My mind is blank right now and I'm not sure why. Maybe the two glasses of wine at dinner, or the overly dominant conversation by one of the dinner guests tonight...I wound up sitting back and just listening to the conversations ebb and flow around me at the table. On my left side, a swiftly moving conversation that batted back and forth between two people and jumped from topic to topic to topic, all somewhat male driven in that sex, girls, guns, sex, girls, motors and did I mention sex and girls were the common themes. On my right side, a slower moving conversation of health issues and concerns, doctors to see, doctors not to see, tests, herbs, tinctures and teas to take for some common ailments.
I felt no real need to jump into any of it, preferring to remain a silent witness to the flow of it all.
And yet, I didn't feel left out, and don't think anyone thought less of me for not interjecting more frequently.
It's through listening that writers can learn the most sometimes and I know someday I will create a character who spouts off boldly about his many conquests and triumphs as well as a character who is concerned with the welfare of others and using his/her own example of health issues to help shed light on those around him/her.
So, not only was the food delicious--roasted grouse, whipped potatoes, baked squash, green beans, sweet corn, stuffing, baked beans, cranberry-ginger relish with banana cream pie and an Italian pastry for dessert, but I have added some tidbits of conversation to my files to pull out at some point for a future story. I'd say it was a good evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment