February 17, 2008
The movie ended. The band and Kerri sat, unmoving, staring at the tiny screen as the credits rolled into black.
“Wow,” Daniel said at last.
“No shit.” Mitchell dropped the handful of Kerri’s hair he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “That was … some intense shit.”
“So,” Eric said from his spot down by Mitchell and Kerri’s feet, “if you could travel through time, where would you go?” He stood up and fiddled with the TV suspended over Trevor.
“I’d go be the famous Daniel. Daniel in the Lion’s Den.”
Mitchell tipped his head backwards, trying to see the drummer. The only thing in view was the roof of the bus. “Didn’t he die or something?”
“Eventually, yeah, but who cares? The story’s immortal,” Daniel said before Eric could jump in and correct things. Or, worse, preach.
“So’s ShapeShifter.”
Eric cocked his head like he had to consider that. “But Daniel’s story was worthy of immortality because he was pious. Why are we worthy of immortality?”
“Because we’re ShapeShifter,” Mitchell said. Like they needed to ask?
“Time travel, M,” Kerri said. “Where would you go?”
He didn’t need to think about it. “I’d go work with Les Paul in the early days. I’d be a guitar master.”
“Some say you already are,” she said.
“Yeah, but I’d be more of one. I’d be more than just a player.”
She looked at him and rolled her eyes.
“Me, I’d go back and meet Jesus,” Eric said.
Mitchell hoped no one would ask the guitarist to elaborate. Every now and then, the guy went on these religious tears; clearly, the movie had awoken a new one in him. He’d have to make sure their copy of the flick disappeared somewhere. Maybe some fan would want it.
“What about you, Rusty?” the supposedly-sleeping Trevor asked. “Want to go back and be the hot, passionate woman who made Van Gogh cut his ear off? Want to inspire someone to do something even dumber?”
“Do you have any idea,” Kerri started, vibrating with a sudden passion that Mitchell hadn’t expected, “how women artists were treated back then? If — and that’s a huge if — they were allowed to paint, they were outcasts. Usually, they were told to forget about any ambitions they had for themselves. Go be a wife, they were told. Have babies. Run a house. Be invisible.”
Mitchell grabbed at her as she stood. He wasn’t sure which was worse, a religious sermon from Eric or a rant from his wife.
“So what the fuck do you think I’d gain from going back in time?” Kerri shrugged off Mitchell’s hands and stepped away, closer to Trevor. Who still hadn’t opened his eyes or moved. “Do you really think I’m dumb enough to think that this isn’t the best time in world history to be a woman? Do you really think I’d trade in everything I’ve got for that?”
“For a day?” Eric said. “Just one day, Kerri, and then you could come back.”
“I’m not going to work with Les Paul for just one day!”
“Mitchell, please. And no, Eric, I wouldn’t, and don’t start in on that bit about how I’ll better appreciate the here and now. I appreciate it plenty, believe me.”
“Funny,” Trevor said. “I thought you only appreciated Mitchell.”
Kerri left the front lounge at about the same instant that Mitchell lunged for Trevor. There’d be no sleeping for the bass player for awhile yet. Which was, of course, why Trevor had put on the whole sleep show in the first place.
But it didn’t change the outcome.
How many prompts can one piece of fiction cover? We’ve got Sunday Scribblings, Writer’s Island and, of course, Rhian’s Poetry Train. No Weekend Wordsmith this week; the prompt wasn’t for me.
julia
February 18, 2008 12:17 am
Of course, we didn’t get to find out where Trevor would time travel if he got the chance.
Rhian
February 18, 2008 7:06 am
i love TRevor. BR/this was wonderful Susan and of course i love the brush against women artists. I’m with Kerry – don’t send me back in time.
gautami tripathy
February 18, 2008 7:17 am
Very good dialogues. But you already know that!BR/BR/A HREF=”http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2008/02/snooze-time-baby.html” REL=”nofollow”snooze time, baby!/A
Susan Helene Gottfried
February 18, 2008 8:53 am
Nice turn of phrase, Rhi. “the BRUSH against women artists.”
Ann
February 18, 2008 12:21 pm
So Trevor plays people as well as he plays the bass? Wonderful dialogue, too.
