the phone.
"If we can't shut it down, can we at least get some guys out there to sand bag the river's edge?", he suggests but, he learns that the majority of workers are out of the country, fighting in the military.
He hangs up in a huff and checks his schedule.
There is an Am-Trak set to come through at 10 tomorrow and it's getting late.
Ron heads for home as quickly as he can in the poor visibility so he can get an early start in the morning.

The alarm goes off at 5:30a.m. sharp, but Ron never slept a wink.
He climbs out of bed and skips his morning shower, thinking it would be pointless, anyway.
He checks the weather report once more as he straps on his rain gear and heads out the door.

6a.m. he meets Jimmie at the Crenshaw bridge.
The river has reached the edge of the loose rock and the raging current has washed most of the vegetation on the river's front away.
The water has already overtaken the surface of the street - the bridge looks like it rises from the mighty river itself.
The men wonder if they should have brought hip-waders instead of their rain boots.
Jimmie looks at Ron, "What now?"
"I don't know.", he says, "It's just me and you, kid."
Jimmie kicks another chunk of rock base away and water pours out.
"The entire base is saturated, boss. Is that Am still coming?", Jimmie asks.
"After several stops.. 10 sharp.", Ron says, smacking the rail again.
This time the track sounds with a heavy thud. The men look at each other, wide eyed.

"I'll get on the horn with HQ. This isn't good.", Ron says as he runs for his truck.
Suddenly, a low roar comes from the far west over the sound of the downpour and Ron stops.
"What is that?" Jimmie peers off into the dark.
After a second of thought Ron calmly says, "The dam."

Just then, a massive roll of water rounds the bend of the river. Trees fall like twigs and boats are tossed like leaves.
Ron gets into his truck, "JIMMIE!!!"
Jimmie is to too awestruck to move.
Ron jumps out of the truck and grabs Jimmie by the back of his jacket.
It was too late.

800 million gallons of raging water rush over the pair and swallow them up like ants as it passes by.

The Am-Trak never made it as far as Crenshaw.
While the men were trying to fix the track in their neck of the woods the train was already derailing on it's way to the last stop before reaching Crenshaw - killing 50 on board and injuring many.

Three days later the rain stopped and the water retreated.
The clean up crews found Ron's truck pushed up against a large Oak tree - it's key in the 'Run' position.
The men were never found.

And no one ever knew how a hole got punched into the switching station at the barricade on Moose street.


***

Meh. I could do better. but I didn't do any drafts and I'm not really familiar with railroad 'stuff', as it were.

I also forgot to include a moose. lol

WAIT! I'll fix that!......*editing*

The title doesn't really fit the story, now, either.
I had one idea brewing, but as I typed this out, I went a totally new direction but, that's how it goes in "Live" forum posts...y'know.

[Mahnarch]

jesusaurus said:

A person: Ezekiel Mabnokov, Amish ambassador to the United States government

A setting: futuristic Washing D.C./Pennsylvania
A situation: The Amish community is being forced to use technology, so Ezekiel is forced to use the technology his people have shunned for 100s of years to go back in time and save the Amish community

"Well, I did just finish off an entire lamb, but, I figure I can take you to school. - Simpsons, Homer the Trucker."

How far into the future at we talking? Next week? 2008?
I'll piiiiiiiiiiiiick, 2077, cuz that's the year I'll turn 100.

I also think I'll go the 'comedy' route, this time....If I can.

'Turning Back Time: Your First Buggy."
(notice the play on words, there?)

"Zeke!" a voice comes from across the field as a young Amish teen runs toward the buggy, ambling down the gravel road.

Ezekiel, a 28 year old traditional Amish man pulls his horse to a stop.
"Good day, Thomas. What brings you?", he asks.

Out of breath, Thomas climbs into the buggy.
"Go to Preacher Yoder's house. I'll explain on the way.", he says.

At the preacher's house an emergency meeting has gathered among the communities leaders.
"It's an outrage!", the preacher slams his fist into his podeum as Zeke and Tom arrive.
"The English keep trying to push their fancy electro-gizmos on us and what have they gotten us?", the preacher continues.

A man in his mid-30s stands, "Yes. First it was their 'batteries'. And, now it's their 8-track tapes! My buggy only has AM radio!"

The group chants, "Here Here!"

Another young man stands up. "My wife-to-be, Agatha, went to their hospital the other day to cure her sickness, and the nurses there showed her a devil growing inside her belly on one of their fancy looking glasses! How could this be?"

The crowd looks at the young man in sarcastic disbelief, and he sits.

*****

I have to rest from this.
I'll edit this later with the rest, but just having done the rail road story, I need to relax,,and then sleep.

Enjoy what I have, so far.

[Blastgirl]

Very creative Mahnarch. I liked them.

[Mahnarch]

Thanks, BG.
I do my best, but I'm only human...until I sleep. That's where I'm a Viking! .....errr, should I say 'Pirate'.

Vikings and Pirates were pretty much the same thing.
Just different time periods.

