What Inspired My Story "Brick Days"

If you haven't read the short story I posted last week you'll want to do that before you read this.  You can find the story here.  

The story "Brick Days," was inspired by a couple of things and ended up changing from the original intent.  The middle of the story really just happened, I didn't plan it and when I sat down to write, that's what came out.  I like how it turned out though, about an unexpected friend that was there for a moment and then gone.  Unexpected and unasked for kindness is what I was going for.  

Let's start at the beginning. . . 

There really was a fly in my water cup one morning.  I noticed it but didn't do anything, didn't throw it out or move it, just like the main character in the story.  That evening I noticed that someone had put my cup next to the sink and I knew it had been mine because the fly was still there.  So if you were wondering how I came up with the beginning of the story, there you have it!  And I thought, 'there is a fly in my water.' was an interesting and strange enough way to start it off.  

Then the main character goes for a ride in the city, this is something she does often to get out of her tiny apartment to read, write, and work at parks.  This is not something that was necessarily inspired by anything, but I like to think that if I lived in a big city where a park is a block away, I would do something similar.  She describes how the city seems to change instantly, if one is paying enough attention, from the sort of nice and young part of the city where she lives to the run-down area where rats find their meals in trashcans or to an area with large mature trees that melts into a city park.  Truthfully, I have no idea if this is true, I have never lived or been for a long period of time, in a big city like the one described.  But it sounds like it could be accurate, right?  

Next, the main character loses focus and runs straight into someone walking around a corner.  It's a girl and she dodges the bike but our main character also jerks it away simultaneously and runs into a fire hydrant.  Her bike gets tangled up with her legs as well as being flattened against the hydrant, and she falls hard on her shoulder and cheek, not managing to catch herself.   

The girl doesn't just make sure she's okay and moves on but does more than that, she stays with her and sits on the side of the sidewalk until she feels better.  Our main character is rattled and hurt too much for her to get up right away, so she shifts herself around allowing her back to rest against the fire hydrant. But the girl still sits with her and it gets to the point where our main character finds it strange and slightly uncomfortable, sitting there and not saying much, but she appreciates it too.  It's one of the alien things that aren't bad but that she just never experienced before, someone just sitting there with her, not to talk or get something out of her just to be there and make sure she's okay.  

I will interrupt this to tell the story of how I originally got the idea and the desire to write another short story.  What I am about to tell you is only the inspiration and it changed a lot but here's what started it.  It may seem like I am going off on a rabbit trail but just wait and I'll get to the point.  

Weeks ago I went to the store by myself, it was a Wednesday and I had a long list.  I went to buy some groceries for my family but also groceries for a blessing box around town that we were planning to add to.  There were two very long lists.  I handled it, really I did, but before then I never realized how stressful grocery shopping could be, I felt like I was walking circles in the store trying to find all the items.  It felt silly, tracing over my steps, searching for something I couldn't find.  

It ended up being fine and I made it out but I was alone and I noticed people.  The lady at the check out was kind, the person behind me in line helped me move my cart around because my hands were very full, a man entering the store gave me his quarter and I gave him my cart (it was at Aldi where you need a quarter to get a cart).   Next, I went to Target and even then the man at the self-checkout helped me scan the banker's boxes.  Yes, most of those people were just doing their job but I don't think that changes the fact that they were kind in little ways that they won't remember but that I do.  This translates somewhat in the story, not really in the terms of noticing kindness, but simply noticing people.  The world is not dead and quiet at 7am on a Saturday, but our main character thought so.  There are people out and about but she didn't notice them.  And with nothing to do but wait for her head to stop throbbing, she notices them now.  

A dog makes his way by them, sniffing all around, a couple decked in yellow and jean clothing makes their way around the corner, a boy who speeds out of sight on his skateboard, as well as two young people taking a walk in their pajamas with a wide-eyed cat on the boy's shoulder.  The only group inspired by a real-life event was the young people in pajamas with the cat.  I was driving out of Target on that eventful Wednesday and those two people were walking out of the store and there really was a black kitten on his shoulder.  It was quite the sight and I knew I wanted to include it in something.  

Our main character makes it home, her cheek still throbs and because of that, it hurts for her to smile. She's sad but also can't stop smiling, thinking of the girl who waited for her, who seemed to care even though they would probably never see each other again.  

There is not much more for me to say.  I really enjoyed writing this story and I was glad to take some real-life experiences and plop them in with the girl on her bike.

Thank you for reading!

What are your thoughts?  Anything I missed that you are curious about?  I asked this in the post with the story but I'll put it here too.  Based on her character what do you think her name is?  Leave it below!   

Have a great day and thanks for visiting my blog.  

I hope you smile so much today that your cheek hurts.  

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