Thursday Thirteen: Soul Bendorff

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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.

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21 Comments

  1. Janet

    June 3, 2009 10:16 pm

    that was kind of sad 🙁

    Janet’s last blog post..wicked tat!

  2. Adelle Laudan

    June 3, 2009 10:30 pm

    Ooooohhh very intriguing. Wanted to read more. The ending made me sad too. Great character.
    Happy T13!

    Adelle Laudan’s last blog post..

  3. Lori

    June 3, 2009 11:09 pm

    Oooh . . . nice! Makes me want to know more about the mystery woman.

    Lori’s last blog post..

  4. Jennifer

    June 3, 2009 11:25 pm

    What 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

  5. jeng

    June 4, 2009 1:13 am

    Soul’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

  6. Grace @ Sandier Pastures

    June 4, 2009 3:32 am

    Poor Soul. 25 is too young!!

  7. Hootin' Anni

    June 4, 2009 6:45 am

    The 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….

  8. Auntie E

    June 4, 2009 7:16 am

    I 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

  9. Carmen

    June 4, 2009 7:45 am

    I love your descriptions! Detailed without being boring. 🙂

    Carmen’s last blog post..Thursday 13 – "Twinterview" With Melanie Fine

  10. Harriet

    June 4, 2009 7:55 am

    Wow. That was interesting.
    Happy Thursday 13 to you!

    http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/06/lovin-thursday.html

  11. Sue

    June 4, 2009 10:34 am

    Cool character. It reminds me for some reason of Jimi Hendrix. Very cool

    Happy TT!

  12. AD

    June 4, 2009 12:17 pm

    HIGHLY INTRIGUEDDDDDDDDDDDDD 😀

    AD’s last blog post..Yes to the power 13

  13. Alice Audrey

    June 4, 2009 12:47 pm

    What 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

  14. Celticlibrarian

    June 4, 2009 1:52 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

  15. Thorne

    June 4, 2009 2:42 pm

    No TT this week. Stopped to drop and got wowwed by your header! It rocks!

    Thorne’s last blog post..How To Grout your Pot

  16. Shelley Munro

    June 4, 2009 3:24 pm

    This 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.

  17. lovesmukiwa

    June 4, 2009 5:36 pm

    So Wierd. I expected him to be older than 25.

    lovesmukiwa’s last blog post..comforting my son

  18. PopArtDiva

    June 4, 2009 6:06 pm

    I 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!

  19. Thomma Lyn

    June 4, 2009 6:17 pm

    Oooh, 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

  20. Ric

    June 4, 2009 11:02 pm

    Very intriguing….I love mystery

    Ric’s last blog post..13 Sexy Lower Back Tattoos

  21. Darla

    June 8, 2009 9:04 am

    What an interesting character! I can’t wait to see what you do with him.

    Darla’s last blog post..Weekend Update

  22. West of Mars » Blog Archive » Byline: Chelle LaFleur — Soul in School
  23. West of Mars » Blog Archive » Thursday Thirteen: Oracle

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