[Phil]

Yeah pretty good.
I know it's a short story but it basically creates the worry concerns and issues involved in dealing with a flood.

I have been on crews that had to restore the ground and eventually the tracks when the flood has eaten the ground underthe tracks and someitmes they're up at a 90 degree angle and the 20 feet of land that supported them is no longer.

If you're in a car, an airplane or even a boat you can swurve to avoid someting in the way. You don't have that option with a train.

In Danbury and Selinsgrove, PA there's been what they call a 36 year flood. The residents call it that.

That area floods a little bit al lthe time some houses and buildings near the Susquanahana river are actually on stilts.

But sometimes the water on the ground isnt' for more than a day or so. And it's not more thant you can walk through.

In 1900, 1936 and 1972 there was water up to 2nd floors and even rooftops.
So everybody is afraid that 2008 that could happen again. Naturally we all hope not.

All my early childhood I remember people discussing the flood of 72. I don't remember it actually happening although I've seen pictures from all 3 floods. In 36 and 72 there was much devistation. In 1900 the towns were less developed but there was some devistation.

I was only an infant when the flood of 72 happened but my father worked on some of the reconstruction I remember that because it took years to finish.

[Mahnarch]

Wow. I can't imagine living in an area like that.
In Michigan we get an occasional tornado, but it usually never makes groundfall.

Grand Haven was torn to bits about 11 years ago, though.
You couldn't drive your cars anywhere (if they survived) and everyone was driving around on lawnmowers and ATVs for a few weeks.

***

I've gotta finish that Amish story but, I'm not really in the mood to create, right now.
Kind of a bummer day.

[Phil]

I live about an hour from Williamsport which is a major port of the Susquehanna river, so is Harrisburg, Lewisburg, and Duncannon.
Duncannon, Sunbury, Seliensgrove, Danville are all lower elevations that's a very mountainous area.

The worst flood in my lifetiem was 1972 not that I remember it but that was the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes.
I guess that was the worst ever I talked to my father since this thread, he says that waterlevels in 1972 exceeded the 1936 flood by 8 to 12 feet in lower elevations.

Even though I do not live that close to the cities I mentioned I'm Railroad service and I'd be among the 1st people called to service if there was a major flood.

As I said trains are stopped occasionally because of flooding but 3 to 6 foot flood lasting 10 to 24 hours is not considered an emergency. That's because the water flooding those depths would rise slowly and receed fast. When it floods to the magnatude of the '36 year flood' the rising is faster, and the depths are higher making the pressure at the ground worse and since there's so much more water to receed it washes away more of the land.

And 2008 would mark 36 years so people are crossing their fingers.
In the Sunbury area the tracks are about or just barely above river surface level for many miles because the mountains around the city made it impossible to put the tracks at higher elevations. There's about 4 sets of tracks that are right along the river bed for miles right between the river and the montains.
The Susquehanna is a beautiful river actually.

[Mahnarch]

Now that I think about it, I guess we do have some major flooding here every year.
Typically around snowmelt we have a river that overruns it's banks every single year and there's one suburb that has an intersection to the rest of the world that floods out to about 4ft deep.

Infact, there's a special parking area around the corner for the residents to park during that time and they keep canoes and kayakes in their garages for this time.

It's only about 5-6 houses, but it's a suburb that runs through a major part of town.

I'll draw a pic...hang on...

[Blastgirl]

I've never experienced long term flooding. But there's a pretty significant river near by that floods sometimes badly but we're at such a higher part of the city it doesn't flood where we are.
While there are many dams we're in a boarder direction and about five states can be effected should the river flood.

That doesn't mean we aren't in a state of emergency if our downtown floods because we still lose electrical power and there's usually panic. Like all the local stores run out of bread and milk.

[Phil]

Here's a movie preview.

Jason, a 10 year old likes to skateboard. There's a weekend contest because there's no school on Columbus day his father is considering taking Sunday night/Monday morning off of work to let his kid participate. The cost to enter is 300 but they do also get Saturday and Sunday night motel covered for that. Its included whether they use the room or not the trip can be made in just over an hour if they don't use the motel.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKMJuFPSQ4E

[Classicblast]

You really might be the worlds greatest dad Phil.

[Blastgirl]

How about Jacob a baseball player who is good on a minor league level but is now over thirty years old. With a Wife and a couple Kids and has a chance to tryout for the Detroit Tigers and then has to decide to accept a tryout with unlikely results or a three year contract extension with his minor league team. Should his Major League tryout fail his career is probably over now. But if he takes the three year deal he loses his tryout opportunity. He has a Family to think about, but his dream since childhood has been a crack at the bigs.

Mahnarch write us a story. ;D

[Mahnarch]

Oh, jeez, there's alot of 'stuff' in there that I'm not familiar with...
What are these "kids"? ;D

Ok, Let's see what web I can weave.