UL
February 18, 2008 3:57 pm
this was a lovely read…very nice flow from start to end, Thanks for sharing.
Susan Helene Gottfried
February 18, 2008 4:25 pm
Ann, Trevor plays people BETTER than he plays bass. If he didn’t, the poor guy might not have a single skill in this life ’cause playing bass sure ain’t a skill he’s picked up!
Heather
February 18, 2008 4:38 pm
Fantastic dialogue! And kudos for using all those prompts in one piece. ;o) Well done!
anthonynorth
February 18, 2008 6:58 pm
Pure psychology in dialogue.
Jill
February 18, 2008 7:10 pm
Trevor is always getting himself in trouble!!BR/He might want to go back and undo one of those stupid thing!
myrtle beached whale
February 18, 2008 7:40 pm
This flowed nicely. An enjoyable read.
bunnygirl
February 18, 2008 8:59 pm
Sneaky of you not to say where Trevor would go if he could time travel! I’m with Kerri, though. I would have serious misgivings about going back to the past. I would need some sort of instant-eject back to the present, to be used as needed.
Wylie Kinson
February 19, 2008 1:05 am
Ah Trev, you shit disturber!
Wylie Kinson
February 19, 2008 1:08 am
You know… it occurred to me, after reading other people’s comments, that I’m never compelled to speak about your writing ability, because it doesn’t FEEL like a product of your imagination, but a real-life event. Like I’m simply reading a transcription of some actual moment in the life of Trevor and the band. BR/Weird eh?
Bob-kat
February 19, 2008 7:01 am
I’m with Kerri! The past is no place for a woman, except perhaps to the time of the vikings where women were more equal and were land holders and taught to fight! (Can’t you just tell I have Norse blood in me!). No, I would much rather go to the future where (hopefully) things are further improved for women. But then, you know my views on this! 🙂 Of those that commented on my post, almost uniformly, the women agreed with me while the men thought that the issue wasn’t so bad or didn’t exist anymore. Yeah, right. I say just look at any magazine shelf and I’m not just talking about the reems of top shelf publications. Mens and magazines maintain the status quo on the whole.BR/BR/Nicely done by Trevor, he’s a wily one!
Lisa Andel
February 19, 2008 8:30 am
Hi.
Susan Helene Gottfried
February 19, 2008 8:49 am
Wow, Wylie, thanks. That is VERY high praise!
Amy Ruttan
February 19, 2008 9:51 am
I was just talking about Time Travelling, all the places to go if I could time travel.
storyteller
February 21, 2008 10:22 am
Little by little I’m becoming familiar with your little cast of characters and being sucked into this world with you. They all seem so realistic! I wish I could write like this!BR/Hugs and blessings,
susiej
February 29, 2008 1:03 pm
This was wonderful.. I love the play of characters… but, sometimes, I wouldn’t mind going back in time to see what I could change.
Amarettogirl
March 2, 2008 1:29 pm
Wow! this was great fun…the ending of the movie, the realistic language, the tensions, the concepts (go back and meet Jesus! Whew!) reminding people what a hell hole being a woman trying to express herself was! Though maybe being a female pharoah maade not have been too bad!;) What a great response to the prompt!
the tongue tied muse
March 2, 2008 5:58 pm
A very witty post and exceptional piece of writing. I too would liked to have known where Trevor would have gone.
paisley
March 2, 2008 8:54 pm
i am forever grateful we didn’t have to do the jesus rant thing…. great chapter
FRIGGA
March 17, 2008 12:55 pm
I’m sorry I’m a little late on this one – time travel is fascinating… but what movie was it that they watched?BR/BR/Oh, I wanted to let you know I posted the “stories” from last weeks Mad Libs style TT – come by and vote if you have time!! 🙂
Allison Says
July 2, 2008 9:10 pm
What a great story! I’m adding you to my blog roll. I just realized (I’m slow, I know) that you are one of the ‘burgh moms? How great!BR/BR/Wonderful dialogue. So real!
Alice Audrey
July 5, 2008 1:02 am
I get the feeling I came into this one in the middle of things.BR/BR/I love the part about this being the best time to be a woman. It really is.