On Fifth Writing Class:

Did you ever have one of those moments that you feel like your totally out of step? Like you showed up on the wrong day? That is how writing class started yesterday.

I got there on time. Okay, So I’m first tonight. Good. I set up my laptop, got out my file of my copies for everyone to go over in class, pulled out my dictionary expecting the door to open at any moment. I pulled out a writers magazine and started reading an article.

Five minutes, no one came yet. I asked at the desk if it was in fact Thursday? Yes. Was the class canceled? No. I went outside to see if the others had met out there and were talking before coming in. No one was in sight.

Ten minutes, no one came yet. I’m feeling like I did when I was lost in a department store at the age of five. I went from the department my mother was in to the department my father said he was going to be in. When he wasn‘t there I went back the department where my mother was and she was now gone. I knew where I was. But where were they? How could I fix this? Back in the present and tired of staring at the door I went out to the parking lot where Mountain Man was reading the newspaper in the car waiting for me to come out when the class ended. He came back with me to wait because my laptop was in there and it was more comfortable.

Fifteen minutes, the teacher walks in looking a bit like death warmed over. He had had a diabetic issue and had to stop for something to eat on the way. (He did look a lot better after another fifteen minutes.) He told me of the phone calls of the others late or no show messages. We got started without them.

Having him all to myself we really went over the trouble I was having with the cancer piece. It is too short for submitting to the magazines but any attempt to lengthen it to the required 2000 or more words really watered the thing down way too much. I am keeping to the original and we are looking for another venue.

The other man in the group showed up and we moved onto other things. We went over two of his songs that he is working on. Then I got to read two other short stories I came up with this past week that they liked.

We went over time to make up for the late start and I barely made it to the craft store after the class. I needed some more clearance yarn and size six circular knitting needles. They were calling all shoppers to the check out as I grabbed my last 2 and a half ounce yarn in the bin for purchase. A good end to the day I think.