TINY TUESDAY (m)
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TINY TUESDAY (m)
| Tue, 01-01-2002 - 12:15pm |
TINY TUESDAY (m)
Sitting here watching the Tournament of Roses, I thought it might be fun to write a scene or short story (max of 500 words) involving a float.
Have fun,
Mac

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my Thursday TT: Ivory White
“Jeannie, can you buy 150 packages of balloons and rent the helium?â€
That’s the same job I get every year. Jeannie can’t build the base of the float. Jeannie can’t string streamers. Jeannie can’t sew the costumes for the kids. But you can count on good ole’ Jeannie to buy balloons.
“Seventy-five packages of white and seventy-five of green,†I tell the gum chewing, too-much-makeup face in the balloon store. She manages to speak a few words in between blowing bubbles.
“Would ya like,†snap, “ivory white or frosty,†pop, “white or icing white,†chewing speeds up, “or bridal white?â€
“Just plain white,†I reply, “like whatever is your basic white that you’ve got seventy-five packages of.â€
“Lemme go check,†says the Kool-Aid hair as she escapes to the back room. I look around the shop. A tattered Wal-Mart ski jacket surveyed the other stock, selecting one of ‘It’s a girl!’ ‘It’s a boy!’ ‘Congratulations on your divorce!’ or ‘It’s a puppy!’.
“O-Kay, like, ivory white is yer best bet,†calls out a bodiless voice from the back room.
“Fine!†I shout back. Now we’ll have to go through this again for the green. Sigh.
I pull out my keys and will the hatchback on my Rabbit to open far enough to get the helium tanks inside. I poke the bottom end of one tank in behind my driver’s seat. I lift the next tank and place it behind the passenger seat. I lift the third tank and pray it will lie between the other two tanks without slamming through my windshield.
“Want some help?†the ski jacket stood beside the box of balloons.
“No thanks,†I grunt, as I crush my finger between a tank and a seatbelt. “I’m managing.â€
“Well, you’ve got a flat,†says the ski jacket.
“What?†I pull myself upright and bang my noggin into the hatchback. Ducks and ringed planets circle my head.
“Here,†an arm slips through my elbow to hold me steady. I look up into the face of the calculus champion of our school.
“Er, are you on the float committee?†I blurt.
“No,†he blushes. “I was too shy again this year. But I’d like to meet you, I mean,†he blushes deeper red, “help you. My dad’s truck is right over there. Besides, it’s dangerous to drive with a tank of compressed gas inside a passenger vehicle.â€
“Oh,†I murmur, my brain trying to decipher his words. I sit on the curb feebly while my calculus man carries the tanks to his dad’s pickup and pops in the box of balloons. I’d never paid attention to him before. What was his name? Lazurus. Lyle. Lincoln. Lenny.
“Lamar,†he says, “and you’re Jeannie. Hop in!â€
“Er, thanks!†I step up into the passenger side of the truck and look into Lamar’s face. This year’s float decorating could be interesting.
Brilliant imagination! Kelp, bruised pansies...
loincloth, and blow-up dolls! Tee hee. Loved it.
Is Monkey's Eyebrow, KY a real place? And what exactly is the purpose of this parade (in real life)?
Eyewrite
Very creative, Ramona (m)
I could see King Kong right before my eyes and loved the details of which flowers were used on the float. I also thought Bob Eubank's commentary seemed right on for parade lingo.
I enjoyed reading your TT.
Mac
PS...I don't know if you made up the name Monkey's Eyebrow or if that's really town in KY but I love the name!!!
It's all true
Yes, there really is a Monkey's Eyebrow, KY. And about 20 minutes from where I live is a little hamlet called Possum Trot.
I live just outside a city called Paducah in western KY. Prior to moving out here my boyfriend sent me a t-shirt proudly proclaiming that Paducah KY lies halfway between Monkey's Eyebrow and Possum Trot.
Yep.
Just FYI, the phrase "monkey's eyebrow" was mildly popular during the 1920s. It basically means the same thing as "the bee's knees."
Cute story, eyewrite (m)
Jeannie's voice was really strong. I loved the way you described the worker at the balloon store, especially "gum chewing, too-much-makeup face" and thought the "would ya like, snap, "ivory..." was a very original idea.
The only thing I'd suggest is when Lamar gave his name he might have said, "By the way, I'm Lamar." As it was written, it seemed awkward or like he was doing some mind-reading when he popped his name out at her.
Great job with the exercise!
Mac
Good feedback...
I did want Lamar to be kind of reading her mind, but as a calculus guy, he may not have that exact skill. Thank you for noticing that was an awkward part.
I wrote a lot more about her run-down beater of a car but snipped it out for length.
Thanks for reading! Happy 2002!
Eyewrite
Hi eyewrite (m)
I like creative meetings that may lead to romance.
I had a couple of questions, how did she get three tanks outside and a couple of boxes of balloons? It needs a transistion sentence and also I know that words are limited but I never did get a good picture of him or her but I enjoyed your descriptions of the sales clerk LOL
Also I'm curious how come she always gets stuck getting the balloons by herself? Teens tend to hang out together LOL
I liked the story and especially happy endings!
Maria
Great descriptions (m)
I could picture King Kong on the float. I enjoyed your story.
Great job!
Interesting town names, Monkeys Eyebrow and Possum Trot, I live out in the boonies and I can honestly say that I have never seen a possum or opossum trot(lol)
Maria
Cute, Eyewrite...(m)
...brings back memories for us 'older ones' here at the SSB. I found this well written and not too cutsie. And I liked your description of the blow to her head, "...and ringed planets circled my head..." very nice.
Good job. Sammi
Very Nice, Portrait...(m)
I found the twin aspect cute. So does Monkey's Eyebrow, KY really exist? You did good. Sammi
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