bobby

Bobby is 74 and proud of it. Sometimes he calls himself “old man” but if you didn’t know he was born in 1933 you’d have put him in his early 60s. Once a professional drummer, he still wears his Hawaiian style shirts with the top two buttons undone – revealing a curly patch of whitening chest hair. Wants the ladies to know he’s still got it, despite the bald patch claiming 70 percent of his head.

He likes to get his money’s worth (including senior discounts), but has no problem letting you know his pockets are full. He drives a sleek black Cadillac and woe unto thee if you look like you might damage it with reckless driving or sloppy parking.

He’s kinda gruff and surly from time to time – though he doesn’t mean it (at least not always). He’s a street-wise grown man and doesn’t appreciate comments that insinuate he’s not as smart as you are (whether or not it’s true). A little sensitive in the fair treatment category, he demands you treat him just like every other customer. Any slight on your part (real or imagined) and he’s likely to cause a scene. He has been escorted out of more than one restaurant in recent years.

He tries to reserve his soft spot for his family. He accidentally hurts his wife’s feelings pretty regularly, but apologizes in his own “manly” way once he realizes what’s he’s done. Being married for over 30 years, it only takes him about half an hour now to figure out she’s mad at him. Bobby loves his wife deeply, no matter who still thinks he wasn’t good enough to marry her.

casey

Casey is a 30-something beauty. Once a gifted high school sprinter, she's gotten a little soft over the years. Though quick-witted and physically attractive, she lacks the self-confidence a tenure-track professor should have. Her deepest desire is to meet her prince charming and live happily ever after. Her greatest fear is that she's too late.

Casey grew up a quiet, shy, only child. Doted on by her father, much the jealousy of her mother, she was undoubtedly a daddy's girl. It's this undying affection for Daddy that spurs her search of the perfect man. Casey's shyness is masked at times, yet down right debilitating at others. She still carries vivid memories of being too scared to respond during competitions in grade school (losing contests and the respect of some classmates as a result). Even as an adult, she will rarely try new places alone for fear of the unknown. When able to control all aspects of a situation, she is poised, elegant, in a word, brilliant. Spontaneity and grace under pressure? Forget it.

Casey's parents are Christians – her mom actually attends church, but her dad attends Sunday snooze services in bed. Not into "organized religion" but more a "spiritual" person, Casey is seeking a philosophy she can embrace. Maybe the right philosophy will help her find the right man. But then again, maybe she's just in the wrong city. Or maybe it's her hair. Whatever it is, Casey has to find it and fix it and meet him. Soon.

Casey has a couple of close friends (Gene and Lynette from college), but is generally not too social. She certainly finds it much easier (and pleasurable) to interact with men than women, and doesn't believe "girlfriends" are necessary. She spends most of her free time doing things that challenge her mind (learning Japanese, reading, doing research for work), and one can easily find her at home on a Saturday night (the perfect place, of course, to meet Mr. Right).

In an effort to reclaim her softening body, and investigate Gene's new-found love of running, she decides to join a local runner's club. Made up of mostly teen and low-twenty-something, competitive females, Casey is not welcome. She's "old" and "slow" and she's "certainly ain't in no shape to help us win no races."

Casey's challenge: discover and embrace the limitless beauty inherent in her own life, and support these young women who need her just as much as she needs them.

making moves

so i've moved an inch. maybe a foot this time. i have submitted two short articles to the world tribune. i've also (and this it the important part) joined an online writer's group/class. while i find myself a tad stuck for this week's assignment, i find myself unstuck on at least character creation.

i've shared my idea for my novel - runner's mark. i now have another idea though - a short story idea i had last year (based on a true story). my compromise, at least for today, is to write the bio for thanksgiving thief.

where am i stuck - now i have two choices and an assignment due based on one of them. :-). i have to plot my plot. in other words, figure out some of the high and low points of the story. much easier to do with a short story. and the good news is, i have a chance of having the whole thing written by the end of class. but if i get help with plotting a novel, that's something i can carry with me to other novels.

i guess the question is, which is to my advantage at this time? it's a win-win situation, but which win do i want most?