Thursday Thirteen: Soul Bendorff
For something I’m working on behind the scenes, I needed to create a new character. Here he is, about 13 paragraphs or so. Let me know what you think.
Soul Bendorff
Born Saul Bendorff, Soul’s name was changed for him by the kids at school. No real reason other than it was an easy way to try to get under the guy’s skin.
It didn’t work.
Soul’s got dark, dark hair. Almost black. It’s straight. Pretty thin. He wears it chin-length, lets it hang. It can’t cover up the massive acne scarring on both cheeks that leaves him pitted and almost disfigured, but it also sets off his very high cheekbones. Think Eastern European aristocracy. He’s got very dark, dark blue eyes, too.
Soul picked up a guitar in the sixties. Started bending strings and doing things with reverb that no one had thought about doing, let alone had tested to see if it was possible. For a lot of the wanna-bes, it wasn’t possible. But that was Soul. He had a gift.
He was also grouchy as hell when he was drunk, which was most of the time. He discovered fast that if he set his guitar on fire at the end of the show, that meant he didn’t have to play an encore.
Soul went through a lot of guitars that way.
Fortunately for him, the company who made his favorite guitar liked the way he stretched its boundaries. They made him custom guitars. Kept him well stocked for his bonfires.
Those bonfires and that noise-called-music he made fueled him into the public eye at a time when rockers were truly bad boys. (we’re talking late sixties, hippie revolution, Woodstock, Altamont… you get the idea). He became the poster boy for the rock revolution. And Soul embraced it. Lived the life. Never appeared in public without his dark glasses, bottle of bourbon, and a pretty, lithe blonde draped on him. He wore dark blue suede fringe vests, jeans with bell bottoms and custom embroidery. All the flies buttoned; he wouldn’t wear pants with zippers. Skin-tight pull-ons (the precursors to spandex?) in polyester were his favorites.
And tennis shoes. Everyone else wore mod boots. Soul wore tennis shoes. Grungy dark blue Chuck Taylors.
Dark blue was Soul’s color. It matched his eyes. Or so people said; with those dark glasses, no one could get close enough to see his eyes.
Not even his blondes. Apparently, Soul kept the glasses on at all times.
He was wearing a pair when he was found dead. Alcohol poisoning. Or maybe his heart gave out while busy with a blonde. Maybe she poisoned him. The authorities found traces of her. They knew she’d been there when he died.
No one ever knew who she was. No one ever found her. She’s the only one who knows what happened to Soul Bendorff.
Dead at 25.
***
Be sure to visit the other Thursday Thirteeners and see what’s going on in their worlds.
that was kind of sad
Janet’s last blog post..wicked tat!
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 pmOoooohhh very intriguing. Wanted to read more. The ending made me sad too. Great character.
Happy T13!
Adelle Laudan’s last blog post..
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pmOooh . . . nice! Makes me want to know more about the mystery woman.
Lori’s last blog post..
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:09 pmWhat a vivid character. I could picture Soul and I’m sure there’s a lot more to be explored, even if he is no longer on the scene.
Jennifer’s last blog post..Beware of Estonians bearing basil *recipe not included
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 pmSoul’s character is kinda mysterious and there is something in the way you describe him that makes me want to know him more. Intriguing!
jeng’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen – 13 Positives About JengSpeaks
June 4th, 2009 at 1:13 amPoor Soul. 25 is too young!!
June 4th, 2009 at 3:32 amThe tennis shoes….that is perfect. He’s unique this Soul is….Soul? Sole? As in shoes? Oh well…never mind.
My Thirteen is posted…a message to all cats/dogs AND their owners. All in fun! Happy day wishes to you….
June 4th, 2009 at 6:45 amI like the name. Not too sure about the character. Seems to have too much of a downer side(low esteem). Personally I would like him to be more Mysterious with out the Drinking and Fire traits. A Stronger character with an unexpected side.You asked:-)
Auntie E’s last blog post..WW#9-Virginia Beach
June 4th, 2009 at 7:16 amI love your descriptions! Detailed without being boring.
Carmen’s last blog post..Thursday 13 – "Twinterview" With Melanie Fine
June 4th, 2009 at 7:45 amWow. That was interesting.
Happy Thursday 13 to you!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/06/lovin-thursday.html
June 4th, 2009 at 7:55 amCool character. It reminds me for some reason of Jimi Hendrix. Very cool
Happy TT!
June 4th, 2009 at 10:34 amHIGHLY INTRIGUEDDDDDDDDDDDDD
AD’s last blog post..Yes to the power 13
June 4th, 2009 at 12:17 pmWhat are you going to do with a dead man? Long dead if he was doing it in the 60’s. You’ve got me very interested.
Alice Audrey’s last blog post..13 Things on my Desk
June 4th, 2009 at 12:47 pm*is intrigued*
*tries to see where you’re going with this*
Hmmmm…
Well, he certainly sounds like quite a character.
Celticlibrarian’s last blog post..13 Pieces of Public Art in Fremont, CA
June 4th, 2009 at 1:52 pmNo TT this week. Stopped to drop and got wowwed by your header! It rocks!
Thorne’s last blog post..How To Grout your Pot
June 4th, 2009 at 2:42 pmThis was an intriguing post. You’re so good with characterization, Susan. I’m fascinated though, what are you going to do with a dead character?
Shelley Munro’s last blog post..How To Get Rich.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pmSo Wierd. I expected him to be older than 25.
lovesmukiwa’s last blog post..comforting my son
June 4th, 2009 at 5:36 pmI think the blond is going to have her own story, no?
Good character and a great mini story!
Thanks for stopping by my Thirteen Things to do on a Rainy Day – I’m actually going to do a few of them again this afternoon cause the clouds rolled in again!
June 4th, 2009 at 6:06 pmOooh, I loved this! Your paragraphs made me feel Soul’s soul, if you know what I mean. And the mystery woman — highly intriguing. Poor Soul, dead at 25. Though chronologically young, he felt like an old soul (pun intended).
Thomma Lyn’s last blog post..Moving Day for the Tadpoles
June 4th, 2009 at 6:17 pmVery intriguing….I love mystery
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June 4th, 2009 at 11:02 pmWhat an interesting character! I can’t wait to see what you do with him.
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June 8th, 2009 at 9:04 am[...] of you who remember my recent introduction of Soul Bendorff have been wondering just why I felt the need to create him. Here’s your answer. This was [...]
June 20th, 2009 at 9:55 am[...] 3. Read more about Soul here. [...]
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:44 pm