[Author's note: I know. I know. I still have to finish the Amish story. Things take time, sometimes. Rome wasn't built in a day but, it's still nagging in the back of my head - to be sure.]

***

[On this one I'll walk you along the creative process that goes on inside my head and finish off with a final product. My thoughts are in italics.]

Title. Title...
Tiger Attack. No! Big League...something...
Big League Break? No. Too 'cartoony'.
He's named Jacob. Jacob's..what do they call those playing fields?....DIAMONDS!
Jacob's Diamond! Jacob's Jewel! Jake's Jewels...No. Too, pornie.
Diamond Dallas Jake? No.
BATMAN!! no.
grrrRRRR!
Jake....Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Jaque Crouseou. Fish. no.
"Shhush, Jack! Quit barking." OOH! Dog. Underdog. The Diamond Dog. no.
Tigers Attack Dog. Dog Attacks Tigers. Dog Becomes Tiger.
The Umpire Strikes Back...no. All Jake'd Up.
Does he have to be named Jacob?....Yes. BG said so....

Let's skip the title for now and get on with it...
Sounds good.

Title Here


The smell of freshly cut grass filled Jacob's nose as he stood at home plate. His eyes closed and head tilted back, he could hear the hundreds of thousands of fans screaming his name from the rows and rows of stadium seats.

Bat in hand he levels in on the pitcher.
The ball is thrown at rocket speed but, to Jacob, it's moving at a snail's pace as he grunts and swings his bat across the plate - sending the ball deep into the parking lot.
The crowd goes wild with cheers and confetti but, the sound fades into nothingness as Jacob comes back to reality.

His reality is, he's in his thirties and has a family to look after but, that tugging feeling of making it big in the major leagues is gnawing at him like a rapid pitbull.
That gnawing is what led him to the ultimate reality. A reality that he was actually standing at the plate in 'Tiger Stadium', holding an imaginary bat while a Tiger's representitive stares at him in bewilderment.
"Did you just hit an imaginary pitch?", the Rep, an older man in an outdated suit, asks.
"Yeah.", Jacob shyly answers.
"Everyone does.", the Rep laughs as he puts his arm aroud Jacob, "So, what do you think? Are you ready to be a Tiger?"

Jacob's first gut instinct is to jump into the air and fly around the world at lightspeed shouting "YES!" but, a sudden flash brings him back.
"I can't....I can't make up my mind, right now.", Jacob says, "I've got family, and all that time on the road....."
The Rep interupts him, "What? What's family? The money you'll make here you can have 5 families. Bottom line is: We want you, kid."
The Rep leads Jacob off the field and lets him think on it a few day after giving him a new hat - a Detroit Tigers hat.

Later that night Jacob gets a phone call from Derrick, the second base man on his minor league team.
"Hey, Man. Beers.", Derrick said, and hung up.
Derrick was right to the point on everything he said and Jacob met him at the bar without a word in response.
That's the connection he had with his team mates. His friends.
The question ran through his head: 'Would I have that connection with the Tigers?

Jacob was stressed. He'd been keeping the Tiger deal under wraps from his fellow team mates, and Mrs. Jacob, for fear of anyone getting their hopes up, or feeling let down that he may be leaving.
The thought of many nights away from home also lingered, fully but, the money and fame, he thought, would out weight all of that.
He also thought about his kids growing up without a father - how many feet would they grow between his visits?
Jacob was old enough to see both sides of the coin.
Plus, he was old enough to realize that fame and forture only last so long but, in the end, it was still his life long dream to wear a Tiger uniform - Hell, ANY uniform of the big leagues.
His options kept bouncing in his head. Money and Motels? Home and Humanity?
They bounced back and forth like a game of ping pong.

Listening to Derrick talk on about the arguement that he'd had with his girlfriend alleviated that stress that night.
As Derrick explains, "Then she wants to wear this tight little outfit and I tell her she's not going to wear that out in public and she tells me that that's what she was wearing when I met her and I said that 'it's different now. I didn't know you back then....."
The rambling finally ended after three hours and Jacob wo walked back home to find Mrs. Jacob and their eldest son asleep together on the couch as a DVD menu of a movie continued on a never ending loop.

Jacob looked on them with a smile on his face and after a moment scooped up his son and put him to bed before going downstairs and helping his half-asleep wife toward their room.
As they enter the bedroom door Jacob says aloud, "I'm not going to be a Tiger."
"What?", Mrs. Jacob asks, drowsely.
"I'm not going to be a Tiger.", Jacob repeats.
Mrs. Jacob slides under the covers, "Good. Claws are sharp."

Jacob laughs to himself as he climbs into bed and spoons her.

***

Computer keeps freezing up.
Cutting this short to do virus and clean up stuff...

[Blastgirl]

Nice job. You made a good observation without being given a whole lot of background you still put together quite a good Short Story.

[Mahnarch]

Thanks, BG. I do my best.

I hate this computer, though....
I can, sometimes, type out an entire paragraph before it catches up......just like this last sentence.......waiting......

Ah, there we go!