2012

"Lucky 7 Meme"

Lucky 7 Meme 

 Randi_lee , an exceptional writing talent, recently tagged me for a challenge called the “Lucky 7 Meme” . I'm grateful she was thoughtful & wise enough to send the following instructions...

The rules are:

-Turn to page 77 of your work-in-progress (WIP)

-Go down to line 7

-Copy down the next 7 lines - sentences or paragraphs - and post them as they're written.

-No cheating!

Once complete tag seven new people to partake in the challenge! And let them know.

So here are my seven paragraphs from my current work-in-progress (a WIP as Randi_lee and more seasoned writers would say)...

Politely declining an offer of scotch, gin or a cigar, he thanked Henry Chase Corwin anyway and sat in the recliner chair the House Ways & Means Committee chairman pointed to. Legend has it that whenever a member of congress wasn't sure how they would vote on pending legislation, they would be summoned to the Kingmaker's private suite for either some good old-fashioned cajoling or arm twisting. He wasn't exactly the committee chairman's rubber stamp, often voting his conscience instead of along party lines, so he braced himself for the latter.

Still a strikingly handsome figure at age 67, Chairman Corwin crossed the room to close the French doors to his private office. Closing the door may just mean their meeting would be private, he reasoned, slightly fidgeting in his seat. However, when the silver-haired gentleman begin to close the silky gold drapes, legend held that a major dressing down was in order. He watched Chairman Corwin, who was fingering his scotch glass, speak into an intercom system on his expansive mahogany desk and instruct his secretary to hold all calls.

Now turning his full attention to the freshman congressman, there was that look he had often heard others speak about in hush tones, certainly not to Chairman Corwin's face, but there it was, a face akin to stone accompanied by an intimidating cold stare,  metamorphosing quickly into a glare that temporarily paralyzed him with unmistakable fear. "Listen to me, you young whippersnapper!" How dare you waltz into my committee and dare to challenge my ideas and vision! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"

He had subconsciously sat up right and pressed his back to his chair as if it was his Pappy scolding him about allowing foxes in the hen house as a lad, or Coach Wright--in a fit of anger and fustration--verbally blasting him years later in front of his teammates for throwing an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by their  Homecoming Game opponents in the waning minutes of a seesaw contest.  His knuckles begin to whiten as he pressed down hard on the arm rest as his jaw clenched, struggling to maintain a sense of discpline in spite of wanting to lash out amid Chairman Corwin's tongue lashing.

Corwin stopped his tirade briefly to wet his whistle, draining the remaining contents in his scotch glass, before resuming without missing a beat, "Now, you listen here mister, I was out securing America's freedoms in Korea and Vietnam before you could even use the potty, so either you vote along party lines tomorrow morning, or you are finished in Washington, understood?! As if discarding stale milk, Chairman Corwin waved his hand in a dismissive manner, adding, " You had better learn how to play the game kid, or tuck your tail between your legs and go home to mommy".

Akin to a NASA rocket at the precise moment of lift-off at the Kennedy Space Center, he bolted up from his chair in a flash, and was at the door, spinning around to return fire with fire, something his Mum always warned him about, citing something about two wrongs don't make a right". Though her words had served him well for many years to come, not this time, he wasn't going back down, especially to the likes of politicians like Chairman Corwin who were beholden to special interest groups instead of the best interests of the American people.

Mum hold your ears he thought aloud as he stood tall and said, "With all due respect to your service to our country, Mr. Chairman, I'm going to vote my conscience tomorrow. The chips will fall where they may. I don't represent you, nor a party label, my allegiance is first and foremost to the folks in my congressional district". With that, he bid, "Good Day, Sir!!!" and headed down the length of the powder blue carpeted hallway towards an Exit sign flashing at the end of the corridor. He needed some fresh air, and Aimee's reassuring smile...tough choices lay ahead.

And that’s that!  Hope it makes at least a little sense. I’m going to tag the following people listed below. Even if they don’t participate, given this busy thing we call LIFE, they all are noteworthy in their own right.  Be sure to check them out!

Jswwrites

Nissie

Suzanne

Julz

Charity

Leslie

Tom